Weather conditions: a neglected factor in human salivary cortisol research?

Milas, Goran and Šupe-Domić, Daniela and Drmić Hofman, Irena and Rumora, Lada and Martinović Klarić, Irena (2018) Weather conditions: a neglected factor in human salivary cortisol research? International journal of biometeorology, 62 (2). pp. 165-175. ISSN 0020-7128 (Print) 1432-1254 (Online)

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Official URL: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00484-0...

Abstract

IN ENGLISH: There is ample evidence that environmental stressors such as extreme weather conditions affect animal behavior and that this process is in part mediated through the elevated activity of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis which results in an increase in cortisol secretion. This relationship has not been extensively researched in humans, and weather conditions have not been analyzed as a potential confounder in human studies of stress. Consequently, the goal of this paper was to assess the relationship between salivary cortisol and weather conditions in the course of everyday life and to test a possible moderating effect of two weather-related variables, the climate region and timing of exposure to outdoors conditions. The sample consisted of 903 secondary school students aged 18 to 21 years from Mediterranean and Continental regions. Cortisol from saliva was sampled in naturalistic settings at three time points over the course of a single day. We found that weather conditions are related to salivary cortisol concentration and that this relationship may be moderated by both the specific climate and the anticipation of immediate exposure to outdoors conditions. Unpleasant weather conditions are predictive for the level of salivary cortisol, but only among individuals who anticipate being exposed to it in the immediate future (e.g., in students attending school in the morning shift). We also demonstrated that isolated weather conditions or their patterns may be relevant in one climate area (e.g., Continental) while less relevant in the other (e.g., Mediterranean). Results of this study draw attention to the importance of controlling weather conditions in human salivary cortisol research. --------------- IN CROATIAN: Mnoštvo je dokaza da okolišni stresori poput ekstremnih vremenskih uvjeta utječu na ponašanje životinja te da je ovaj proces djelomice posredovan kroz povišenu aktivnost hipotalamičko-pituitarno-adrenalno-kortikalne osi, što rezultira povećanim lučenjem kortizola. Ovaj odnos nije opsežno istraživan kod ljudi, a vremenski uvjeti nisu analizirani kao potencijalni zamagljujući čimbenik u istraživanjima ljudskog stresa. Slijedom toga, cilj ovoga rada bio je procijeniti povezanost salivarnog kortizola i vremenskih uvjeta tijekom svakodnevnih životnih aktivnosti i provjeriti mogući moderacijski učinak dviju varijabli vezanih uz vremenske uvjete, a to su klimatska regija i vrijeme izlaganja vanjskim uvjetima. Uzorak se sastojao od 903 učenika srednjih škola u dobi od 18 do 21 godine iz sredozemne i kontinentalne regije. Kortizol iz sline uzorkovan je u prirodnim uvjetima u tri vremenske točke tijekom jednoga dana. Utvrdili smo da su vremenski uvjeti povezani s koncentracijom salivarnog kortizola te da je ova povezanost možda posredovana specifičnom klimom, i očekivanjem neposredne izloženosti uvjetima na otvorenom. Neugodni vremenski uvjeti prediktivni su za razinu salivarnog kortizola, ali samo kod ispitanika koji predviđaju da će im biti izloženi u bliskoj budućnosti (npr. kod učenika koji pohađaju školu u jutarnjoj smjeni). Također smo pokazali da izolirani vremenski uvjeti ili njihovi obrasci mogu biti relevantni u jednom klimatskom području (npr. kontinentalnom), a manje relevantni u drugom (npr. sredozemnom). Rezultati istraživanja ukazuju na važnost kontroliranja varijable vremenskih uvjeta u istraživanjima humanog salivarnog kortizola.

Item Type: Article
Additional Information: Language: English. - Title in Croatian: Vremenski uvjeti: zanemaren faktor u istraživanjima humanog salivarnog kortizola?. - For scientific community in Croatia full-text downloadable version is available via subscription (see official URL). Without subscription, see full-text view-only version: http://rdcu.be/vESb
Uncontrolled Keywords: Salivary cortisol, HPA axis activity, weather conditions, climate, naturalistic study (salivarni kortizol, aktivnost HPAC osi, vremenski uvjeti, klima, istraživanje u prirodnim uvjetima)
Subjects: G Geography. Anthropology. Recreation > GN Anthropology
Depositing User: Karolina
Date Deposited: 08 Sep 2017 09:58
Last Modified: 15 Jan 2019 12:40
URI: http://idiprints.knjiznica.idi.hr/id/eprint/775

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