Stress hormone levels in saliva of primary school students under wartime conditions in Ukraine
Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Observational Study
Abstract: Objective — to investigate the levels of stress hormones (cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S), testosterone) and their ratios in primary school students studying in an underground school in a frontline city during the war in Ukraine. Materials and methods. A total of 89 primary school students (46 boys and 43 girls) studying in an underground school in Kharkiv in 2024—2025 participated in the study. Salivary levels of cortisol, testosterone, and DHEA-S were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. To assess the functioning and interaction of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) and hypothalamic–pituitary–gonadal (HPG) axes, the ratios of cortisol/DHEA-S (C/DHEA-S), testosterone/cortisol (T/C), and DHEA-S/testosterone (DHEA-S/T) were calculated. Results. In girls, the concentrations of the studied hormones in saliva were within reference values, whereas in boys, testosterone levels were below the normative range. Significant age-related differences in stress hormone levels were observed. Boys aged 7—9 years showed lower values for all studied parameters. In boys aged 10—11 years, an increase in the DHEA-S/T ratio indicated the onset of puberty. In girls, cortisol levels increased with age, resulting in a decrease in the T/C ratio. Girls aged 7—9 years exhibited higher testosterone levels and T/C indices compared to boys. These changes in girls are associated with the onset of puberty and a predominance of anabolic processes, which are characteristic of pubertal development. The physical development of students influenced salivary hormone levels. Children with overweight and obesity showed increased DHEA-S and testosterone levels and decreased C/DHEA-S ratios, indicating dysregulation of the stress system. These alterations were more pronounced in boys, suggesting sex-related and physiological differences in response to chronic stress associated with living in a frontline area during wartime. Conclusions. Significant changes in stress hormone levels and their ratios were found in primary school students studying in an underground school in Kharkiv during the war in Ukraine. Variations in salivary hormone levels depended on age, sex, and physical development. Hormonal imbalance was more pronounced in boys with overweight and obesity.
Language: English
Subfield: Behavioral Neuroscience
Field: Neuroscience
Domain: Life Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W7119496105