TY - JOUR
T1 - Salivary nerve growth factor response to intense stress
T2 - Effect of sex and body mass index
AU - Taylor, Marcus K.
AU - Laurent, Heidemarie K.
AU - Larson, Gerald E.
AU - Rauh, Mitchell J.
AU - Hiller Lauby, Melissa D.
AU - Granger, Douglas A.
N1 - Funding Information:
This study was supported by a grant from the Office of Naval Research , Code 34. This work was performed under work unit number 61124. The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the Department of the Navy, Department of Defense, or the U.S. Government. Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. This research has been conducted in compliance with all applicable federal regulations governing the protection of human subjects in research (Protocol NHRC.2011.0033).
PY - 2014/5
Y1 - 2014/5
N2 - Ample evidence links stress to psychiatric and neurological disease. Although many studies examine stress hormone secretion and receptor activity, exciting new developments signify a shift in focus to neuromodulatory systems influencing neuronal development, survival, and neuroplasticity. The purpose of this study was to characterize salivary nerve growth factor (sNGF) responses to intense stress exposure in healthy military members undergoing survival training. A second purpose was to explore effects of age, sex, education, and body mass index (BMI). One hundred sixteen military members (80% male) were studied before, during, and 24. h after a stressful mock-captivity exercise. sNGF was measured at all three time points. Reactivity, recovery, and residual elevation of sNGF were computed. General linear modeling with repeated measures evaluated effect of stress exposure, as well as the roles of age, sex, education, and BMI. sNGF increased 137% from baseline to intense stress. During recovery, sNGF remained elevated an average of 67% above baseline (i.e., residual elevation). Men showed greater sNGF reactivity than women quantified by larger absolute T1. - T2δ (+148.1. pg/mL vs. +64.9. pg/mL, p< 0.017). A noteworthy trend of higher sNGF concentrations in low BMI participants was observed (p= 0.058). No effects of age or education were shown. This study shows substantial reactivity and residual elevation of sNGF in response to intense stress exposure in healthy humans. Further research is needed to refine the sNGF assay, fully characterize the sNGF stress response, delineate correlates and mechanisms, and validate therapeutic applications.
AB - Ample evidence links stress to psychiatric and neurological disease. Although many studies examine stress hormone secretion and receptor activity, exciting new developments signify a shift in focus to neuromodulatory systems influencing neuronal development, survival, and neuroplasticity. The purpose of this study was to characterize salivary nerve growth factor (sNGF) responses to intense stress exposure in healthy military members undergoing survival training. A second purpose was to explore effects of age, sex, education, and body mass index (BMI). One hundred sixteen military members (80% male) were studied before, during, and 24. h after a stressful mock-captivity exercise. sNGF was measured at all three time points. Reactivity, recovery, and residual elevation of sNGF were computed. General linear modeling with repeated measures evaluated effect of stress exposure, as well as the roles of age, sex, education, and BMI. sNGF increased 137% from baseline to intense stress. During recovery, sNGF remained elevated an average of 67% above baseline (i.e., residual elevation). Men showed greater sNGF reactivity than women quantified by larger absolute T1. - T2δ (+148.1. pg/mL vs. +64.9. pg/mL, p< 0.017). A noteworthy trend of higher sNGF concentrations in low BMI participants was observed (p= 0.058). No effects of age or education were shown. This study shows substantial reactivity and residual elevation of sNGF in response to intense stress exposure in healthy humans. Further research is needed to refine the sNGF assay, fully characterize the sNGF stress response, delineate correlates and mechanisms, and validate therapeutic applications.
KW - Body mass index
KW - Military
KW - Nerve growth factor
KW - Plasticity
KW - Sex differences
KW - Stress
KW - Survival
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U2 - 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.02.005
DO - 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.02.005
M3 - Article
C2 - 24703174
AN - SCOPUS:84896057860
SN - 0306-4530
VL - 43
SP - 90
EP - 94
JO - Psychoneuroendocrinology
JF - Psychoneuroendocrinology
ER -