‘Normal’ cigarette smoking increases free cortisol in habitual smokers

doi:10.1016/0024-3205(92)90378-3

Life Sciences

Volume 50, Issue 6, 1992, Pages 435-442

https://doi.org/10.1016/0024-3205(92)90378-3 Get rights and content

Abstract

In habitual smokers salivary cortisol responses to cigarette smoking were investigated. In the first study, 31 adults assigned to two experimental groups smoked either one or two cigarettes of their preferred brand. Mean salivary cortisol levels were significantly elevated after smoking of two cigarettes. In the second study, 10 smokers and 10 nonsmokers provided saliva samples at 20 min intervals over a 12-hr period. While environmental stimuli were paralleled in both groups overall cortisol output was significantly elevated in the smokers. These data suggest that ‘normal’ cigarette smoking can increase free cortisol levels.

References (39)

O.F. Pomerleau et al.
Psychoneuroendocrinology
(1989)
K. Fuxe et al.
Psychoneuroendocrinology
(1989)
V.V. Gossain et al.
Am. J. Med. Sci.
(1986)
P. Hill et al.
Am. Heart J.
(1974)
L.E.J. Seyler et al.
Life Sci.
(1984)
J. Yeh et al.
Fertil. Steril.
(1989)
C. Kirschbaum et al.
Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav.
(1989)
R.E. Poland et al.
Life Sci.
(1982)
J. Brandtstädter et al.
J. Psychosom. Res.
(1991)
P.J. O'Connor et al.
Psychoneuroendocrinology
(1989)

I.M. Blackburn et al.

J. Affective Disord.

(1987)

M.P. Nair et al.

Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol.

(1990)

S. Schachter

Ann. Int. Med.

(1978)

B. Hokfelt

Acta Medica Scandinavia

(1961)

P.E. Cryer et al.

N. Engl. J. Med.

(1976)

W.W. Winternitz et al.

J. Clin. Pharmacol.

(1977)

M. Sellini et al.

Medicina. Firenze.

(1989)

C.S. Pomerleau et al.

Br. J. Addict.

(1990)

O.F. Pomerleau et al.

Psychopharmacology Berlin

(1983)

Cited by (149)

