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Objective: Women living with HIV (WLWH) experience psychosocial stress related to social-structural vulnerabilities. To investigate neuroendocrine pathways linking stress and increased cardiovascular disease risk among WLWH, we evaluated associations between psychosocial stress (i.e., perceived stress, posttraumatic stress, and experiences of race- and gender-based harassment) and a composite neuroendocrine biomarker index among WLWH and women without HIV., Methods: In 2019-2020, Women's Interagency HIV Study participants in Washington, DC completed a questionnaire and provided blood and 12-hour overnight urine samples for testing of serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) and urinary free cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine. Psychosocial stress was measured using the Perceived Stress Scale, PTSD Checklist-Civilian Version, and Racialized Sexual Harassment Scale. Latent profile analysis was used to classify participants into low (38%), moderate (44%), and high (18%) stress groups. Composite biomarker index scores between 0-4 were assigned based on participants' number of neuroendocrine biomarkers in high-risk quartiles (≥75th percentile for cortisol, epinephrine, and norepinephrine and ≤25th percentile for DHEA-S). We evaluated associations between latent profile and composite biomarker index values using multivariable linear regression, adjusting for socio-demographic, behavioral, metabolic, and HIV-related factors., Results: Among 90 women, 62% were WLWH, 53% were non-Hispanic Black, and median age was 55 years. In full multivariable models, there was no statistically significant association between psychosocial stress and composite biomarker index values among all women independent of HIV status. High (vs. low) psychosocial stress was positively associated with higher mean composite biomarker index values among all monoracial Black women (adjusted β = 1.32; 95% CI: 0.20-2.43), Black WLWH (adjusted β = 1.93; 95% CI: 0.02-3.83) and Black HIV-negative women (adjusted β = 2.54; 95% CI: 0.41-4.67)., Conclusions: Despite a null association in the overall sample, greater psychosocial stress was positively associated with higher neuroendocrine biomarker concentrations among Black women, highlighting a plausible mechanism by which psychosocial stress could contribute to cardiovascular disease risk., Competing Interests: One of the authors [ML] is currently affiliated with a commercial entity, Westat. Data collection and analysis for this study occurred prior to his current affiliation with Westat, while he was affiliated with The George Washington University. This does not alter our adherence to PLOS ONE policies on sharing data and materials.

Herbal medicines, acupuncture and moxibustion are often used for unidentified complaints. It is well known that catecholamine secreted by the sympatho-adrenal medullary system primarily functions to increase cardiac output and raise glucose levels in the blood during acute stress. In the present study, the effects of yokukansankachimpihange (YKSKCH, a Kampo medicine) on urinary catecholamine in mice that were repeatedly stressed by restraining were examined. Restraint stress (240 min/d×3 d×3 cycles, daytime: 12:00-16:00) induced a marked increase in noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (A) levels in the urine. Oral administration of YKSKCH (750 mg/kg of body weight) significantly inhibited the increase in urinary NA and A levels in mice after repeated restraint stress. In addition, the NA/dopamine (physical stress) and A/dopamine (mental stress) ratios were lower in the 750 mg/kg YKSKCH-treated group than in the control group. The tail suspension test was also performed and locomotor activity was investigated. Oral administration of YKSKCH at 750 mg/kg significantly reduced the immobility time, which was longer in mice after repeated restraint stress. Furthermore, oral administration of YKSKCH at 750 mg/kg increased locomotor activity, which was lower in mice after repeated restraint stress. These results suggest that YKSKCH has positive effects on mental and physical stress after repeated restraint stress, without reducing locomotor activity.

