Recent developments in wearable & non-wearable point-of-care biosensors for cortisol detection

Area of Science:

• Biomedical Engineering
• Analytical Chemistry
• Endocrinology

Background:

• Cortisol is a critical biomarker for detecting psychological stress and related disorders.
• Its role in immunomodulation and fat metabolism highlights the importance of monitoring cortisol levels for pathological conditions.
• Continuous cortisol monitoring is increasingly important for stress management and disease indication.

Approach:

• This review examines recent advancements in point-of-care (PoC) sensors, both wearable and non-wearable, for cortisol monitoring.
• Focus is placed on electrochemical PoC devices as powerful tools for real-time cortisol detection.
• The review summarizes challenges hindering mass deployment of these advanced biosensing technologies.

Key Points:

• Electrochemical PoC devices show significant promise for continuous cortisol monitoring, aiding stress management.
• Key challenges include inter-individual variability and the need for dynamic calibration due to circadian rhythms.
• Interference from other endocrine substances is another critical hurdle for device accuracy and reliability.

Conclusions:

• Recent breakthroughs in PoC sensor development offer new avenues for cortisol monitoring.
• Electrochemical biosensors are emerging as effective tools for stress-related biomarker detection.
• Addressing technical and biological challenges is crucial for the successful clinical implementation of continuous cortisol monitoring devices.