Psychoneuroendocrinology最新文献

{"title":"Psychological and immunological benefits of eye movement desensitization and reprocessing in hashimoto thyroiditis: Preliminary findings from a randomized controlled trial","authors":"Maria-Magdalena Macarenco ,&nbsp;Cristian Opariuc-Dan ,&nbsp;Teodora Georgescu ,&nbsp;Livia Căciuloiu","doi":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107695","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107695","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objective</h3><div>This study examined the effectiveness of Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) in improving psychological functioning and modulating immune markers in adults with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT), a chronic autoimmune disorder increasingly linked to early trauma.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>In a randomized controlled trial, 91 adults with HT were assigned to EMDR plus treatment-as-usual (TAU), placebo plus TAU, or TAU alone. The EMDR protocol focused on processing ten distressing memories predating illness onset. Outcomes included anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) and anti-thyroglobulin (anti-TG) levels, and measures of depression, anxiety, stress, dissociation, alexithymia, trait anger, emotion regulation, and quality of life, assessed at baseline, posttreatment, and 3-month follow-up.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>EMDR led to significant improvements in dissociation, alexithymia, depression, anxiety, stress, trait anger, and emotion regulation, along with enhanced quality of life. These effects were maintained at follow-up and generally exceeded those of placebo or TAU. A significant reduction in anti-TPO levels was also observed in the EMDR group, although between-group effects at follow-up did not remain significant after correction for multiple comparisons. No significant differences were found in anti-TG levels.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>EMDR may offer a clinically relevant adjunctive intervention for individuals with HT, reducing psychological distress and potentially influencing immune activity. Findings on immunomodulation are preliminary and warrant further investigation in larger trials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20836,"journal":{"name":"Psychoneuroendocrinology","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 107695"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145565268","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Discrimination and allostatic load in black middle-aged and older adults: A systematic review and meta-analysis","authors":"Alaa Harb ,&nbsp;Juliana Souza-Talarico ,&nbsp;Peter B. Abad ,&nbsp;Karen Lawrence ,&nbsp;Jihye Lee ,&nbsp;Ana W. Capuano ,&nbsp;Lisa L. Barnes ,&nbsp;Jennifer Deberg","doi":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107714","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107714","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Perceived discrimination has been associated with elevated allostatic load (AL), but findings among Black middle-aged and older adults are inconsistent. A focused synthesis is lacking, limiting understanding of how discrimination becomes biologically embedded. This systematic review and meta-analysis aim to clarify the discrimination and AL relationship in Black individuals during aging and highlight key methodological and contextual factors.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>A systematic search of seven databases following PRISMA guidelines included studies on discrimination and AL in Black adults aged 40 and older. AL measures were multisystem indexes of stress-related biomarkers. Study quality was assessed using ROBINS-E, and a random-effects meta-analysis estimated the overall effect size.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Five studies met the inclusion criteria. Four reported significant associations between discrimination, particularly everyday or adolescent exposure, and higher AL. One study found a negative association moderated by coping mechanisms, while another revealed a significant interaction with hopefulness. Meta-analysis of four studies showed a small, non-significant pooled effect (Hedges’s g = 0.132; 95 % CI: −0.338–0.602; p = 0.582) with high heterogeneity (I² = 94.24 %). Stronger associations appeared in studies using broader biomarker panels and more recent discrimination measures.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>This study highlights an inconsistent and heterogeneous relationship between discrimination and AL in Black middle-aged and older adults. While evidence suggests a general link, findings remain mixed due to methodological variability. The meta-analysis found no significant pooled effect, reflecting limited and diverse studies. Future research should prioritize longitudinal designs, standardized measures, and consideration of coping and resilience factors.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20836,"journal":{"name":"Psychoneuroendocrinology","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 107714"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145725714","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"High sensitivity C-reactive protein in response to acute stress in healthy men and women","authors":"A-K. Lennartsson ,&nbsp;I.H. Jonsdottir","doi":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107689","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107689","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Psychosocial stress has been suggested to contribute to low-grade inflammation, which in turn can, if persisting, increase the risk of developing a wide range of chronic disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the level of CRP in response to acute psychosocial stress in healthy men and women, whether the responses related to general stress activation. Since it is known that CRP level in general is associated with BMI, we also aimed to investigate whether CRP response during acute stress is related to BMI and overweight.