Objectives: The effects of perceptions and behaviors related to culturally patterned socioeconomic obligations on catecholamine excretion rates were studied in a cross-sectional sample of Samoan adults., Methods: A total of 378 participants, ages 29-62 years, from 9 villages throughout Samoa, provided timed overnight urine specimens, and self-reported perceptions and behaviors associated with contributions to one's family, aiga, and chief, matai, and communal gift exchanges, fa'alavelave. Urinary norepinephrine and epinephrine excretion rates were measured by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection. Age (≤40 vs. >40 years) and gender-specific regression models were estimated to detect associations with catecholamine excretion., Results: Young women who contribute more to their matai, who consider fa'alavelave to be a financial strain, and who view their contribution to their matai to be "just right," had significantly higher residence-adjusted norepinephrine excretion. Young women who contribute more to their matai, who consider fa'alavelave to be a financial strain, and who consider their contribution to their aiga not to be a burden, had higher epinephrine excretion. Older men who contribute more to their aiga and who perceive their contribution to their aiga to be "just right" had increased residence-adjusted epinephrine excretion., Conclusions: Individual-level perceptions and behaviors related to traditional socioeconomic obligations are a significant correlate of increased overnight catecholamine excretion rates. Higher excretion rates may be attributed to psychosocial stress arousal associated with a discordance between personal desires for upward social mobility, and family and community-based socioeconomic obligations. Changes in patterns of individual-level psychosocial stress arousal may contribute to cardiovascular disease risk in modernizing Samoans., (Copyright © 2011 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)

Recent experimental research has shown that women facing the chronic stress of being at familial risk of breast cancer have greater neuroendocrine reactivity responses to stressful laboratory tasks. Whether this enhanced stress response also occurs outside the laboratory under daily life conditions is unknown. In the present study, urinary epinephrine and norepinephrine excretion rates at work (e.g. 11:00 AM-3:00 PM), home (e.g. 6:00 PM-10:00 PM) and during sleep (e.g. 10:00 PM-6:00 AM) were compared between 73 employed women with family histories of breast cancer in first degree relatives (FH+; age=36.8+/-8.7) and 81 without such family histories (FH-; age=38.1+/-9.4). Differences in sympathetic adrenal medullary responses to an ordinary life stressor (work) were assessed in naturalistic settings. Repeated measures MANCOVA with family history group as a fixed factor, body mass index as a covariate and daily microenvironment (work, home and sleep) as a repeating factor were conducted to evaluate whether catecholamine excretion rates differed between FH+ and FH- groups. The results revealed that women with family histories of breast cancer had a higher rate of epinephrine excretion while at work (p<0.005). In addition, women in the FH+ group were also more reactive to the stress of work, showing a greater percentage of increase in both epinephrine and norepinephrine from sleep to work (p<0.05). The results also indicated that the chronic stress effects associated with a family history of breast cancer were moderated by BMI, such that their impact was more pronounced and apparent when women were not obese. These findings support the idea that the heightened neuroendocrine reactivity to experimental stressors in women at familial risk of breast cancer also occurs when women encounter stressors in ordinary life (work stress). Additional research to explore the health consequences of increased reactivity in women at familial risk of breast cancer, and perhaps in individuals at familial risk of other life-threatening disease, would appear warranted.

Research on stress at work often involves the analysis of urinary adrenaline and noradrenaline. It is usually assumed that samples have to be cooled quickly and stored at refrigerator temperature before freezing. This is often difficult to achieve in field studies. This experimental study therefore tests the robustness of results when samples are not cooled immediately. Samples of 9 men and women, collected at 3 points in time, were immediately frozen, kept for a variable delay in a warm room, or stored in a refrigerator before freezing. Two indices were calculated: (a) the ratio of hormones to liquid volume, period of excretion, and body weight; and (b) the ratio of hormones to urinary creatinine. The reliability of high performance liquid chromatography analysis was satisfactory, as was the comparability of the 2 indices. Unfavorable storage up to 24 hr did not cause bacteria-driven decreases of catecholamines, regardless of storage temperature or sampling time. Results suggest high stability for at least 24 hr without cooling, provided the samples are immediately acidified. Cooling may therefore be handled less restrictively than has been assumed. The application of this research is to facilitate research in settings where samples are collected at different places, such as participants' homes or different workplaces.

Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the levels of urinary stress hormones in male and female nurses and to determine their contribution to sex-determined health outcomes. RATIONALE/BACKGROUND: While the use of questionnaires have shown that there is a high degree of stress in health care workers, these results are inconclusive. In this study a more objective approach was used by assessing the levels of urinary stress hormones, adrenaline, noradrenaline and cortisol. In premenopausal women oestrogen may attenuate sympathetic nervous system activity and the secretion of adrenaline and cortisol and therefore lower the stress response and incidence of stress-related illnesses., Methods: Three hundred and fifteen nurses of both sexes were separated into two age groups, 20-40 and 45-60 years, and for postmenopausal women into those taking or not taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Early morning urine sample were collected and stress hormones determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)., Results: Urinary cortisol, adrenaline and noradrenaline levels were all increased with age in both sexes, with a greater difference in the younger age group compared with the older group. These hormones were lower in premenopausal women compared with male nurses of similar age. The difference between the sexes in the high age group was less compared with the lower one. Postmenopausal women on HRT had lower levels of these hormones., Conclusion: The age-related changes were surprising but may be because of higher stress levels in the older groups of both sexes. However, the gender difference supports the view that oestrogen reduces sympathetic activity and the secretion of cortisol and adrenaline. HRT reduces the stress response and therefore may have additional benefits by reducing the level of stress-related illnesses. These results were surprising but may suggest that oestrogen reduces the stress response in women and therefore offers protection against stress-related disorders.

Background: The purpose of the study was to specify and define the differences of psychophysical stress in elite tennis players under practice and tournament conditions., Methods: Basal, pre- and postcompetition urine samples of 26 nationally ranked players (NR) were analysed for concentrations of epinephrine (EPI) and norepinephrine (NE) under practice (P) and tournament conditions (T). Results were completed by the values obtained from two internationally ranked players (IR) competing in 6 (player A) and 5 (player B) Davis-Cup matches, respectively., Results: In NR, pre- and postcompetition concentrations for EPI were significantly higher under tournament conditions (T: 1.33+/-0.65 and 3.66+/-2.51 microg/100 mg creatinine vs P: 0.61+/-0.39 and 0.97+/-0.59 microg/100 mg creatinine). The NE/EPI ratio showed significantly inverse results (T: 3.53+/-1.87 and 3.58+/-1.59 vs P: 8.08+/-6.99 and 10.03+/-6.58), whereas the concentration of NE did not differ between the two conditions. Significant correlations were found between the level of perceived nervousness (ten-point-likert scale) and the postcompetition concentration of EPI (r=0.491, p<0.05) and the NE/EPI ratio (r=-0.595, p<0.01). Players who felt affected by nervousness in their performance outcome showed significantly lower NE/EPI ratios (2.73+/-1.44 vs 4.49+/-2.54, p<0.05). The Davis-Cup-Players showed intra-individually constant but inter-individually different concentrations of EPI (A= 2.2+/-0.5 vs B= 7.0+/-0.8 microg/100 mg creatinine), NE (A= 7.4+/-2.2 vs B= 15.5+/-3.2 microg/100 mg creatinine) and the ratio of NE/EPI (A= 3.7+/-2.2 vs B= 2.2+/-0.7)., Conclusions: In tennis tournaments, sympathetic activity is increased due to a higher psychological stress which may impair performance. Practical efforts should focus on psycho-regulative methods and psychophysical regeneration for players dealing with a chronic sympathetic hyper-activation.

Urinary catecholamines have been used to measure emotionally stressful states which may have an impact on dentofacial injuries. This prospective study investigated the hypothesis that urinary catecholamines such as epinephrine, norepinephrine and dopamine do not affect significantly the incidence of dentofacial injuries in children. As a test of this hypothesis 204 children, males and females, aged 8 to 10 years, were included in the study. After a first examination, each subject was re-examined, at one-year intervals, over a period of two years. Dentofacial injuries were recorded by a clinical examination and a questionnaire. Three 24-h urine samples, with an interval of one year between each, were collected and analyzed by the high performance liquid chromatography technique to assay the catecholamine content. Socio-economic factors were recorded by a questionnaire. Using the panel of data collected, the logistic multiple regression model was employed to test whether the incidence of dentofacial injuries was affected by the studied variables. The 95% probability level was used. Specificity and sensitivity as well as the positive and negative predictive rates were computed. The results showed that epinephrine had a significant correlation with the incidence of dentofacial injuries. Other factors found to have a significant impact were child's age and gender. The values of sensitivity and specificity were 81% and 69% respectively, while the positive and negative predictive rates were 68% and 82% respectively. The data, therefore, provided evidence that emotionally stressful states measured by the urinary catecholamines were prominent etiologic factors of dentofacial injury.

