Measuring cortisol in human psychobiological studies

Ari Levine; Orna Zagoory-Sharon; Ruth Feldman; John G. Lewis; Aron Weller

doi:10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.08.025

Measuring cortisol in human psychobiological studies

Ari Levine
, Orna Zagoory-Sharon
, Ruth Feldman
, John G. Lewis
, Aron Weller

Bar-Ilan University
Christchurch Hospital New Zealand

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

386 Scopus citations

Abstract

The steroid cortisol is an extensively studied and important variable in developmental and other behavioral studies. Cortisol has been assayed by various methods using a range of substrates including blood, saliva, and urine. Cortisol in blood exists in two forms. While most is bound to carrier proteins, a small portion exists in a soluble free form. The informed choice of cortisol fraction and measurement method is critical for research. Such choices should be influenced by understanding the characteristics of the various cortisol fractions, along with their binding proteins' biological functions and relationship to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The goal of this paper is to familiarize researchers with key points for evaluating the choice of total and free cortisol in research as well reviewing various options for measuring free cortisol. These points are raised with special emphasis on their significance during pregnancy and the post-partum. Such information may prove useful in informing researcher's cortisol-related protocols and in the interpretation of cortisol data.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	43-53
Number of pages	11
Journal	Physiology and Behavior
Volume	90
Issue number	1
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.08.025
State	Published - 30 Jan 2007

Bibliographical note

Funding Information:
Orna Zagoory-Sharon was partially supported by the Gonda Brain Research Center and by the US–Israel Bi-National Science Foundation. Research in Aron Weller's laboratory is partially supported by the Israel Science Foundation (02/771), by the US–Israel Bi-National Science Foundation (2001-198), and by the Paula Rich Center, Bar-Ilan University. Research in Ruth Feldman's laboratory is partially supported by the Israel Science Foundation (01/945), by the US–Israel Bi-National Science Foundation, and by the March of Dimes Foundation (#12-FY04-50). The authors thank an anonymous reviewer for extensive advice and many important references and Ilanit Gordon for her technical assistance in the revision of the manuscript.

Funding

Orna Zagoory-Sharon was partially supported by the Gonda Brain Research Center and by the US–Israel Bi-National Science Foundation. Research in Aron Weller's laboratory is partially supported by the Israel Science Foundation (02/771), by the US–Israel Bi-National Science Foundation (2001-198), and by the Paula Rich Center, Bar-Ilan University. Research in Ruth Feldman's laboratory is partially supported by the Israel Science Foundation (01/945), by the US–Israel Bi-National Science Foundation, and by the March of Dimes Foundation (#12-FY04-50). The authors thank an anonymous reviewer for extensive advice and many important references and Ilanit Gordon for her technical assistance in the revision of the manuscript.

Funders	Funder number
Gonda Brain Research Center
Paula Rich Center
US-Israel bi-national Science Foundation
March of Dimes Foundation	12-FY04-50
Bar-Ilan University	01/945
Israel Science Foundation	2001-198, 02/771

Keywords

Calculated free cortisol
Cortisol-binding globulin (CBG)
Free Cortisol Equation (FCE)
Free cortisol
Free cortisol index (FCI)
Free hormone hypothesis
Perinatal
Pregnancy
Salivary cortisol
Venipuncture
Women

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10.1016/j.physbeh.2006.08.025

Cite this

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title = "Measuring cortisol in human psychobiological studies",

abstract = "The steroid cortisol is an extensively studied and important variable in developmental and other behavioral studies. Cortisol has been assayed by various methods using a range of substrates including blood, saliva, and urine. Cortisol in blood exists in two forms. While most is bound to carrier proteins, a small portion exists in a soluble free form. The informed choice of cortisol fraction and measurement method is critical for research. Such choices should be influenced by understanding the characteristics of the various cortisol fractions, along with their binding proteins' biological functions and relationship to the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The goal of this paper is to familiarize researchers with key points for evaluating the choice of total and free cortisol in research as well reviewing various options for measuring free cortisol. These points are raised with special emphasis on their significance during pregnancy and the post-partum. Such information may prove useful in informing researcher's cortisol-related protocols and in the interpretation of cortisol data.",

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author = "Ari Levine and Orna Zagoory-Sharon and Ruth Feldman and Lewis, \{John G.\} and Aron Weller",

note = "Funding Information: Orna Zagoory-Sharon was partially supported by the Gonda Brain Research Center and by the US–Israel Bi-National Science Foundation. Research in Aron Weller's laboratory is partially supported by the Israel Science Foundation (02/771), by the US–Israel Bi-National Science Foundation (2001-198), and by the Paula Rich Center, Bar-Ilan University. Research in Ruth Feldman's laboratory is partially supported by the Israel Science Foundation (01/945), by the US–Israel Bi-National Science Foundation, and by the March of Dimes Foundation (\#12-FY04-50). The authors thank an anonymous reviewer for extensive advice and many important references and Ilanit Gordon for her technical assistance in the revision of the manuscript.",

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Measuring cortisol in human psychobiological studies

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Funding

Keywords

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