The Impact of Psychological Stress on an Acute Stress Challenge: An Investigation into Biochemical, Social and Personality Correlates

Stress exposure activates a variety of physiological coping systems. While acute stress responses are considered important for healthy coping, overexposure to stress results in an alteration of the functioning of the stress (HPA) axis, leading to a variety of deleterious psychological and physiological effects. For that reason, understanding and explaining these mechanisms is essential. Here, we sought to determine whether chronic psychological (examination) stress would result in a decreased ability to mount an acute stress and immune response. We also assessed locus of control and social support measures. Thirty subjects participated in 2 sessions (baseline and examination week) in which they underwent an acute stressor- the Cold Pressor Test (CPT). Salivary samples of cortisol and S-IgA were obtained before and after the CPT during both sessions. The results demonstrated that, as predicted and consistent with previous findings, both S-IgA and cortisol increased after exposure to the acute stress during both sessions. We further found that compared to the baseline week, the examination (chronic stress) week resulted in a blunted cortisol response to the acute stressor (CPT). There was no apparent effect of the examination stress on the immune response to the CPT. Neither social support nor locus of control measures were related to individual differences in stress responses during baseline or examination week. Combined, findings from this study show that chronic psychological stress has divergent effects on adaptive acute stress responses- a blunting of the body’s ability to mount an acute cortisol response and preservation of an acute immune response