Year: 2013
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Background: Long-term psychosocial stress can cause and contribute to a\nwide range of psychological and somatic conditions, and accelerate aging.\nOne of the consequences of long-term psychosocial stress may be a reduction\nin the levels of dehydroepiandrosterone and its sulphated metabolite\ndehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S). The aim of this thesis was to\ninvestigate the effects of acute and long-term psychosocial stress on serum\nlevels of DHEA and DHEA-S in otherwise healthy men and women. Method:\nIn Paper I, 39 healthy individuals went through a stress test (Trier social\nstress test). Blood samples were collected before the stress test, immediately\nafter the stress test and after 30 minutes of recovery. Mixed between-within\nANOVAs were used to investigate the responses of DHEA and DHEA-S.\nThirty-six of the 39 participants in Paper I answered a questionnaire\nregarding long-term stress (perceived stress at work) and were included in\nPaper II. DHEA and DHEA-S response during acute stress were compared\nbetween groups of individuals who reporting different levels of long-term\nstress (Low, Medium, High) using ANCOVA. The Low stress group, which\ndid not experience any stress at work, was used as reference group. In Paper\nIII, morning DHEA-S and DHEA levels were measured in serum in 41\nstressed and 40 non-stressed individuals. The groups were defined based on\ntheir scores on the questionnaire measuring long-term stress (perceived stress\nat work). DHEA and DHEA-S levels were compared between the groups\nusing ANCOVA. Results: While acute psychosocial stress increases the\nlevels of DHEA and DHEA-S temporarily (Paper I), long-term psychosocial\nstress is associated with reduced capacity to produce DHEA-S during acute\nstress (Paper II) and lower basal DHEA-S levels (Paper III). Conclusions:\nConsidering the beneficial effects that DHEA and DHEA-S have and the fact\nthat low DHEA and DHEA-S levels are associated with adverse health, the\nfindings of this thesis suggest that one of the links between long-term stress\nand adverse health could be that long-term stress reduces the capacity to\nproduce DHEA-S.
Author: Anna-Karin Lennartsson
Language: English
Subfield: Behavioral Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2152208083