Associations between Autonomic and Endocrine Reactivity to Stress in Adolescence: Related to the Development of Anxiety?

Internalizing disorders in adolescence have been associated with disturbances in autonomic and endocrine functioning. Because the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system play a central role in regulating both the autonomic and the endocrine systems, their joint functioning is hypothesized to provide...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Jacqueline V. Stam, Victor L. Kallen, P. Michiel Westenberg
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2023-03-01
Series:Healthcare
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/6/869
_version_ 1797611453475192832
author Jacqueline V. Stam
Victor L. Kallen
P. Michiel Westenberg
author_facet Jacqueline V. Stam
Victor L. Kallen
P. Michiel Westenberg
author_sort Jacqueline V. Stam
collection DOAJ
description Internalizing disorders in adolescence have been associated with disturbances in autonomic and endocrine functioning. Because the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system play a central role in regulating both the autonomic and the endocrine systems, their joint functioning is hypothesized to provide information about the potential development of internalizing symptoms throughout adolescence, notably in the preclinical stage. This hypothesis was tested in a sample of 198 adolescents from the general population. Heart rate variability (HRV) and skin conductance levels (SCLs) were measured before, during, and after a public speaking task. These autonomic parameters were associated with cortisol response to the task in the complete sample as well as in low- and high-anxiety adolescents separately. Self-reported social anxiety, low HRV, and high SCL recovery values were predictive of cortisol response. Importantly, in low-anxiety adolescents, only HRV during the task predicted the cortisol response, whereas, in their highly anxious peers, both HRV and SCL were strongly associated with this response. In the latter finding, age was a prominent factor. Additional analyses supported the idea that the interaction of autonomic and endocrine reactivity is subject to natural development. These findings provide evidence that adolescence might be a period of highly interactive emotional–neurobiological development, particularly with respect to the development of stress management skills.
first_indexed 2024-03-11T06:29:03Z
format Article
id doaj.art-64b94a1697a442a0a5f0cb66cbbf4177
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2227-9032
language English
last_indexed 2024-03-11T06:29:03Z
publishDate 2023-03-01
publisher MDPI AG
record_format Article
series Healthcare
spelling doaj.art-64b94a1697a442a0a5f0cb66cbbf41772023-11-17T11:21:28ZengMDPI AGHealthcare2227-90322023-03-0111686910.3390/healthcare11060869Associations between Autonomic and Endocrine Reactivity to Stress in Adolescence: Related to the Development of Anxiety?Jacqueline V. Stam0Victor L. Kallen1P. Michiel Westenberg2The Netherlands Organization for Applied Sciences (TNO), Department of Human Behavior & Training, Kampweg 55, 3769 DE Soesterberg, The NetherlandsThe Netherlands Organization for Applied Sciences (TNO), Department of Human Behavior & Training, Kampweg 55, 3769 DE Soesterberg, The NetherlandsUnit Developmental and Educational Psychology, Institute of Psychology, Leiden University, Wassenaarseweg 52, 2333 AK Leiden, The NetherlandsInternalizing disorders in adolescence have been associated with disturbances in autonomic and endocrine functioning. Because the prefrontal cortex and the limbic system play a central role in regulating both the autonomic and the endocrine systems, their joint functioning is hypothesized to provide information about the potential development of internalizing symptoms throughout adolescence, notably in the preclinical stage. This hypothesis was tested in a sample of 198 adolescents from the general population. Heart rate variability (HRV) and skin conductance levels (SCLs) were measured before, during, and after a public speaking task. These autonomic parameters were associated with cortisol response to the task in the complete sample as well as in low- and high-anxiety adolescents separately. Self-reported social anxiety, low HRV, and high SCL recovery values were predictive of cortisol response. Importantly, in low-anxiety adolescents, only HRV during the task predicted the cortisol response, whereas, in their highly anxious peers, both HRV and SCL were strongly associated with this response. In the latter finding, age was a prominent factor. Additional analyses supported the idea that the interaction of autonomic and endocrine reactivity is subject to natural development. These findings provide evidence that adolescence might be a period of highly interactive emotional–neurobiological development, particularly with respect to the development of stress management skills.https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/6/869mental healthstresssocial anxietyinternalizing symptomspublic speaking taskadolescence
spellingShingle Jacqueline V. Stam
Victor L. Kallen
P. Michiel Westenberg
Associations between Autonomic and Endocrine Reactivity to Stress in Adolescence: Related to the Development of Anxiety?
Healthcare
mental health
stress
social anxiety
internalizing symptoms
public speaking task
adolescence
title Associations between Autonomic and Endocrine Reactivity to Stress in Adolescence: Related to the Development of Anxiety?
title_full Associations between Autonomic and Endocrine Reactivity to Stress in Adolescence: Related to the Development of Anxiety?
title_fullStr Associations between Autonomic and Endocrine Reactivity to Stress in Adolescence: Related to the Development of Anxiety?
title_full_unstemmed Associations between Autonomic and Endocrine Reactivity to Stress in Adolescence: Related to the Development of Anxiety?
title_short Associations between Autonomic and Endocrine Reactivity to Stress in Adolescence: Related to the Development of Anxiety?
title_sort associations between autonomic and endocrine reactivity to stress in adolescence related to the development of anxiety
topic mental health
stress
social anxiety
internalizing symptoms
public speaking task
adolescence
url https://www.mdpi.com/2227-9032/11/6/869
work_keys_str_mv AT jacquelinevstam associationsbetweenautonomicandendocrinereactivitytostressinadolescencerelatedtothedevelopmentofanxiety
AT victorlkallen associationsbetweenautonomicandendocrinereactivitytostressinadolescencerelatedtothedevelopmentofanxiety
AT pmichielwestenberg associationsbetweenautonomicandendocrinereactivitytostressinadolescencerelatedtothedevelopmentofanxiety