This study was performed to test the hypothesis that emotionally stressful states measured by the urinary catecholamines may affect the development of bruxism. Three hundred and fourteen children, boys and girls, aged 6-8 years were included in this study. Bruxism was recorded by a clinical examination and an interview. Positive evidence of this parafunction was defined as the presence of both historical and clinical indicators. Information concerning systemic and socio-economic factors was collected by a questionnaire. A 24-h urine sample was collected for each subject and analysed by the high performance liquid chromatography technique to assay the catecholamine content. Of the total of 273 children who had a complete 24-h urine sample, 167 were identified to be with and without positive evidence of bruxism. The logistic multiple-regression analysis was carried out to test whether the presence of bruxism was affected by the variables studied; 95% probability was used. The results showed that epinephrine and dopamine had a significant and strong association with bruxism. The data therefore provide support for the concept that emotional stress is a prominent factor in the development of bruxing behaviour.

Background and Objective: To determine the intraoperative stress on surgeons and assistants during cataract surgery, 12 surgeons and 3 assisting nurses were assessed based on their level of professional experience., Methods: Surgeons were classified as inexperienced, intermediate, or experienced. Nurse assistants were classified as inexperienced or experienced. The intraoperative heart rates and urine adrenaline levels of each participant were measured., Results: Inexperienced surgeons and nurse assistants had the highest heart rates at the beginning of surgery, and the rates tended to decrease toward the end of surgery. All values were higher than the other two groups throughout surgery. In surgeons with intermediate experience, the heart rates were not as high as in the inexperienced personnel; however, the heart rates were high throughout the surgery. The heart rate in one intermediate surgeon was markedly increased when a surgery was simultaneously broadcast on closed-circuit television. In experienced surgeons and a nurse assistant, the measurements increased slightly., Conclusions: The variations in heart rates and urine adrenaline levels showed characteristic patterns based on the experience of the surgical personnel.

We hypothesized that withdrawal of nasal continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) in patients with sleep apnea would produce a measurable stress response. To test this hypothesis, we ceased CPAP in eight patients regularly using nasal CPAP long term and measured the effect on sleep apnea as well as plasma and urinary levels of the stress hormones, noradrenaline, cortisol and adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH). CPAP withdrawal led to an immediate recurrence of sleep apnea with increases in apnea index, arousal index and oxygen desaturation (all p < .0001) but no change in levels of noradrenaline, cortisol or ACTH. We conclude that acute withdrawal of CPAP in patients with sleep apnea does not lead to a classic stress response.

Objectives: To evaluate lorry drivers' work stress by measurement of adrenaline and noradrenaline excreted in the urine, and to find out which factors in their working situation are related to the excretion rates of these catecholamines., Methods: The urinary excretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline of 32 lorry drivers, who also had loading and unloading activities to perform, was studied for one working day and one rest day. Each driver was asked to provide six urine samples on both days., Results: For all samples, except the first (overnight) sample, the excretion rates of both catecholamines on the working day were higher than those on the rest day. Hierarchical multiple regression analyses were carried out to find out which factors in the drivers' working situation were related to the excretion rate of the working day. The excretion rate of adrenaline on the rest day, age, and psychosomatic complaints were positively related to the excretion rate on the working day (all P < 0.05). Body mass index and physical workload during loading and unloading were positively related to noradrenaline excretion rate (both P < 0.01). Psychosocial job strain did not significantly contribute to the proportion of variance explained in the excretion rates of both catecholamines., Conclusions: The excretion rates of adrenaline and, especially, noradrenaline on the working day were higher than those found in earlier studies among professional drivers and insufficient recovery took place after the work was ended. The only association between excretion rate on the working day and work stressors was found for noradrenaline and physical workload. The drivers' sympathoadrenal medullary reactivity to everyday work demands shows the characteristics of sustained activation.

