The relationship between cortisol reactivity and emotional brain function is differently moderated by childhood trauma, in bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and healthy individuals
Open accessAbstract
Childhood trauma is a risk factor for psychotic and mood disorders that is associated with abnormal hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis function in response to stress and abnormal social brain function. Here, we aimed to determine whether childhood trauma exposure would differently moderate associations between cortisol reactivity and social brain function, among cases with schizophrenia (SZ), bipolar disorder (BD) and in healthy individuals (HC). Forty cases with SZ, 35 with BD and 34 HCs underwent functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing an emotional face-matching task. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire and cortisol reactivity (i.e. the slope indexing the within-subject difference between pre- and post-imaging salivary cortisol levels) was determined. The severity of childhood trauma moderated the relationship between cortisol reactivity and brain activation in the bilateral temporo-parieto-insular junctions, right middle cingulum, right pre/postcentral gyri, left cerebellum and right lingual gyrus, differently depending on the clinical group. When exposed to high levels of trauma, the cortisol slope was negatively associated with activation in these regions in HC, while the cortisol slope was positively associated with activation in these regions in SZ cases. Similarly, there were differences between the groups in how trauma severity moderated the relationship between cortisol reactivity and functional connectivity between the am…
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In a study of emotional brain function and cortisol reactivity in patients with schizophrenia (n = 40) and controls (n = 34), cortisol concentrations reduced in patients and increased in controls following the task.
“Similarly, in a study of emotional brain function (functional magnetic resonance imaging while performing an emotional face-matching task) and cortisol reactivity in patients with schizophrenia (n = 40) and controls (n = 34) found that cortisol concentrations reduced in patients and increased in controls following the task (163).”
From Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [163]
In those exposed to high levels of trauma, higher post scan cortisol was associated with region activation in the schizophrenia cohort.
“In those exposed to high levels of trauma, higher post scan cortisol was associated with region activation in the schizophrenia cohort.”
From Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [163]
Healthy controls with high trauma levels were associated with high cortisol response to stress and decreased brain region activation.
“In contrast, healthy controls with high trauma levels were associated with high cortisol response to stress and decreased brain region activation (163).”
From Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [163]
BD patients with high levels of trauma experienced blunted cortisol responses with associated increased brain activation (the right lingual gyrus and increased functional connectivity between the left amygdala and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex).
“Similarly, BD patients with high levels of trauma experienced blunted cortisol responses with associated increased brain activation (the right lingual gyrus and increased functional connectivity between the left amygdala and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex).”
From Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis (2022) · cites this paper as [163]
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Childhood Trauma, the HPA Axis and Psychiatric Illnesses: A Targeted Literature Synthesis
Murphy, F., Nasa, A., Cullinane, D., Raajakesary, K., Gazzaz, A., Sooknarine, V., Haines, M., Roman, E., Kelly, L., O'Neill, A., et al. (2022) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2022.748372 · Cited by 181 · see citing works
“In contrast, healthy controls with high trauma levels were associated with high cortisol response to stress and decreased brain region activation (163).”
Background
- Authors
- Quidé, Y., Girshkin, L., Watkeys, O. J., Carr, V. J., & Green, M. J.
- Affiliations
- UNSW Sydney (AU)
- Corresponding author
- Quidé, Yann
- Venue
- European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience
- Published
- 2020-09-14
- Volume
- 271
- Issue
- 6
- Pages
- 1089-1109
- ISSN
- 0003-9373 (ISSN-L)
- 0940-1334
- 1433-8491
- OpenAlex
- W3086240936
- Cited by
- 32
- References
- 13
- Citations by year
- 2026: 5 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 6 · 2023: 8 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 5 · 2020: 2
- FWCI
- 2.74
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- green
- hdl.handle.net
- Licence
- Locations
- European Archives of Psychiatry and Clinical Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- UNSWorks (UNSW Sydney) (submittedVersion, cc-by-nc-nd)
- Funders
- National Health and Medical Research Council (APP630471, APP1081603, APP1061875)
- Centre of Excellence in Cognition and its Disorders, Australian Research Council (CE110001021)
- Australian Government Research Training Program
- Neuroscience Research Australia - Edward C Dunn Foundation Postgraduate Scholarship
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Clinical Psychology › Child Abuse and Trauma
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Psychiatry and Mental health › Schizophrenia research and treatment
- Keywords
- cortisol response, childhood trauma, emotional face processing, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, cerebellum, salivary cortisol
- MeSH terms
- Adverse Childhood Experiences, Bipolar Disorder, Brain, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Schizophrenia, Case-Control Studies
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