Endocrine mechanisms of stress-induced DHEA-secretion

Abstract Acute psychological stress of a first time parachute jump stimulated DHEA and cortisol secretion in healthy volunteers. A significant shift from cortisol to DHEA occurred during this stress exposure. This effect was more pronounced in subjects receiving the β-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol prior to the jump. In contrast, infusion of epinephrine (0.10 µ/kg/min) or norepinephrine (0.15 µg/kg/min) for 20 min neither affected DHEA plasma levels nor the DHEA/cortisol ratio. However, pretreatment with propranolol resulted in a significant increase of the DHEA/cortisol ratio upon infusion of the β-adrenoceptor agonist epinephrine. These data demonstrate that during acute psychological stress stimulation of adrenal steroid release is accompanied by a shift towards DHEA. Augmentation of this effect by β-adrenoceptor blockade indicates a β-adrenoceptor-dependent mechanism affecting DHEA release.

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DHEA R. Oberbeck, R. J. Benschop, R. Jacobs, W. Hosch, J. U. Jetschmann, T. H. Schürmeyer, R. E. Schmidt, Manfred Schedlowski

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Article First Online: 29 March 2014

Link: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF03347293

by Oleg Vishnevski | Mar 29, 2014