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>Thirty men and 19 women, aged 30—50 years (mean age 39 years, SD 5.6 years), were included in the study. The participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), and CRP was measured in serum together with measurements of general stress activation.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>CRP levels slightly and temporarily increased in response to acute psychosocial stress. CRP response was positively related to the response of ACTH and cortisol. The CRP response was also positively associated with BMI and the overweight individuals exhibited a larger stress-induced CRP increase.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The results support the idea that stress may contribute to low-grade inflammation, which in turn can constitute one important pathogenic link between stress and adverse health, especially in overweight individuals.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20836,"journal":{"name":"Psychoneuroendocrinology","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 107689"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145499994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of circulating immune cell phenotypes and peripheral inflammatory biomarkers with depressive symptoms in the Framingham Heart Study","authors":"Sandhya Iyer ,&nbsp;Yumeng Cao ,&nbsp;Ryan Liebegott ,&nbsp;Jiachen Chen ,&nbsp;Ahmed Ragab ,&nbsp;Margaret F. Doyle ,&nbsp;Kathryn L. Lunetta ,&nbsp;Joanne M. Murabito","doi":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107716","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107716","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Depression is a common mental health disorder with substantial impact on older adults. Immune dysfunction has been studied as a mechanism for depressive symptoms, providing the opportunity for new targeted treatment approaches.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>This study investigated the associations between immune cell phenotypes, determined by flow cytometry, and peripheral inflammatory biomarkers, measured using the OLINK Inflammation panel, with Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) scores, indicative of depressive symptoms, in the Framingham Heart Study Offspring Cohort. Regression models were used with proteins or immune cells as predictors and CES-D scores as the outcome, adjusting for age, sex, BMI, smoking status, CVD, depression medication use, NSAID use, and cytomegalovirus (CMV) status (immune cells only). We used Bonferroni adjusted p &lt; 0.005 to declare significance. Effect estimates (beta) are reported in standard deviation units.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Participants (n = 831) had a mean age 61, were 52 % female, and had a mean CES-D score 5 (SD=7) with 8 % (n = 67) having a CES-D score &gt; /= 16. Our results suggested a positive association between FGF-19 and CES-D score (beta=0.11, p = 0.004), as well as a suggestive negative trend between the CD8 +IL17 + :CD8 +CD25 +FoxP3 + ratio (CD8Tc17/CD8 +Tregs) and CES-D score (beta=-0.1, p = 0.03). In addition, we observed a positive suggestive trend between IL-17C and depressive symptoms (CES-D &gt;/= 16) (beta=0.35 p = 0.009), that strengthened with higher levels of symptoms (p &lt; 0.005).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>The positive association between FGF-19 and depressive symptoms may suggest the contribution of metabolic and cognitive dysfunction to the pathophysiology of depression. The link between higher IL-17C levels and high CES-D score increased in strength as the cutoff point for a high CES-D score was increased, suggesting a link between IL-17C and more severe depressive symptoms. This study helps to expand our understanding of the role of inflammation in the pathophysiology of depression.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20836,"journal":{"name":"Psychoneuroendocrinology","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 107716"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145688001","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Corrigendum to “Posttraumatic stress disorder and epigenetic signatures of inflammation in middle-aged women” [Psychoneuroendocrinology 182 (2025) 107654]","authors":"Jiaxuan Liu ,&nbsp;Andrew Ratanatharathorn ,&nbsp;Anat Yaskolka Meir ,&nbsp;Audrey R. Murchland ,&nbsp;Yiwen Zhu ,&nbsp;Andrea L. Roberts ,&nbsp;Rebecca B. Lawn ,&nbsp;Jennifer A. Sumner ,&nbsp;Sebastien Haneuse ,&nbsp;Liming Liang ,&nbsp;Laura D. Kubzansky ,&nbsp;Karestan C. Koenen ,&nbsp;Lori B. Chibnik","doi":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107687","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107687","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":20836,"journal":{"name":"Psychoneuroendocrinology","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 107687"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145527972","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of sleep fragmentation and estradiol suppression on positive and negative affect: Results of an experimental model of menopause","authors":"Margo D. Nathan ,&nbsp;Primavera A. Spagnolo ,&nbsp;Leilah K. Grant ,&nbsp;Shadab A. Rahman ,&nbsp;Irene Gonsalvez ,&nbsp;Jessica Harder ,&nbsp;Hannah Kim ,&nbsp;Aleta Wiley ,&nbsp;Hadine Joffe","doi":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107690","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107690","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>The menopausal transition (MT) represents a period of increased risk for depressive symptoms. Emergence of these symptoms may reflect dysregulations in affect caused by fundamental MT characteristics, particularly sleep disturbance, estradiol decline, and vasomotor symptoms (VMS). Using an experimental paradigm mimicking menopause, we examined the effects of MT-related characteristics on affect.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>38 premenopausal women without affective disorders completed a 6-day experimental paradigm comprising 2 nights of unfragmented sleep followed by 3 nights of provoked sleep fragmentation, during the high-estradiol mid-to-late-follicular menstrual phase. A subset (n = 27) repeated the paradigm after leuprolide-suppressed estradiol (low-estradiol). Positive affect (PA) and negative affect (NA) ratings were obtained daily using the Positive and Negative Affect Schedule.