Physical health indicators and levels of neuroinflammation markers in healthy people under conditions of acute and chronic stress

Abstract

Aim of the study: to assess the state of the neuroimmunoendocrine system of students before and after exposure to an acute stress factor, depending on different initial levels of stress (absence or presence of chronic stress).

Methods. 84 students (men and women) were examined. To determine the initial state, all respondents underwent a survey using the Lemur-Tessier-Fillion scale (psychological testing), as well as an express method for assessing the physical state of the body, proposed by E.A. Pirogova (testing of general and anaerobic performance). Anthropometric indicators, indicators of functional activity of the cardiovascular system were also studied, and the content of cortisol, IL-1β and S100B in venous blood was determined. Blood sampling was carried out twice, in the morning: 1) at the first lesson in the discipline “Pathological physiology, clinical pathophysiology” (background), 2) at the first current control lesson in the discipline being studied (acute stress). Based on the results of psychological testing, 2 study groups were identified: Group I (norm) – a group with a normal initial state (40 people), Group II (PCS) – with signs of chronic stress (44 people).

Results. It was shown that in the sample as a whole, the used model of acute stress leads to a decrease in the level of physical health and an increase in the cardiorespiratory index. The studied groups I and II differed both in the background values of cortisol levels in the blood (82.59 nmol/l in group I versus 117.3 nmol/l in group II, p < 0.001), and in the dynamics of this indicator in a situation of acute stress: the level of cortisol in the group with normal initial state after exposure to a stressor (acute stress) decreased by 12.5 times, and in the group with signs of chronic stress – only by 2 times. It was revealed that a cortisol level in the blood serum of more than 94.39 nmol/l may be an indicator of chronic stress, which was confirmed by constructing an ROC curve: AUC = 0.795, with a probability of 77%. The content of S100B, as a factor of damage to neural tissue, did not differ between the analyzed groups and did not change under the influence of acute stress. No changes in IL-1β content were also detected.

Conclusion. Stress negatively affects indicators of physical health; however, we did not identify signs of a neuroinflammatory reaction in the model situations of acute and chronic stress used.