The stress-buffering effect of acute exercise: evidence for HPA axis negative feedback
Abstract
According to the cross-stressor adaptation hypothesis, physically trained individuals show lower physiological and psychological responses to stressors other than exercise, e.g. psychosocial stress. Reduced stress reactivity may constitute a mechanism of action for the beneficial effects of exercise in maintaining mental health. With regard to neural and psychoneuroendocrine stress responses, the acute stress-buffering effects of exercise have not been investigated yet. A sample of highly trained (HT) and sedentary (SED) young men was randomized to either exercise on a treadmill at moderate intensity (60-70% VO2max; AER) for 30 min, or to perform 30 min of "placebo" exercise (PLAC). 90 min later, an fMRI experiment was conducted using an adapted version of the Montreal Imaging Stress Task (MIST). The subjective and psychoneuroendocrine (cortisol and α-amylase) changes induced by the exercise intervention and the MIST were assessed, as well as neural activations during the MIST. Finally, associations between the different stress responses were analysed. Participants of the AER group showed a significantly reduced cortisol response to the MIST, which was inversely related to the previous exercise-induced α-amylase and cortisol fluctuations. With regard to the sustained BOLD signal, we found higher bilateral hippocampus (Hipp) activity and lower prefrontal cortex (PFC) activity in the AER group. Participants with a higher aerobic fitness showed lower cortisol responses to the MIST. As the Hipp and PFC are brain structures prominently involved in the regulation of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, these findings indicate that the acute stress-buffering effect of exercise relies on negative feedback mechanisms. Positive affective changes after exercise appear as important moderators largely accounting for the effects related to physical fitness.
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In Zschucke and colleagues' study, overall cortisol output was reduced following a mild cognitive challenge task when participants engaged in 30 min of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise at 60-70% VO2-peak prior to the mental challenge compared to participants who did not engage in any exercise.
“For example, in a study by Zschucke and colleagues, overall cortisol output was reduced following a mild cognitive challenge task when participants engaged in 30 min of moderate-to-vigorous aerobic exercise (at 60-70% VO 2-peak) prior to the mental challenge compared to participants who did not engage in any exercise.(Zschucke et al., 2015).”
From The effects of exercise intensity on the cortisol response to a subsequent acute psychosocial stressor. (2021) · cites this paper as Zschucke et al., 2015
Three studies demonstrate that various modalities of acute exercise can reduce the HPA-axis salivary cortisol response to various psychosocial stressor tasks.
“Three studies demonstrate that various modalities of acute exercise (e.g.outdoor walking, ergometer bicycling) can reduce the HPA-axis sCort response to various psychosocial stressor tasks (Wood et al., 2018;Wunsch et al., 2019;Zschucke et al., 2015).”
From The effects of exercise intensity on the cortisol response to a subsequent acute psychosocial stressor. (2021) · cites this paper as Zschucke et al., 2015
When prior studies have implemented an exercise protocol prior to a stressor, they have primarily used a binary model with an exercising and non-exercising group.
“When prior studies have implemented an exercise protocol prior to a stressor, they have primarily used a binary model with an exercising and non-exercising group (Wood et al., 2018;Zschucke et al., 2015).”
From The effects of exercise intensity on the cortisol response to a subsequent acute psychosocial stressor. (2021) · cites this paper as Zschucke et al., 2015
In Zschucke and colleagues' work, highly trained and sedentary men were randomized to aerobic exercise (at 60-70% VO2-peak) or placebo exercise (light stretching) prior to a mild laboratory psychosocial stressor.
“In their work, highly trained and sedentary men were randomized to aerobic exercise (at 60-70% VO2-peak) or placebo exercise (light stretching) prior to a mild laboratory psychosocial stressor.”
From The effects of exercise intensity on the cortisol response to a subsequent acute psychosocial stressor. (2021) · cites this paper as Zschucke et al., 2015
Zschucke and colleagues (2015) were the first to posit that cross-stressor adaptation of acute exercise may occur as a result of glucocorticoid negative feedback.
“Zschucke and colleagues (2015) were the first to posit that cross-stressor adaptation of acute exercise may occur as a result of glucocorticoid negative feedback.”