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>Sleep fragmentation adversely influenced PA and NA acutely after one night of fragmentation (p &lt; 0.007). This effect persisted following 3 nights of sleep fragmentation for NA (p = 0.02), but not PA (p = 0.46). Conversely, estradiol suppression increased PA (p = 0.0.03) but not NA (p = 0.51). In the low-estradiol condition, women who developed VMS trended toward having a more pronounced and sustained reduction in PA over three nights of sleep fragmentation compared to those who did not (p = 0.09).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Our findings show that MT-related characteristics significantly disrupt both positive and negative affect, potentially underlying emergence of depressive symptoms during this reproductive stage. We observed differential effects on positive and negative affect, with sleep fragmentation having a greater effect on NA and estradiol and VMS having a greater effect on PA, suggesting benefit for tailoring interventions that target specific types of affect regulation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20836,"journal":{"name":"Psychoneuroendocrinology","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 107690"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145565205","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Neuroendocrine profiles in relation to female callous-unemotional traits and distress facilitation","authors":"Victoria Auricht ,&nbsp;Natalie Goulter ,&nbsp;Eva R. Kimonis","doi":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107710","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107710","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Emerging evidence supports that primary and secondary callous-unemotional (CU) variants show distinct physiological correlates, though prior research has exclusively distinguished CU variants based on psychosocial measures, rather than physiological indices, and focused on male samples. This study aimed to determine whether identified neuroendocrine (i.e., cortisol, dehydroepiandrosterone [DHEA], and testosterone) profiles mapped onto theoretically relevant psychosocial constructs consistent with CU variants, and whether profiles differed in emotional processing. Salivary samples from undergraduate women (<em>M</em>_<em>age</em> = 19.02 years; <em>SD</em> = 1.50) oversampled for high psychopathic/CU traits (<em>N</em> = 101) were assayed for basal cortisol, DHEA, and testosterone. Participants completed self-report measures of CU traits, maltreatment history, anxiety, and depression, and a dot-probe task assessing facilitation to emotional distress. Latent profile analysis revealed a ‘hypoactive’ profile with low cortisol, DHEA, and testosterone, and a ‘hyperactive’ profile with high cortisol, DHEA, and testosterone. Profiles partially aligned with psychosocial measures used to validate theoretical conceptualizations of CU variants, and the hyperactive profile showed greater facilitation to emotional distress relative to the hypoactive profile. Findings add to a limited literature on female CU traits in relation to neuroendocrine functioning and emotional processing. Our findings also provide preliminary evidence of possible congruency between physiological and psychosocial measures underlying the identification of CU variants.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20836,"journal":{"name":"Psychoneuroendocrinology","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 107710"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145668466","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Gut feelings: Dysbiosis of gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids associated with prenatal depression, pregnancy-related anxiety, and prenatal combined depression and anxiety","authors":"Xiaoxiao Fan ,&nbsp;Yi Wei ,&nbsp;Tianzi Zang ,&nbsp;Yiming Tu ,&nbsp;Linxia Liu ,&nbsp;Huan Tian ,&nbsp;Xiaoxiao Li ,&nbsp;Hairong Cheng ,&nbsp;Jinbing Bai ,&nbsp;Yanqun Liu","doi":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107686","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107686","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Objectives</h3><div>The role of the gut microbiota and short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) in psychiatric disorders in pregnant women has not been fully elucidated. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the association between the gut microbiota and its metabolite SCFAs and prenatal depression, pregnancy-related anxiety, and prenatal combined depression and anxiety.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>In total 200 pregnant women in the third trimester were recruited for this study. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale and Pregnancy-Related Anxiety Questionnaire Revised-2 were used to evaluate pregnant women’s anxiety and depression, and stool samples were collected for gut microbiome and SCFAs.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>This study found that reduced abundance of <em>Allobaculum</em> and <em>Cetobacterium</em> were associated with pregnancy-related anxiety in women. Furthermore, the enrichment of <em>Anaerofustis</em>, <em>Gemella</em>, and <em>Staphylococcus</em> and the reduction of <em>Tyzzerella</em> and <em>unclassified_f_UCG-011</em> were associated with prenatal depression. This study was the first to indicate that women with comorbid prenatal anxiety and depression share similarities in gut microbiota and SCFAs with women with prenatal depression (<em>Anaerofustis</em>, <em>Gemella</em>, <em>Staphylococcus</em>, <em>Tyzzerella,</em> and isohexanoic acid). This study also found that certain gut microbial profiles were associated with prenatal comorbid anxiety and depression. While receiver operating characteristic analysis suggests a limited ability of the gut microbiota alone to predict prenatal psychological distress problems, the integration of phenotypic variables into the model significantly improved the model’s predictive ability.