Hippocampal damage abolishes the cortisol response to psychosocial stress in humans

Tony W Buchanan; Daniel Tranel; Clemens Kirschbaum

doi:10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.02.011

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Hippocampal damage abolishes the cortisol response to psychosocial stress in humans

Journal article

Peer reviewed

Hippocampal damage abolishes the cortisol response to psychosocial stress in humans

Tony W Buchanan, Daniel Tranel and Clemens Kirschbaum

Hormones and behavior, Vol.56(1), pp.44-50

06/2009

DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.02.011

PMCID: PMC2692817

PMID: 19281812

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Abstract

The hippocampus (HC) is necessary for learning and memory, but it also plays a role in other behaviors such as those related to stress and anxiety. In support of the latter idea, we show here that bilateral HC damage abolishes the cortisol response to psychosocial stress. We collected salivary cortisol, heart rate, and affective responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) from 7 participants with bilateral HC lesions, 12 participants with damage outside the HC, and 28 healthy normal comparison participants matched to the HC participants on age and sex. HC participants showed elevated pre-stress cortisol, but no cortisol response to the TSST. Heart rate and affective responses in the HC group were similar to those of the comparison groups. Participants with brain damage outside the HC showed stress responses that were comparable to those of the healthy comparison group. These findings support the idea that the functions of the human HC extend beyond learning and memory, and suggest that the HC is necessary for producing the cortisol response to psychosocial stress.

Humans

Middle Aged

Hydrocortisone - metabolism

Male

Hippocampus - pathology

Brain Injuries - physiopathology

Neuropsychological Tests

Hippocampus - injuries

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Time Factors

Saliva - metabolism

Heart Rate - physiology

Adult

Female

Aged

Brain Injuries - pathology

Stress, Psychological - physiopathology

Details

Title: Subtitle: Hippocampal damage abolishes the cortisol response to psychosocial stress in humans
Creators: Tony W Buchanan - Department of Psychology, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63103, USA. tbuchan7@slu.edu
Daniel Tranel
Clemens Kirschbaum
Resource Type: Journal article
Publication Details: Hormones and behavior, Vol.56(1), pp.44-50
DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2009.02.011
PMID: 19281812
PMCID: PMC2692817
NLM abbreviation: Horm Behav
ISSN: 0018-506X
eISSN: 1095-6867
Publisher: Elsevier BV; United States
Grant note: R01 DA022549-03 / NIDA NIH HHS R03 MH076815 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 DA022549-04 / NIDA NIH HHS R01 DA022549-02 / NIDA NIH HHS R03 MH076815-03 / NIMH NIH HHS R01 DA022549-01 / NIDA NIH HHS 076815 / PHS HHS R01 DA022549 / NIDA NIH HHS 19632 / PHS HHS 022549 / PHS HHS R01 DA022549-04S1 / NIDA NIH HHS
Language: English
Date published: 06/2009
Academic Unit: Neurology; Psychological and Brain Sciences; Iowa Neuroscience Institute
Record Identifier: 9984002447702771

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