From The effects of exercise intensity on the cortisol response to a subsequent acute psychosocial stressor. (2021) · cites this paper as Zschucke et al., 2015
Men in the aerobic exercise condition showed smaller cortisol change scores from pre-to post-psychosocial stressor compared to the placebo exercise condition.
“Men in the aerobic exercise condition showed smaller cortisol change scores from pre-to post-psychosocial stressor compared to the placebo exercise condition.”
From The effects of exercise intensity on the cortisol response to a subsequent acute psychosocial stressor. (2021) · cites this paper as Zschucke et al., 2015
Research in healthy or other clinical populations provides evidence that acute and regular exercise regulate or improve stress-related activation of the HPA axis, including a blunted cortisol response.
“Additional research conducted in healthy or other clinical populations provides evidence that acute and regular exercise regulate or improve one's stress-related activation of the HPA axis, including a blunted cortisol response”
From Exercise Intervention in PTSD: A Narrative Review and Rationale for Implementation (2019) · cites this paper as [118]
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“Our findings suggest a distinct neural mechanism underlying positive affective modulations after strenuous exercise [26, 27].”
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“This may suggest that the effects of telework on psychophysiological reactivity is not very long lasting [30,59].”
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Occupational Distress and Health among a Sample of Christian Clergy
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“The Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) was completed pre- and post-exercise and neuronal responses to neutral, happy and fearful facial expressions were determined using an fMRI-based face-matching paradigm.”
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“, 2014), basal levels of sCort seem to be unaffected by fitness status (Gill et al., 2014; Klaperski et al., 2014; Moya-Albiol et al., 2001; Rimmele et al., 2009, 2007; Rudolph and McAuley, 1998; Zschucke et al., 2015).”
BackgroundResultInfluentialStressregulation durch Sport und Bewegung
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“In einer weiteren Laborstudie wurde nicht der Effekt der habituellen, sondern der akuten körperlichen Aktivit€at auf die Stimmungsver€anderungen unter Stress beobachtet (Zschucke et al. 2015).”
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“Physical activity also acutely induces transient elevations in mood (Bernstein and McNally, 2017; Tartar et al., 2018; Zschucke et al., 2015), an effect that emerges even with brief bouts of exercise (e.g., 10 min; (Crush et al., 2018).”
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BackgroundInterval Training Improves Depressive Symptoms But Not Anxious Symptoms in Healthy Women
Viana, R. B., Gentil, P., Naves, J. P. A., Rebelo, A. C. S., Santos, D. D. A. T., Braga, M. A. O., & de Lira, C. A. B. (2019) · Frontiers in Psychiatry · doi:10.3389/fpsyt.2019.00661 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
“These changes might inhibit the hypothalamic– pituitary–adrenal axis, leading to a reduction in cortisol release (52) and, consequently, of the psychological stress response (53, 54), and positive affect (55).”
BackgroundBlood hormones and suicidal behaviour: A systematic review and meta-analysis
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“It has been repeatedly shown that regular exercise possesses anxiolytic and antidepressant like effects both in rodents and humans (Duman et al., 2008; Herring et al., 2010; Gaudlitz et al., 2015; Zschucke et al., 2015).”
BackgroundNeural - hormonal responses to negative affective stimuli: Impact of dysphoric mood and sex
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Heartbeats and high scores: esports triggers cardiovascular and autonomic stress response
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“Studies have shown that acute exercise can not only reduce the response to physical stress (22, 63) but also mitigate the response to mental stress (64).”
BackgroundCOVID-19 and Parkinson’s disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis
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Relaxation Effect of a 2-Hour Walk in Kumano-Kodo Forest
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“It is well known that strong exercise produces sympathetic dominance, while moderate exercise results in parasympathetic dominance [21,22] and relieves stress if the subject is in training [23].”
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Psychosocial stress reactivity habituates following acute physiological stress
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“Likewise, yet in contrast to previous reports (Zschucke et al., 2015), we did not observe any differentially activated clusters in participants showing an IVP cortisol response.”
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“The cross-stressor adaptation hypothesis [45, 46] suggests that individuals who engage in physical exercise exhibit lower physiological and psychological responses to stressors outside of exercise.”