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusion</h3><div>Our findings suggested that dysbiosis of gut microbiota and SCFAs are associated with prenatal psychiatric disorders. Alterations of the gut microbiota may have the potential as biomarkers for distinguishing prenatal psychiatric disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20836,"journal":{"name":"Psychoneuroendocrinology","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 107686"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145557398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Linking hair cortisol and life stress: The role of stress reactivity and habituation","authors":"Jari Planert ,&nbsp;Tobias Stalder ,&nbsp;Katharina Huthsteiner ,&nbsp;George M. Slavich ,&nbsp;Tim Klucken ,&nbsp;Johannes B. Finke","doi":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107715","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107715","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Background</h3><div>Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) has emerged as a biomarker for long-term cortisol secretion, yet evidence linking HCC to self-reported life stress remains inconsistent. Although individual differences in acute stress reactivity as well as habituation may moderate this association, no research has examined how these processes interact to modulate the HCC-stress link. Moreover, most studies have relied on assessments of recent stressor exposure only, with limited attention to lifetime stressor exposure.</div></div><div><h3>Method</h3><div>A final sample of 72 healthy individuals (53 women) who provided hair samples and underwent the Trier Social Stress Test three times over consecutive weeks, during which changes in salivary cortisol, cardiovascular parameters, and self-reported stress were assessed. The Stress and Adversity Inventory was administered to assess lifetime stressor exposure.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>As hypothesized, preregistered analyses showed that greater lifetime stressor exposure and acute cortisol reactivity were both associated with elevated HCC. No association was found between HCC and stress habituation, and no moderation effects on the relation between HCC and lifetime stressor exposure were observed for reactivity or habituation. Exploratory analyses revealed a consistent link between early-life stressor exposure and HCC, whereas a positive association with adulthood stressors was evident only for individuals with less cortisol reactivity.</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>The results suggest that HCC reflects not only lifetime stressor exposure but is also influenced by individual differences in cortisol reactivity, highlighting its role as an integrative, yet complex biomarker of chronic stress. In contrast, the lack of an association with habituation indicates limited sensitivity to dynamic adaptation processes occurring over weeks.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20836,"journal":{"name":"Psychoneuroendocrinology","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 107715"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145715493","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Association of longitudinal changes in physical activity with allostatic load in midlife","authors":"Maija Korpisaari ,&nbsp;Anna-Maiju Leinonen ,&nbsp;Tiina Ikäheimo ,&nbsp;Mikko Tulppo ,&nbsp;Marjo Seppänen ,&nbsp;Sirkka Keinänen-Kiukaanniemi ,&nbsp;Raija Korpelainen ,&nbsp;Vahid Farrahi ,&nbsp;Tiina Lankila","doi":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107725","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.psyneuen.2025.107725","url":null,"abstract":"<div><h3>Purpose</h3><div>It is known that physical activity (PA) helps improve physical and mental health; however, the association between longitudinal changes in PA and cumulative stress at midlife remains ill-defined. This study examined the association between leisure-time physical activity (LTPA) and chronic stress, quantified as allostatic load at midlife, in a population-based sample of Finnish adults.</div></div><div><h3>Methods</h3><div>We included members of the Northern Finland Birth Cohort 1966 (NFBC1966) who participated in follow-ups conducted at 31 and 46 years of age (n = 3358). Self-reported leisure-time moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) levels were used to classify participants into two dichotomous groups based on World Health Organization recommendations for PA. According to changes in LTPA from 31 years to 46 years of age, participants were categorized into stable inactive, increased, decreased, and stable active groups. To ensure statistical robustness and enable comparison, two separate allostatic load indices (a 13-item index and a 5-item index) were used, based on biological markers collected in clinical examinations conducted at the 46-years-of-age follow-up. Poisson regression was used to analyze the strength of associations.</div></div><div><h3>Results</h3><div>From early adulthood to midlife, participants with stable inactivity (rate ratio, RR = 1.18, 95 % confidence interval, CI: 1.11–1.25) or decreasing LTPA (RR = 1.10, 95 % CI: 1.02–1.19) were at a higher risk of allostatic load with the 13-item index compared to those with stable active PA. With the 5-item allostatic load index, only stable inactivity was significantly associated with allostatic load (RR=1.17, 95 % CI: 1.07–1.28). Increased LTPA did not significantly differ from stable activity in terms of risk of allostatic load with the 13-item index (RR = 1.01, 95 % CI: 0.94–1.09) or the 5-item index (RR=1.04, 95 % CI: 0.93–1.15).</div></div><div><h3>Conclusions</h3><div>Both lower-than-recommended and decreasing LTPA levels through adulthood are associated with the accumulation of chronic stress when transitioning from early adulthood to midlife.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":20836,"journal":{"name":"Psychoneuroendocrinology","volume":"184 ","pages":"Article 107725"},"PeriodicalIF":3.6,"publicationDate":"2026-02-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145744002","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}