Effect of early life social adversity on drug abuse vulnerability: Focus on corticotropin-releasing factor and oxytocin
2021, Neuropharmacology
Citation Excerpt :
CRF regulation of the HPA stress axis also plays a key role in withdrawal following long-term drug exposure (Kreek and Koob, 1998). With acute exposure, cortisol levels are increased by alcohol (Mendelson et al., 1971), nicotine (Kirschbaum et al., 1992), and cocaine (Heesch et al., 1995). However, the HPA axis adapts to chronic nicotine exposure by increasing basal tone and results in more intense withdrawal during early abstinence (Wemm and Sinha, 2019), likely resulting from nicotine's ability to activate the HPA axis via release of CRF and norepinephrine in PVN (Fu et al., 1997; Matta et al., 1990; Okada et al., 2003).
Early life adversity can set the trajectory for later psychiatric disorders, including substance use disorders. There are a host of neurobiological factors that may play a role in the negative trajectory. The current review examines preclinical evidence suggesting that early life adversity specifically involving social factors (maternal separation, adolescent social isolation and adolescent social defeat) may influence drug abuse vulnerability by strengthening corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) systems and weakening oxytocin (OT) systems. In adulthood, pharmacological and genetic evidence indicates that both CRF and OT systems are directly involved in drug reward processes. With early life adversity, numerous studies show an increase in drug abuse vulnerability measured in adulthood, along a concomitant strengthening of CRF systems and a weakening of OT systems. Mechanistic studies, while relatively few in number, are generally consistent with the theme that strengthened CRF systems and weakened OT systems mediate, at least in part, the link between early life adversity and drug abuse vulnerability. Establishing a direct role of CRF and OT in mediating the relation between early life social stressors and drug abuse vulnerability will inform clinical researchers and practitioners toward the development of intervention strategies to reduce risk among those suffering from early life adversities.
This article is part of the special issue on ‘Vulnerabilities to Substance Abuse’.
Endocrine Disrupters in Air
2021, Endocrine Disruption and Human Health
Endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) occur in air as volatile or semivolatile compounds in the gas phase or attached to particulate matter. They include industrial chemicals (polychlorinated biphenyls), products of combustion (polychlorinated dibenzodioxins/furans, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), pesticides, herbicides alkyl phenols, components of plastics (phthalates, bisphenol A), components of consumer goods (parabens, triclosan, organobromine flame retardants, fluorosurfactants, fragrance compounds), and some metals. This chapter discusses the sources of EDCs in air, measurements of levels of EDCs in outdoor and indoor air, and the contribution of EDCs in air to overall human body burdens and to human endocrine health.
Olfactory Exposure to β-Caryophyllene Increases Testosterone Levels in Women's Saliva
2020, Sexual Medicine
From previous studies, we hypothesized that olfactory exposure to β-caryophyllene stimulates women's libido. However, Japan's sex culture is so closed that it is difficult to test this possibility without accumulating scientific evidence. Therefore, it is necessary to measure the concentration of sex-related hormones in saliva, an experimental technique that is relatively easy to obtain research permission, and to obtain a scientific basis to convince ethics committee reviewers.
The aim of this study is to investigate whether β-caryophyllene increases salivary testosterone concentrations associated with libido and vaginal sensation during intercourse in women.
19 women in the follicular phase of the menstrual cycle participated in the study. The subjects then sat in front of the odor exposure device we had created. Each subject was exposed to dipropylene glycol for 20 minutes, followed by 3% β-caryophyllene for 20 minutes. Saliva was collected 4 times: before and after control exposure, and before and after β-caryophyllene exposure.
Salivary testosterone and estrogen concentrations were measured with a competition ELISA.
β-caryophyllene significantly increased the salivary concentration of testosterone (control vs β-caryophyllene; 0.97 ± 0.05 vs 1.13 ± 0.03, P = .00, 95% confidence interval of control: 0.84–1.09, 95% confidence interval of β-caryophyllene: 1.04–1.20) but not estrogen (control vs β-caryophyllene; 1.05 ± 0.03 vs 1.07 ± 0.04, P = .69, 95% confidence interval of control: 0.96–1.12, 95% confidence interval of β-caryophyllene: 0.98–1.15).
The personal preferences of the subjects and the order of exposure may have affected the results.
β-caryophyllene may be a remedy with fewer side effects for women with decreased libido. We believe that β-caryophyllene may be a remedy for women with decreased libido. However, this hypothesis must be tested by further clinical studies.
Wataru Tarumi, Kazuyuki Shinohara. Olfactory Exposure to β-Caryophyllene Increases Testosterone Levels in Women's Saliva. J Sex Med 2020;8:525–531.
Effects of psychosocial stress on the hormonal and affective response in children with dyslexia
2019, Trends in Neuroscience and Education
Research on stress and dyslexia has mainly focused on chronic and contextual stress caused by the school environment. Our goal was to test individual differences in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis reactivity of dyslexic and non-dyslexic children and the related emotional manifestations associated with exposure to a psychosocial stressor.
Eighty-one children (11–14 years old; 38 dyslexic) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test adapted to children or to a control condition. The salivary cortisol response, anxiety, and mood were measured before and after the stress.
Dyslexic children did not show the expected cortisol response, as the highest percentage of children who were non-reactive to stress was found in this group. Cortisol reactivity to stress was related to higher levels of anxiety and lower positive affect in the non-dyslexic children.
These results suggest a pattern of hypo-activation of the HPA axis to psychosocial stress in children with dyslexia.
Psychophysiological concomitants of burnout: Evidence for different subtypes
2019, Journal of Psychosomatic Research