Urinary excretion of catecholamines (CA), epinephrine (E), and norepinerphrine (NE) was determined in flight cadets (n = 46) during mid-term test sorties and was compared with the measures of these variables in fighter pilots (n = 65) during tail chase sorties. Flight cadets were divided into passed and failed cadets. Fighter pilots were divided into superior, above average, and average with flying ratings of > 7, 6-7, and <6, respectively, and with flying experience of 2050 +/- 1081 h, 884 +/- 575 h, and 616 +/- 756 h, respectively. CA excretion data showed significant intra- and intergroup differences. Excretion rates for CA and NE before and after flight were significantly higher in flight cadets than in fighter pilots. After flight, all the preflight urinary variables increased significantly in passed flight cadets, while changes in failed flight cadets were not significant. In all groups of fighter pilots, preflight excretion rates for CA, E, and NE rose postflight, but the differences within the groups were not significant. The NE/E ratio decreased significantly as a function of flight adaptation. The pre- and postflight NE/E ratios were lower in fighter pilots than in flight cadets. The delta NE/E ratio decreased in fighter pilots, but increased in flight cadets. The preflight NE/E ratio was smaller for superior than for above average and average fighter pilots, and for passed than for failed flight cadets. The postflight NE/E ratio did not show any significant differences within the groups. In superior fighter pilots, the delta NE/E ratio remained relatively stable, while it was reduced in above average and average fighter pilots.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Physical activity and pharmacological stimulation of beta 2-adrenoceptors by salbutamol increase skeletal muscle digoxin binding with a secondary decrease in serum digoxin, possibly due to increased Na-K-ATPase activity. The present study was undertaken to examine if adrenaline (ADR) infusion and sympathoadrenal stimulation by mental stress affect the serum concentrations of digoxin and potassium. After 10 days on 0.50 mg digoxin orally, 35 healthy volunteers were investigated following 2 h of supine rest. They were divided into four groups: intravenous saline (placebo, n = 10). ADR infusion at the rates of 0.1 nmol kg-1 min-1 (ADR-L, n = 8), 0.4 nmol kg-1 min-1 (ADR-H, n = 7), or subjected to a mental stress [a color-word conflict test (CWT), n = 10]. Arterial blood samples were taken before and during the active period (50 min) and during the following 60 min (at rest) to analyze serum digoxin and potassium and plasma ADR and noradrenaline (NA). All variables were stable during placebo infusion. ADR infusions caused significant and dose-dependent decreases in serum digoxin (p less than 0.05 during ADR-L and p less than 0.001 during ADR-H) and serum potassium (p less than 0.05 and p less than 0.001, respectively). CWT, on the other hand, did not reduce serum digoxin and caused a slight decrease in serum potassium only in the poststress period. Thus, ADR caused dose-dependent shifts of digoxin and potassium, whereas mental stress failed to do so, possibly due to a modest ADR response and small increases in sympathetic nerve activity in skeletal muscle.

Mental/emotional stress caused the same physiological response of a "vegetative crisis" in 20 subjects with normal blood pressure, 21 subjects with borderline arterial hypertension and in 21 hypertensive patients. The change of arterial blood pressure, pulse, excretion of urine, noradrenaline, adrenaline were analogous in all three groups. The mathematical statistics technique revealed a difference in mechanisms regulating excretion of noradrenaline and adrenaline in subjects with normal blood pressure, borderline arterial hypertension and in hypertensive patients.

This study examined the hypothesis that chronic stress contributes to heightened cardiovascular reactivity. Chronic stress was operationalized as crowding stress associated with commercial-residential mixes in high-density neighborhoods. Seventeen residents of crowded neighborhoods and 24 residents of uncrowded neighborhoods worked on a challenging task while blood pressure and heart rate were measured. Self-report and biochemical measures indicated that the two groups differed in level of chronic stress. Results also indicated that chronic stress contributes to cardiovascular reactivity. Crowded residents showed greater increases in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate and took longer to return to baseline than did uncrowded residents. The few differences found between Type A and Type B residents were found only in the low-stress group.

