Estradiol and cortisol interactions in youth externalizing psychopathology

Jennifer L. Tackett; Kathleen W. Reardon; Kathrin Herzhoff; Elizabeth Page-Gould; K. Paige Harden; Robert A. Josephs

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.02.014

Estradiol and cortisol interactions in youth externalizing psychopathology

Jennifer L. Tackett^*, Kathleen W. Reardon, Kathrin Herzhoff, Elizabeth Page-Gould, K. Paige Harden, Robert A. Josephs

^*Corresponding author for this work

Psychology

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

33 Scopus citations

Abstract

Growing evidence has indicated that gonadal and stress hormones interact to shape socially dominant behavior and externalizing psychopathology; however, such work to date has focused exclusively on the testosterone-cortisol interaction, despite expectations that estradiol should be associated with similar behavioral outcomes to testosterone. Here, we present the first empirical test of the hypothesis that adolescent males and females (. N=. 105, ages 13-18) with high estradiol and low cortisol concentrations are at highest risk for externalizing problems, but - replicating previous work - only among adolescents high on pathological personality traits. Parents reported on youth psychopathology and personality, and hormone concentrations were measured via passive drool. Results confirmed the hypothesis: high estradiol was associated with more externalizing behaviors, but only when cortisol was low and personality traits of disagreeableness and emotional instability were high. Further, these associations held when controlling for testosterone concentrations. These findings provide the first empirical evidence of a hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA). ×. hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis interaction that extends the "dual hormone" hypothesis beyond testosterone.

Original language	English (US)
Pages (from-to)	146-153
Number of pages	8
Journal	Psychoneuroendocrinology
Volume	55
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.02.014
State	Published - May 1 2015

Funding

This research was supported in part by grants from the Connaught Fund and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation to J.L.T. We would like to thank all the families who participated in this research, the students in the Personality Across Development Lab who helped to carry it out, and Dr. Clemens Kirschbaum at Technical University of Dresden for assistance with hormone assays. This research was supported in part by grants from the Connaught Fund and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation to JLT. The funding sources had no involvement in the study design, in the data collection, analysis, and interpretation, in the writing of the report, or in the decision to submit the article for publication.

Keywords

Adolescents
Cortisol
Dual-hormone hypothesis
Estradiol
Externalizing behavior
Personality pathology

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
Endocrinology
Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
Psychiatry and Mental health
Biological Psychiatry

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10.1016/j.psyneuen.2015.02.014

Cite this

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title = "Estradiol and cortisol interactions in youth externalizing psychopathology",

abstract = "Growing evidence has indicated that gonadal and stress hormones interact to shape socially dominant behavior and externalizing psychopathology; however, such work to date has focused exclusively on the testosterone-cortisol interaction, despite expectations that estradiol should be associated with similar behavioral outcomes to testosterone. Here, we present the first empirical test of the hypothesis that adolescent males and females (. N=. 105, ages 13-18) with high estradiol and low cortisol concentrations are at highest risk for externalizing problems, but - replicating previous work - only among adolescents high on pathological personality traits. Parents reported on youth psychopathology and personality, and hormone concentrations were measured via passive drool. Results confirmed the hypothesis: high estradiol was associated with more externalizing behaviors, but only when cortisol was low and personality traits of disagreeableness and emotional instability were high. Further, these associations held when controlling for testosterone concentrations. These findings provide the first empirical evidence of a hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA). ×. hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis interaction that extends the {"}dual hormone{"} hypothesis beyond testosterone.",

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author = "Tackett, \{Jennifer L.\} and Reardon, \{Kathleen W.\} and Kathrin Herzhoff and Elizabeth Page-Gould and Harden, \{K. Paige\} and Josephs, \{Robert A.\}",

note = "Funding Information: This research was supported in part by grants from the Connaught Fund and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation to J.L.T. We would like to thank all the families who participated in this research, the students in the Personality Across Development Lab who helped to carry it out, and Dr. Clemens Kirschbaum at Technical University of Dresden for assistance with hormone assays. Funding Information: This research was supported in part by grants from the Connaught Fund and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation to JLT. The funding sources had no involvement in the study design, in the data collection, analysis, and interpretation, in the writing of the report, or in the decision to submit the article for publication. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2015 Elsevier Ltd.",

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AU - Harden, K. Paige

AU - Josephs, Robert A.

N1 - Funding Information: This research was supported in part by grants from the Connaught Fund and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation to J.L.T. We would like to thank all the families who participated in this research, the students in the Personality Across Development Lab who helped to carry it out, and Dr. Clemens Kirschbaum at Technical University of Dresden for assistance with hormone assays. Funding Information: This research was supported in part by grants from the Connaught Fund and the Ontario Ministry of Research and Innovation to JLT. The funding sources had no involvement in the study design, in the data collection, analysis, and interpretation, in the writing of the report, or in the decision to submit the article for publication. Publisher Copyright: © 2015 Elsevier Ltd.

PY - 2015/5/1

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N2 - Growing evidence has indicated that gonadal and stress hormones interact to shape socially dominant behavior and externalizing psychopathology; however, such work to date has focused exclusively on the testosterone-cortisol interaction, despite expectations that estradiol should be associated with similar behavioral outcomes to testosterone. Here, we present the first empirical test of the hypothesis that adolescent males and females (. N=. 105, ages 13-18) with high estradiol and low cortisol concentrations are at highest risk for externalizing problems, but - replicating previous work - only among adolescents high on pathological personality traits. Parents reported on youth psychopathology and personality, and hormone concentrations were measured via passive drool. Results confirmed the hypothesis: high estradiol was associated with more externalizing behaviors, but only when cortisol was low and personality traits of disagreeableness and emotional instability were high. Further, these associations held when controlling for testosterone concentrations. These findings provide the first empirical evidence of a hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA). ×. hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis interaction that extends the "dual hormone" hypothesis beyond testosterone.

AB - Growing evidence has indicated that gonadal and stress hormones interact to shape socially dominant behavior and externalizing psychopathology; however, such work to date has focused exclusively on the testosterone-cortisol interaction, despite expectations that estradiol should be associated with similar behavioral outcomes to testosterone. Here, we present the first empirical test of the hypothesis that adolescent males and females (. N=. 105, ages 13-18) with high estradiol and low cortisol concentrations are at highest risk for externalizing problems, but - replicating previous work - only among adolescents high on pathological personality traits. Parents reported on youth psychopathology and personality, and hormone concentrations were measured via passive drool. Results confirmed the hypothesis: high estradiol was associated with more externalizing behaviors, but only when cortisol was low and personality traits of disagreeableness and emotional instability were high. Further, these associations held when controlling for testosterone concentrations. These findings provide the first empirical evidence of a hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA). ×. hypothalamic pituitary gonadal (HPG) axis interaction that extends the "dual hormone" hypothesis beyond testosterone.

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Estradiol and cortisol interactions in youth externalizing psychopathology

Abstract

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Keywords

ASJC Scopus subject areas

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