Cited by 606Racial and Ethnic Identity ResearchStress Responses and CortisolHealth disparities and outcomes

More than skin deep: Stress neurobiology and mental health consequences of racial discrimination

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Berger, Maximus, Sarnyai, Zoltán·2015·Stress

Abstract

Ethnic minority groups across the world face a complex set of adverse social and psychological challenges linked to their minority status, often involving racial discrimination. Racial discrimination is increasingly recognized as an important contributing factor to health disparities among non-dominant ethnic minorities. A growing body of literature has recognized these health disparities and has investigated the relationship between racial discrimination and poor health outcomes. Chronically elevated cortisol levels and a dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis appear to mediate effects of racial discrimination on allostatic load and disease. Racial discrimination seems to converge on the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) and may impair the function of the prefrontal cortex (PFC), hence showing substantial similarities to chronic social stress. This review provides a summary of recent literature on hormonal and neural effects of racial discrimination and a synthesis of potential neurobiological pathways by which discrimination affects mental health.

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Crossref · 10.3109/10253890.2014.989204

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  • The impacts of racism on dysregulation of cognitive-affective regions share similarities with pathways leading to anxiety, depression and psychosis.

    “The impacts of racism on the dysregulation of cognitive-affective regions such as the prefrontal cortex, anterior cingulate cortex, amygdala and thalamus share similarities with pathways leading to anxiety, depression and psychosis [404].”

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Authors
Berger, M., & Sarnyai, Z.
Venue
Stress
Published
2014-12-29
Volume
18
Issue
1
Pages
1-10
ISSN
  • 1025-3890 (ISSN-L)
  • 1607-8888
OpenAlex
W1992521712
Cited by
606
References
126
Citations by year
2026: 41 · 2025: 73 · 2024: 71 · 2023: 67 · 2022: 75 · 2021: 82 · 2020: 73 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 26 · 2017: 23 · 2016: 27 · 2015: 8 · 2014: 1
FWCI
6.55
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Stress (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • ResearchOnline - JCU (James Cook University) (submittedVersion)
Topics
  • Social Sciences › Sociology and Political Science › Racial and Ethnic Identity Research
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Behavioral Neuroscience › Stress Responses and Cortisol
  • Social Sciences › Health › Health disparities and outcomes
Keywords
racial discrimination, mental health, health disparities, ethnic minorities, cortisol, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, allostatic load, anterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, chronic social stress, neuroendocrine effects
MeSH terms
Ethnicity, Gyrus Cinguli, Health Status, Humans, Hydrocortisone, Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System, Mental Health, Minority Groups, Pituitary-Adrenal System, Risk Factors, Social Isolation, Stress, Psychological, Biomarkers, Prefrontal Cortex, Allostasis, Health Status Disparities, Racism

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