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Stress, Cardiovascular Diseases and Exercise – A Narrative Review
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Exercise as Treatment for “Stress-Related” Mental Disorders
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Stress-induced brain responses are associated with BMI in women
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“Since the HPA axis serves as a negative feedback loop, higher baseline cortisol levels are associated with lower stress-induced endocrine 48,80 , but also subjective 48,81 , cardiovascular 48 , and neural stress responses 48,82 .”
Move the night way: how can physical activity facilitate adaptation to shift work?
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“The few available studies on adults are in accordance with the present null finding [29, 34, 89].”
ResultA single bout of hard RPE-based cycling exercise increases salivary alpha-amylase
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“Dysregulation of stress response systems may be involved in the pathogenesis and progress of mental disorders (Zschucke et al. 2015).”
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Stress buffering after physical activity engagement: An experience sampling study
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“Manipulation of the individual’s physiological or psychological state prior to stress induction, using aerobic physical activity (Zschucke et al., 2015) or self-esteem training (Creswell et al.”
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“…of chronic stress on telomere shortening (Puterman et al., 2010), desensitizes tissue sensitivity to prolonged cortisol exposure (Duclos et al., 2003), reduces cortisol responses to acute stressors (Zschucke et al., 2015), and decreases elevated morning cortisol in older adults (Mura et al., 2014).”
BackgroundMethodische Aspekte der Stressforschung
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“Auf andere wie z. B. die Katecholamine (Adrenalin, Noradrenalin) (Winters 2012), die Alpha-Amylase (Strahler et al. 2016) oder neurologische Stressmarker der Gehirnaktivität (Zschucke et al. 2015) können wir hier nur verweisen.”
BackgroundIntensity Matters: The Role of Physical Activity in the Job Demands-Resources Model
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“Moreover, regular VPA has been shown to effectively improve physical fitness, which is associated with reduced stress reactivity (Martikainen et al., 2013; Rimmele et al., 2009; Zschucke et al., 2015).”
BackgroundExercise decreases defensive responses to unpredictable, but not predictable, threat
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ÇAKIR, Z., Erbaş, Ü., GÖNEN, M., Ceyhan, M. A., Öktem, T., Kul, M., DİLEK, A. N., & Güzel, S. (2025) · BMC Psychology · doi:10.1186/s40359-025-03108-x · Cited by 14 · see citing works
“Moreover, even 30 min of aerobic exercise has been shown to reduce cortisol responses to psychosocial stress [99].”
- Authors
- Zschucke, E., Renneberg, B., Dimeo, F., Wüstenberg, T., & Ströhle, A.
- Affiliations
- Constructor University (DE)
- Freie Universität Berlin (DE)
- Charité – Universitätsmedizin Berlin (DE)
- Corresponding author
- Zschucke, Elisabeth
- Venue
- Psychoneuroendocrinology
- Publisher
- Elsevier BV
- Published
- 2015-01
- Volume
- 51
- Pages
- 414-425
- ISSN
- 0306-4530 (ISSN-L)
- OpenAlex
- W2087854698
- Cited by
- 253
- References
- 66
- Citations by year
- 2026: 21 · 2025: 25 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 22 · 2022: 23 · 2021: 25 · 2020: 25 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 18 · 2016: 13 · 2015: 7 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 6.38
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Psychoneuroendocrinology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Physical Activity and Health
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Rehabilitation › Exercise and Physiological Responses
- Keywords
- acute exercise, stress buffering, psychosocial stress, cortisol, alpha-amylase, cardiorespiratory fitness, Montreal Imaging Stress Task, hippocampus, prefrontal cortex, mental health
- MeSH terms
- Adaptation, Physiological, Adult, Affect, Brain, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Physical Fitness, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Saliva, Stress, Psychological, Exercise, Feedback, Physiological, Young Adult, Functional Neuroimaging
About these checks
Registry, retraction, Cites and statistics results are computed, not judged, with one exception: a printed reference that no index lists is read once by a model before it counts as a citation error. Claims are extracted by a model and kept only when their quote appears verbatim in the text; each cited source is then checked, with a model’s help, for whether it says what the claim relies on. Those verdicts can be wrong — read the claim’s quote and the cited source before relying on one.
Statistics and arithmetic are recomputed, not judged.
Confidence bands are shown only for fields calibrated on our annotated test set. None is calibrated yet, so no band is shown.
What counts as a claim ›How we measure confidence ›How we check this ›
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