School of Kinesiology and Health Studies, 28 Division Street, Queen's University, Kingston K7L 3N6, Ontario, Canada.
Department of Psychology, 62 Arch Street, Queen's University, Kingston K7L 3N6, Ontario, Canada.
Int J Psychophysiol. 2019 Jan;135:113-120. doi: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2018.12.003. Epub 2018 Dec 6.
Endothelial function, assessed by flow-mediated dilation (FMD), may be transiently attenuated in healthy adults following acute mental stress. However, the impact of acute mental stress on endothelial function in the context of clinical depression is unknown. This study examined the impact of acute mental stress on FMD in women with a diagnosis of a depressive disorder. Forty-three otherwise healthy women (33 ± 14 years) participated. Brachial artery diameter and blood velocity were assessed with ultrasound. FMD was assessed immediately prior to and 15 min following the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). The FMD protocol included 5 min of forearm cuff occlusion (pressure = 250 mm Hg), followed by release. Shear stress was estimated by calculating shear rate (SR = brachial artery blood velocity/diameter). Stress reactivity was assessed via changes in mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR) and salivary cortisol. Results are mean ± SD. A significant stress response was elicited by the TSST [MAP, HR and salivary cortisol increased (p < 0.05)]. Neither the SR stimulus nor FMD response differed pre-versus post-stress (p = 0.124 and p = 0.641, respectively). There was a modest negative correlation between cortisol reactivity and change in FMD from pre- to post-stress (R = -0.392, p = 0.011). To conclude, acute mental stress did not consistently impair endothelial function in women diagnosed with a depressive disorder; however, higher cortisol reactivity may increase the likelihood of post-stress endothelial dysfunction. Further research is required to better understand the factors influencing the relationship between acute mental stress, cortisol and endothelial function in women with depression.
血管内皮功能，通过血流介导的扩张（FMD）评估，在健康成年人经历急性精神应激后可能会短暂减弱。然而，急性精神应激对抑郁症患者的内皮功能的影响尚不清楚。本研究检测了急性精神应激对诊断为抑郁障碍的女性的 FMD 的影响。共有 43 名健康女性（33±14 岁）参与。肱动脉直径和血流速度通过超声评估。FMD 在 Trier 社会应激测试（TSST）前即刻和 15 分钟后评估。FMD 方案包括 5 分钟的前臂袖带加压（压力=250mmHg），随后释放。通过计算切变率（SR=肱动脉血流速度/直径）来估计切变应力。通过平均动脉压（MAP）、心率（HR）和唾液皮质醇的变化来评估应激反应。结果表示为平均值±标准差。TSST 引起了明显的应激反应[MAP、HR 和唾液皮质醇增加（p<0.05）]。无论是 SR 刺激还是 FMD 反应，在应激前后都没有差异（p=0.124 和 p=0.641，分别）。皮质醇反应性与应激前后 FMD 的变化之间存在适度的负相关（R=-0.392，p=0.011）。总之，急性精神应激并未一致损害诊断为抑郁障碍的女性的内皮功能；然而，更高的皮质醇反应性可能会增加应激后内皮功能障碍的可能性。需要进一步的研究来更好地理解影响抑郁女性急性精神应激、皮质醇和内皮功能之间关系的因素。