Citation Excerpt :
Two one-way-multivariate analyses of covariance (MANCOVAs) were conducted to examine differences between groups in variables of the ANS and the HPA-axis. The following variables were included as covariates: age [47], cigarette smoking [48,49], physical activity [50,51], managerial responsibility and working hours [52], depression [53] and gender [54]. The dataset was scanned for multivariate outliers using Mahalanobis (MD) distance.
There is evidence that chronic stress and emotional exhaustion are related to physiological dysregulations, which could negatively impact physical and mental health. This study aimed to identify the specific physiological clusters which are most reliable and prominently associated with burnout. Emphasis was placed on variables of the autonomic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis. Burnout was assessed using the Emotional Exhaustion subscale of the German version of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (MBI-GS).
A sample of 105 individuals aged between 28 and 60 years (M = 42.7, SD = 7.75) and working under highly demanding conditions participated in this study. 46 participants reported a low risk of burnout, and 58 participants a high risk. They underwent 24 h of ECG monitoring, had cortisol awakening response collected, and had blood pressure measured two times within a week.
Compromised HRV, higher cortisol values, and higher blood pressure were found in individuals with high burnout symptoms. Furthermore, a discriminant function analysis on cardiac and neuroendocrine variables suggested two subgroups within the high burnout individuals, with only one group showing evidence for autonomic dysfunction as indicated by lower vagal efference.
Results suggest that burnout might not necessarily imply physiological disturbances, thus calling for a more differentiated and individualized view of burnout.
Cognitive-behavioral therapy improves weight loss and quality of life in women with polycystic ovary syndrome: a pilot randomized clinical trial
2018, Fertility and Sterility
To compare the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and lifestyle modification (LS) versus LS alone on weight, depressive and anxiety symptoms, and stress response in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), overweight/obesity, and depressive symptoms.
A 16-week pilot randomized clinical trial.
Tertiary-care PCOS center.
Overweight/obese women with PCOS and depressive symptoms.
Weekly CBT (n = 7) or contact only/no therapy (n = 8) for 8 weeks. Both groups received weekly LS for 16 weeks.
Changes in weight, depression (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale [CES-D]), anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory [STAI]), quality of life (Polycystic Ovary Syndrome Health-Related Quality of Life Questionnaire [PCOSQ]), laboratory tests, and response to a Trier Social Stress Test (TSST).
The CBT+LS group lost more weekly weight (−0.35 kg/wk vs. −0.16 kg/wk) compared with the LS group. Overall, the CBT+LS group lost 3.2 kg versus 1.8 kg for the LS group. The CBT+LS group had greater improvement in PCOSQ at 8 weeks (+3.7 vs. +1.2 points). In the overall cohort, STAI and CES-D decreased by −0.27 points per week and −0.31 points/wk, respectfully, and total and free T decreased at week 8. Heart rate response to TSST was lower at 15 minutes after stressor in the CBT+LS group.
Weekly CBT+LS for 8 weeks compared with LS alone resulted in significant weight loss and improved quality of life in overweight/obese women with PCOS and depressive symptoms. These interventions were associated with a decreased autonomic response to a laboratory stressor, suggesting a potential link between CBT, weight loss, and modulation of the stress response.
NCT01899001.
La terapia cognitivo-conductual mejora la pérdida de peso y la calidad de vida en mujeres con síndrome de ovario poliquístico: un ensayo clínico piloto aleatorizado
Comparar los efectos de la terapia cognitivo-conductual (CBT) y las modificaciones del estilo de vida (LS) frente a la modificación únicamente del estilo de vida (LS) en el peso, síntomas de ansiedad y depresión, y respuesta al estrés en mujeres con síndrome de ovario poliquístico (PCOS), sobrepeso/obesidad, y síntomas de depresión.
Ensayo clínico piloto aleatorizado de 16 semanas.
Centro de cuidado terciario para pacientes con PCOS.
Mujeres obesas/con sobrepeso con PCOS y síntomas depresivos.
CBT semanal (n:7) o solo control/sin terapia (n:8) durante 8 semanas. Ambos grupos recibieron modificación de su estilo de vida semanal durante 16 semanas.
Cambios en el peso, grado de depresión (Escala de depresión del centro de estudios epidemiológicos [CES-D]), grado de ansiedad (Cuestionario de ansiedad estado-rasgo [STAI]), calidad de vida (cuestionario de calidad de vida relacionado con la salud en síndrome de ovario poliquístico [PCOSQ]), pruebas de laboratorio y respuesta al test de clasificación social del estrés (TSST).
El grupo CBT+LS perdió más peso semanalmente ( -0.35 kg/semana vs. - 0.16 Kg/semana) comparado con el grupo LS. En conjunto, el grupo CBT+LS perdió 3.2 Kg vs. 1.8 Kg en el grupo LS. El grupo CBT+LS tuvo una mayor mejoría en el PCOSQ a las 8 semanas (+ 3.7 puntos vs +1.2 puntos). En la cohorte general STAI y CES-D disminuyeron en -0.27 puntos por semana y -0.31 puntos por semana respectivamente, además de una disminución en la testosterona total y libre a las 8 semanas. La respuesta de la frecuencia cardíaca al TSST fue menor a los 15 minutos del estímulo estresante en el grupo CBT+LS.
La CBT+LS semanal durante 8 semanas comparado con solo LS, produjo una significativa pérdida de peso y una mejoría en la calidad de vida de mujeres con sobrepeso/obesidad, con PCOS y síntomas depresivos. Estas intervenciones estuvieron asociadas a una disminución de la respuesta autónoma al estímulo estresante de laboratorio, sugiriendo una asociación potencial entre la CBT, la pérdida de peso, y la modulación de respuesta al estrés.
NCT01899001.

View all citing articles on Scopus

View full text

‘Normal’ cigarette smoking increases free cortisol in habitual smokers

Abstract

Psychoneuroendocrinology

Psychoneuroendocrinology

Am. J. Med. Sci.

Am. Heart J.

Life Sci.

Fertil. Steril.

Pharmacol. Biochem. Behav.

Life Sci.

J. Psychosom. Res.

Psychoneuroendocrinology

J. Affective Disord.

Clin. Immunol. Immunopathol.

Ann. Int. Med.

Acta Medica Scandinavia

N. Engl. J. Med.

J. Clin. Pharmacol.

Medicina. Firenze.

Br. J. Addict.

Psychopharmacology Berlin