The experiments were done to investigate modifications with aging in reactivity and speed of recovery of the sympathetic adrenomedullary system during psychosocial stress. Normal male volunteers were studied. Urinary adrenaline and noradrenaline, diuresis, pH and specific gravity were measured. Adrenaline and noradrenaline baseline levels were lower in the older age group. Adrenaline levels increased by the same percent during stress in the two age groups, but came back to pre-stress values more slowly in older subjects, as did blood pressure.

12 healthy male volunteers spent 64 h of continuous waking under strictly controlled environmental conditions (light, food, drink, activity) in isolation from the external world. Before and after the vigil the subjects slept in the laboratory. An additional group of five participated only during day time and spent the intervening night period asleep at home. Measurements were carried out in 3 h intervals except for sleep periods. Shortly before the circadian trough and peak of adrenaline excretion respectively, the subjects were exposed to a performance stressor. Results from the vigil showed a very pronounced circadian rhythm for adrenaline excretion but none for noradrenaline excretion. For adrenaline, night-time sleep reduced excretion levels, causing an even more pronounced circadian pattern. For noradrenaline, night-time sleep caused a drop in excretion giving the impression of a circadian rhythm. These and previous results led to the conclusion that the excretion of adrenaline exhibits a self-sustained rhythm while a rhythm in noradrenaline excretion is found only when caused by external synchronizers such as sleep-wake alternation. No difference in magnitude of stress response between peak and trough was observed for any of the catecholamines. Night-time (trough) exposure completely obliterated the circadian rhythm of adrenaline excretion for the duration of the exposure. It was concluded that the normal pronounced night-time trough of adrenaline cannot be due to unavailability of adrenaline in the medulla. With respect to sleep deprivation, no effect was found on excretion levels during waking, during sleep, or in response to the stressor as deprivation progressed. Finally, there was also found to be a close temporal covariation between adrenaline excretion and both rectal temperature and self-rated fatigue (neg.).

Measurements of the urinary loss of adrenaline and noradrenaline and of cortisol in a competitor of the Paris-Colmar march permits to draw some conclusions concerning the hypothalamic condition of the said competitor during the race. It concerns a total stimulation, the determining factors of which, as seen from the differences between the various phases of competition, remain uncertain. The limitations which such an analysis is bound to have in the given circumstances are clearly shown.

Comparisons of 13 lifestyle characteristics and the rates of urinary catecholamine excretion during typical morning activity are examined among four groups of young Samoan men in Western Samoa. The groups include 28 manual laborers, 33 sedentary workers, and 31 college students from the urban area of Apia, and 31 rural agriculturalists. Associations between the lifestyle variables and catecholamine excretion rates are also investigated in the total sample (N = 123) using correlations and multiple stepwise regression techniques. Results of the lifestyle characteristic comparisons show that the villagers have greater life satisfaction, emotional stability, agreement with Samoan customs, and familial responsibility (P less than 0.05). The catecholamine comparisons show that the villagers have lower rates of epinephrine and norepinephrine excretion than any of the Apia groups (P less than 0.05 and P less than 0.005 respectively). The regressions indicate that diet, activity, day of specimen collection and the overall lifestyle and ecological differences between the village and Apia are associated with 25 and 31% of the variation in the rates of epinephrine and norepinephrine excretion respectively. These results suggest that both psychological and habitual behavioral differences contribute to the catecholamine variation of the men in this study, and that these differences are related to the degree of participation in Western lifestyles.

Serial changes in urinary catecholamine excretion were determined for 17 cockpit crews (6 captains, 6 copilots and 5 flight engineers) of JASDF C-1 aircraft during 10-hour (h) scheduled flights, in which captains and copilots performed almost the same flight tasks. The norepinephrine/epinephrine ratio (N/E) in copilots decreased significantly during the flight, whereas little decrease of the N/E was found in captains. Flight engineers showed an intermediate N/E value between captains and copilots. Hormonal responses appeared to correlate with differences in the amount of flying experience of crewmembers. Differences between captains and copilots were more significant when handling the aircraft. Results suggested that flight stresses perceived by crewmembers in the same cockpit were influenced by their flying experience and flight position which could be clearly assessed by determining relative excretions of epinephrine and norepinephrine.

