Social stress, cortisol awakening response and sex: Impact on hippocampus and amygdala volume

bioRxiv (Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory)

Abstract

Abstract Objective Volumes of the hippocampus and amygdala, both major hubs for neural stress regulation amongst others, are influenced by social stressors, cortisol awakening response (CAR) and sex, i.e. psychological and physiological stress factors. Importantly, the interplay of these different factors in affecting the morphology of both brain regions remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate the intricate influence of these factors on grey matter volumes (GMV) of the hippocampus and amygdala. Methods We analyzed associations between structural brain data, self-reported chronic social stress (including subscales on social tension, social overload, lack of social recognition and social isolation) and CAR of 83 healthy participants (40 females) with multiple regression analyses. Results In males, but not females, higher social tension predicted lower bilateral hippocampus GMV. In individuals not showing the typical CAR, higher social tension predicted reduced bilateral hippocampus GMV. Amygdala GMV was also related to social stress and CAR, with social overload associated with reduced amygdala GMV in individuals not showing the typical CAR, while the opposite pattern emerged in those with an atypical CAR. Conclusions Chronic social stress is associated with hippocampus and amygdala volumes, interacting with CAR and sex. The brain morphology in males and in individuals with atypical CAR seems to be more vulnerable to chronic social stress. Our findings enhance our understanding of how brain architecture, social stress, CAR patterns and sex shape individual stress responses.

Authors 7

1. Rui Wang corresponding

   University of Tübingen

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Women’s Mental Health & Brain Function, Tübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Medical Faculty, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

2. Hannes Noack

   University of Tübingen

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Women’s Mental Health & Brain Function, Tübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Medical Faculty, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

3. Leandra Kuhn Aachen Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics

   RWTH Aachen University

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

4. Vanessa Nieratschker

   University of Tübingen · Deutsches Zentrum für Psychische Gesundheit

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Molecular Psychiatry, Tübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Medical Faculty, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

   Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Women’s Mental Health & Brain Function, Tübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Medical Faculty, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

   German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany

5. Ute Habel Aachen Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics

   RWTH Aachen University · Forschungszentrum Jülich

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany

   Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine (INM-10), Research Centre Jülich, Jülich, Germany

6. Birgit Derntl

   University of Tübingen · Deutsches Zentrum für Psychische Gesundheit

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Women’s Mental Health & Brain Function, Tübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Medical Faculty, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

   German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany

   LEAD Graduate School and Research Network, University of Tübingen, 72074 Tübingen, Germany

7. Lydia Kogler

   University of Tübingen · Deutsches Zentrum für Psychische Gesundheit

   Affiliation as printed

   Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Women’s Mental Health & Brain Function, Tübingen Center for Mental Health (TüCMH), Medical Faculty, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany

   German Center for Mental Health (DZPG), partner site Tübingen, 72076 Tübingen, Germany