The Institute of Stress Medicine, Gothenburg, Sweden ; The Department of Neuroscience and Physiology, University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
PLoS One. 2013 Aug 28;8(8):e72460. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0072460. eCollection 2013.
It is known that long-term psychosocial stress may cause or contribute to different diseases and symptoms and accelerate aging. One of the consequences of prolonged psychosocial stress may be a negative effect on the levels of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and its sulphated metabolite dehydroepiandrosterone sulphate (DHEA-S). The aim of this study is to investigate whether levels of DHEA and DHEA-S differ in individuals who report perceived stress at work compared to individuals who report no perceived stress at work.
Morning fasting DHEA-S and DHEA levels were measured in serum in a non-stressed group (n = 40) and a stressed group (n = 41). DHEA and DHEA-S levels were compared between the groups using ANCOVA, controlling for age.
The mean DHEA-S levels were 23% lower in the subjects who reported stress at work compared to the non-stressed group. Statistical analysis (ANCOVA) showed a significant difference in DHEA-S levels between the groups (p = 0.010). There was no difference in DHEA level between the groups.
This study indicates that stressed individual have markedly lower levels of DHEA-S. Given the important and beneficial functions of DHEA and DHEA-S, lower levels of DHEA-S may constitute one link between psychosocial stress, ill health and accelerated ageing.
已知长期的心理社会压力可导致或促成不同的疾病和症状，并加速衰老。长期心理社会压力的后果之一可能是对脱氢表雄酮（DHEA）及其硫酸化代谢物硫酸脱氢表雄酮（DHEA-S）水平产生负面影响。本研究旨在调查报告工作中存在心理压力的个体与报告工作中不存在心理压力的个体相比，其 DHEA 和 DHEA-S 水平是否存在差异。
采用非应激组（n=40）和应激组（n=41）的清晨空腹血清 DHEA-S 和 DHEA 水平，采用协方差分析（ANCOVA）比较两组间的 DHEA 和 DHEA-S 水平，同时控制年龄。
与非应激组相比，报告工作中存在心理压力的个体 DHEA-S 水平平均降低 23%。统计学分析（ANCOVA）显示两组间 DHEA-S 水平存在显著差异（p=0.010）。两组间 DHEA 水平无差异。
本研究表明，有心理压力的个体 DHEA-S 水平明显降低。鉴于 DHEA 和 DHEA-S 的重要和有益功能，DHEA-S 水平降低可能是心理社会压力、健康状况不佳和加速衰老之间的一个联系。