Previous research on the effects of unemployment has focused upon both anticipation of job loss and long-term unemployment, typically using self-report and some biochemical measures of response to unemployment stress. The present study was concerned with behavioral and biochemical responses to unemployment. It was also designed to examine a somewhat different time course of unemployment than has been used in previous work. Results indicated that stress accompanies unemployment; looking at people who had been unemployed for up to four months, those who had been unemployed for greater lengths of time performed more poorly on a behavioral task and exhibited higher levels of urinary norepinephrine and epinephrine than did persons unemployed for shorter time periods or subjects who were employed.

Using 13 members of an amateur softball team during the last seven games of the regular season, associations were determined between overall offensive and defensive performance and levels of serum uric acid (SUA) and cholesterol, and urinary adrenaline and noradrenaline. Skilled players were found to have significantly lower cholesterol and noradrenaline levels than less skilled players whether the games were won or lost. Adrenaline and SUA levels did not differ between the two groups nor between losing or winning outcomes. The elevated cholesterol and noradrenaline levels found among the less skilled players may indicate that although they were stressed by the discrepancy between their expectations and their performance, they nonetheless maintained perceived control over performance because of the social support and reinforcement received from the other players and the coach.

Psychoneuroendocrine stress responses were studied in normally ovulating women in the follicular, ovulatory, and luteal phases of two consecutive menstrual cycles. Psychologic stress was induced by having the subjects perform a battery of cognitive tasks under time pressure. Blood samples were drawn after each session for radioimmunoassay of 17 beta-estradiol, progesterone, luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), testosterone, prolactin, cortisol, and androstenedione. Urine samples were obtained for estimation of adrenaline, noradrenaline, and cortisol. The results showed that psychoneuroendocrine stress responses as estimated by urinary excretion of adrenaline and noradrenaline varied significantly across the menstrual cycle, the highest values being obtained in the luteal phase. Self-reported mood and somatic symptoms showed distinct phase-related changes, with more negative mood states predominating in the luteal and menstrual phases and increased positive mood states in the follicular and ovulatory phases.

In order to study interindividual differences in habitual subjective and physiological arousal a scale for measuring subjective arousal in the course of daily living was constructed and evaluated (the day-to-day stress scale, DtDSS) and urine samples for estimating free catecholamines were obtained on 17 occasions from each of 20 male subjects during a period of approximately 48 h. Samples were collected at home during daily activities and night rest, as well as under laboratory conditions, when periods of activity and inactivity alternated. The results showed: (1) that scores on the DtDSS correlated significantly with average adrenaline level, and (2) that low physiological reactivity was indicative of neuroticism.

The correlation between urinary excretion of epinephrine and percent of waking time during time allotted for sleep was evaluated for both daytime and nighttime bed-rest under minimally stressful conditions. The experiment was performed on 6 male subjects. Polysomnographic recordings were made throughout each 8-h bed-rest period, and free epinephrine excretion was measured at intervals of 2.5 h. Epinephrine excretion showed a strongly positive correlation with percent of waking time during bed-rest in the daytime and at night (average correlation coefficient: day: r = 0.89, P less than 0.001; night: r = 0.68, P less than 0.001). The possibility that levels of epinephrine excretion could be used as an indicator of sleep disturbance is discussed.

Catecholamine excretion was determined for 15 USAF pilots during surface attack training in the A-10 aircraft. Timed urine samples were used to determine excretion rates of epinephrine and norepinephrine during basal conditions, during five sorties performed in high-realism simulators, and during six actual flights. Catecholamine excretion was significantly elevated (p < 0.05) over basal rates during all 11 training sorties; therefore, it was concluded that A-10 conversion and surface attack training results in a significant stress response in the subjects. The stress response experienced in the simulator diminished across trials; the stress response from aircraft flights remained steady through all sorties monitored. The relative proportions of epinephrine and norepinephrine remained similar across all but the final sorties in both the simulator and the aircraft. These occasions were typified by increased norepinephrine and decreased epinephrine excretion rates.