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Basal cortisol's relation to testosterone changes may not be driven by social challenges.
Keith M Welker1, Smrithi Prasad2, Sanjay Srivastava2
1Department of Psychology, University of Massachusetts Boston, United States of America.
Psychoneuroendocrinology
|August 6, 2017
Summary
The association between basal cortisol and testosterone changes may be a statistical artifact, not solely due to psychological stress responses. This challenges previous findings, suggesting hormonal covariation as an alternative explanation.
Area of Science:
- Endocrinology
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Previous research indicates a negative correlation between basal cortisol and testosterone changes under competition and social-evaluative stress.
- These associations are often attributed to psychological responses to stress.
Purpose of the Study:
- To propose and mathematically demonstrate an alternative explanation for the basal cortisol-testosterone change association.
- To challenge the prevailing view that psychological stress responses are the sole drivers of this hormonal relationship.
Main Methods:
- Mathematical modeling to explore statistical consequences of hormone covariation.
- Analysis of existing study data exhibiting covariance patterns between basal cortisol and testosterone change.
Main Results:
- The study presents a mathematical rationale suggesting the association may arise from statistical properties of positively associated hormones.
- Two studies analyzed showed covariance patterns consistent with this statistical artifact explanation.
Conclusions:
- The positive association between basal cortisol and basal testosterone may create alternative explanations for their observed changes under stress.
- Future research should focus on methods to disentangle statistical effects from direct psychological stress responses in hormonal dynamics.
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