Cortisol News and Research

RSS

Cortisol is a hormone made by the adrenal cortex (the outer layer of the adrenal gland). It helps the body use glucose (a sugar), protein, and fats. Cortisol made in the laboratory is called hydrocortisone. It is used to treat many conditions, including inflammation, allergies, and some cancers. Cortisol is a type of glucocorticoid hormone.

Aptamer-based wearables revolutionize continuous health tracking

Continuous monitoring of biomarkers is essential for early disease detection, treatment evaluation, and personalized health management, yet most clinical tests rely on invasive, single-point blood sampling. Recent advances in aptamer-based wearable electrochemical sensors offer a promising alternative by enabling real-time, continuous tracking of physiological signals directly in or on the body.

30 Jan 2026

Ashwagandha aids recovery without blunting training stress in athletes

Six weeks of Ashwagandha root extract supplementation in semi-professional team-sport athletes was associated with sex-specific effects during pre-season training. Females showed improved perceived recovery with stable cortisol, while males demonstrated gains in lower-body power with stable cortisone levels.

18 Jan 2026

Breast cancer disrupts stress hormone rhythms in the brain

"The brain is an exquisite sensor of what's going on in your body," says Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory Assistant Professor Jeremy Borniger. "But it requires balance. Neurons need to be active or inactive at the right times. If that rhythm goes out of sync even a little bit, it can change the function of the entire brain."

15 Dec 2025

Etomidate proves safer than ketamine for emergency intubations

Doctors treating seriously ill patients in an emergency setting may want to give the sedative etomidate, rather than ketamine, while placing a breathing tube, according to a randomized trial published Dec. 9 in the New England Journal of Medicine.

12 Dec 2025

Landmark RSI trial reshapes sedative selection for emergency airway management

9 Dec 2025

New study explores sweat's potential for real-time biomarker monitoring

Sweat contains a wealth of biological information that, with the help of artificial intelligence and next-generation sensors, could transform how we monitor our health and wellbeing, a new study suggests.

1 Dec 2025

Music therapy speeds anesthesia recovery in colorectal surgery

Integrating music therapy with anesthesia recovery care enhances recovery in colorectal cancer patients, reducing complications and stabilizing vital signs.

28 Nov 2025

Deep learning AI model identifies first-of-its-kind biomarker of chronic stress

Using a deep learning AI model, researchers identified the first-of-its-kind biomarker of chronic stress detectable through routine imaging, according to research being presented next week at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America.

25 Nov 2025

Dexamethasone shows potential to fight therapy-resistant breast cancer metastases

The drug dexamethasone supplements cancer treatments to alleviate side effects of chemotherapy such as nausea or inflammation.

24 Nov 2025

Prenatal stress hormones may shape when a baby’s teeth erupt

A study links maternal stress hormones in late pregnancy to the timing of baby teeth eruption, highlighting prenatal factors in early childhood development.

20 Nov 2025

Maternal stress linked to earlier baby teeth

Children have 20 milk teeth, 10 in each jaw. This set of teeth is important for chewing and speaking, and helps to keep space open for the subsequent set of 32 permanent teeth.

18 Nov 2025

New review illuminates the intricate connections between gut microbiota and sleep regulation

A comprehensive review published today in Brain Medicine illuminates the intricate connections between gut microbiota and sleep regulation, establishing the microbiota-gut-brain axis as a critical pathway in understanding and potentially treating sleep disorders.

4 Nov 2025

Stress hormones may silence crucial neuronal genes through specific RNA molecules

What if the brain's response to stress could be read not in fleeting neurotransmitter bursts, but in the quieting of genes deep inside chromatin? Researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham have now shown that stress hormones may silence crucial neuronal genes through an unexpected class of RNA molecules that operate not by encoding proteins, but by reshaping the genome's architecture.

4 Nov 2025

Sharing happy moments with a partner may be good for older people's health

Sharing happy moments with a partner may be good for older people's health, lowering the level of the stress hormone cortisol in their bodies, according to research published by the American Psychological Association.

30 Oct 2025

Dance alleviates perceived symptoms of depression, study finds

Dance as a performative art form alleviates perceived symptoms of depression, helps to understand its root causes and promotes self-actualization, a recent study from the University of Eastern Finland found.

30 Oct 2025

Circadian rhythm disruptions may increase the risk of cardiovascular disease

As modern lifestyles increasingly challenge the body's natural circadian rhythm, the American Heart Association is spotlighting the potential health consequences of regular disruptions to our body's internal clock with a new scientific statement published today in its flagship journal Circulation.

28 Oct 2025

Intraoperative music therapy reduces anesthetic use and physiological stress

A groundbreaking study published in the peer-reviewed journal Music and Medicine demonstrates that intraoperative music therapy significantly reduces the amount of propofol and fentanyl required during laparoscopic cholecystectomy performed under general anesthesia.

27 Oct 2025