人类应激内分泌轴功能状态的测量

HPA轴(下丘脑?垂体?肾上腺皮质轴, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal cortex axis)是人类重要的应激内分泌轴, 静息与应激条件下HPA轴的机能障碍能引发应激相关疾病, 而HPA轴机能障碍的表现和原因并不明确。皮质醇作为HPA轴的终端产物能直接反映HPA轴活动, 唾液皮质醇优于其他生物样本皮质醇的特性使其成为测量HPA轴活动的最优指标, 因此寻找到合适的唾液皮质醇标识来反映静息与应激条件下的HPA轴调节变化, 能促进理解HPA轴机能障碍与疾病间的神经内分泌通路。近来研究常用的是以皮质醇觉醒反应(cortisol -awakening response, CAR)与特里尔社会应激测试(Trier social stress test, TSST)来分别表示静息与应激条件下的HPA轴活动。未来研究将结合应激反应的生理、心理指标, 进一步考察HPA轴调节的脑网络, 为应激反应提供脑-神经内分泌通路的生物基础。

Measurement of Human Stress Endocrine Axis Function State

Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis is considered to be a major neuroendocrine system for understading physiological repsonses to stress. Dysfunction of HPA axis under resting and stressful conditions have been associated with stress-related disorders. However, the specific cause and feature of HPA dysfunction remains unclear. Cortisol, an end product of HPA axis, is believed to directly reflect the characteristics of HPA activity. Specifically, the salivary cortisol is considered to be an ideal biolgoical sample to index HPA activity. Thus, identifying suitable salivary cortisol markers to reflect HPA regulation under the resting and stressful conditions may help uncover the neuroendocrin basis of stress-related diseases. Recent research has commonly measured cortisol awakening response (CAR) and implemented the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) procedures. Future research should combine the physiolgoical and psychological indices as well as investigate the brain networks of HPA axis, thus to elucidate the brain-neuroendocrine biological pathways for stress response.