Cortisol News and Research

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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.

Feeling low in social status linked to worse health outcomes for new mothers

When it comes to the link between socioeconomic status and health, perception can be as important as reality. A study published by the American Psychological Association finds that new mothers who see themselves as lower on the socioeconomic ladder have worse health outcomes one year after their child's birth than new mothers who see themselves as higher status.

13 Jan 2022

Study finds blunted cortisol profiles in women who experienced childhood sexual abuse

Childhood sexual abuse can lead to depression, anxiety, cardiovascular disease and other health problems later in life. Not all abused children experience these problems, however, and researchers are working to understand whose health is affected and why.

13 Jan 2022

SUSU researchers identify biological indicators of long-lasting PTSD

War veterans have helped scientists of South Ural State University identify biological indicators which signal whether people have a post-traumatic stress disorder or a susceptibility to it.

30 Dec 2021

Woman's race/ethnicity and menopause status may partially determine the severity of GI symptoms

Hormonal changes during the menopause transition have been shown to affect a woman's gastrointestinal (GI) functions with some unpleasant results such as nausea, bloating, and abdominal pain.

8 Dec 2021

Mothers' caregiving may erase negative effects of stress during pregnancy on infants

A study published in the Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry suggests that mothers' sensitive caregiving after giving birth may erase some of the negative effects of stress during pregnancy on newborns.

17 Nov 2021

Women more likely than men to feel stigmatized about abdominal fat, regardless of BMI

Women were more likely than men to report feeling stigmatized about abdominal fat, regardless of their body mass index or weight, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association's Scientific Sessions 2021.

8 Nov 2021

How cellular clocks regulate cardiac physiology

In this interview, News-Medical speaks to research associate Dr. Alessandra Stangherlin about her latest research that provided new insights into the circadian rhythm of the heart.

2 Nov 2021

Research finds variability in PTSD symptoms over the course of menstrual cycle

In women who have experienced trauma, post-traumatic stress disorder symptoms may vary over the course of the menstrual cycle, with more symptoms during the first few days of the cycle when the hormone estradiol is low, and fewer symptoms close to ovulation, when estradiol is high, finds research published by the American Psychological Association.

28 Oct 2021

Research reveals troubling implications for female teenagers with obesity and chronic pain

New research on obesity and chronic pain in adolescents uncovers sex differences with troubling implications for female teenagers with these conditions.

19 Oct 2021

Scientists identify gene responsible for food-dependent form of Cushing's Syndrome

A team of scientists in Montreal and Paris has succeeded in identifying the gene responsible for the development of a food-dependent form of Cushing's Syndrome, a rare disease affecting both adrenal glands.

15 Oct 2021

Study sheds light on the beneficial effects of peanut consumption in young and healthy people

A study published in the journal Clinical Nutrition provides new knowledge on the health effects of a diet rich in nuts.

7 Oct 2021

Psychological therapy alleviates adverse biobehavioral effects in young adult testicular cancer survivors

Psychological therapy reduces the adverse biobehavioral effects of testicular cancer in young adult survivors, according to a pilot study led by the University of California, Irvine.

6 Oct 2021

Childhood maltreatment causes neurobiological alterations in early stages of life

A paper published in the journal Psychological Medicine confirms the existence of neurobiological alterations in early stages of life in minors exposed to maltreatment.

16 Sep 2021

Reframing the understanding of stress can make a big difference to students' wellbeing, success

Sweaty palms during a job interview. Racing heartbeat before the walk down the aisle. Stomach pains ahead of a final exam. Many of us have experienced a classic stress response in new, unusual, or high-pressure circumstances.

16 Sep 2021

High levels of stress hormones associated with hypertension and cardiovascular events

Adults with normal blood pressure and high levels of stress hormones were more likely to develop high blood pressure and experience cardiovascular events compared to those who had lower stress hormone levels, according to new research published today in Hypertension, an American Heart Association journal.

13 Sep 2021

Increase in social stress may be connected to global population decline

A University of Massachusetts Amherst environmental health scientist has developed an "overlooked hypothesis" to help explain the projected global population decline beginning in 2064: social stress.

7 Sep 2021

Researchers use hair cortisol test to detect the impact of COVID-19 on stress levels in families

Researchers at NYU Abu Dhabi, in collaboration with Global TIES for Children and researchers at University of California Davis (Paul Hastings and Lindsey Partington) as well as Hashemite University in Jordan (Rana Dajani), have used a hair cortisol test to detect the impact of COVID-19 on stress levels in families.

6 Sep 2021

Can COVID-19 vaccines affect athletic performance in the short term?

Getting the COVID-19 vaccine — especially the second shot — can produce minor side effects such as aches and fever that tend to go away after a day or two. Adding to the list, a small study from the University of Arizona found that people may find it slightly challenging to exercise after getting a two-dose coronavirus vaccine.

3 Sep 2021

Cognitive function of older adults could be improved through multidomain lifestyle interventions

Aging-US published "Facility-based and home-based multidomain interventions including cognitive training, exercise, diet, vascular risk management, and motivation for older adults: a randomized controlled feasibility trial" which reported that in an outcome assessor-blinded, randomized controlled trial, participants without dementia and with one or more modifiable dementia risk factors, aged 60-79 years, were randomly assigned to the facility-based MI, the home-based MI, or the control group receiving general health advice.

28 Aug 2021

Exposure to woodland benefits adolescents’ cognition and mental health

Analysis of children and young people's proximity to woodlands has shown links with better cognitive development and a lower risk of emotional and behavioral problems, in research led by UCL and Imperial College London scientists that could influence planning decisions in urban areas.

19 Jul 2021