Bentele Ulrike U, Strobel Paula, Meier Maria, Benz Annika B E, Gaertner Raphaela J, Klink Elea S C, Denk Bernadette F, Dimitroff Stephanie J, Unternaehrer Eva, Pruessner Jens C
Department of Psychology, Division of Neuropsychology, University of Constance, Fach 905, Universitaetsstrasse 10, 78464, Constance, Germany.
Child- and Adolescent Research Department, University Psychiatric Clinics Basel (UPK), University of Basel, Basel, Switzerland.
Sci Rep. 2025 Jan 8;15(1):1349. doi: 10.1038/s41598-025-85380-w.
Adverse early-life experiences alter the regulation of major stress systems such as the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Low early-life maternal care (MC) has repeatedly been related to blunted cortisol stress responses. Likewise, an acutely increased awareness of mortality (mortality salience [MS]) also has been shown to blunt cortisol responses. In this study we investigated the effects of early-life MC and a potential interaction with MS on HPA axis responsivity, as well as autonomic and subjective stress responses. Seventy-three women (M=21.56, SD=2.85) with self-reported low (n = 30) or high (n = 43) early-life MC, underwent the Trier Social Stress Test for groups. Before, they were asked to briefly contemplate either death (mortality condition, n = 38) or sleep (control condition, n = 35). Salivary cortisol and alpha amylase, heart rate variability and subjective stress levels were assessed repeatedly. Multilevel mixed models confirmed an effect of MC on stress system regulation, indicated by blunted cortisol responses and overall reduced heart rate variability in low versus high MC individuals. Moreover, we found an interaction between MS and MC concerning subjective stress and autonomic measures. Specifically, low MC individuals in the control compared to the mortality condition showed both overall higher subjective stress levels, and less increase in heart rate variability following stress. These findings demonstrate the enduring impact of low early-life MC and the potential role of acute mortality primes on the regulation of stress systems in healthy women.
早期不良经历会改变主要应激系统的调节，如下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴。早期母婴照料不足（MC）反复与皮质醇应激反应迟钝有关。同样，对死亡的急性意识增强（死亡凸显[MS]）也已被证明会使皮质醇反应迟钝。在本研究中，我们调查了早期MC以及与MS的潜在相互作用对HPA轴反应性以及自主神经和主观应激反应的影响。73名自我报告早期MC低（n = 30）或高（n = 43）的女性接受了分组的特里尔社会应激测试。在此之前，她们被要求短暂思考死亡（死亡条件，n = 38）或睡眠（对照条件，n = 35）。反复评估唾液皮质醇和α淀粉酶、心率变异性和主观应激水平。多层次混合模型证实了MC对应激系统调节的影响，低MC个体与高MC个体相比，皮质醇反应迟钝和心率变异性总体降低表明了这一点。此外，我们发现MS和MC在主观应激和自主神经测量方面存在相互作用。具体而言，与死亡条件相比，对照条件下的低MC个体总体主观应激水平更高，且应激后心率变异性增加更少。这些发现证明了早期低MC的持久影响以及急性死亡启动因素对健康女性应激系统调节的潜在作用。
