TY - JOUR
T1 - Cortisol and alpha amylase reactivity and timing of puberty
T2 - Vulnerabilities for antisocial behaviour in young adolescents
AU - Susman, Elizabeth J.
AU - Dockray, Samantha
AU - Granger, Douglas A.
AU - Blades, Keeva T.
AU - Randazzo, William
AU - Heaton, Jodi A.
AU - Dorn, Lorah D.
N1 - Funding Information:
This research was supported by National Institute of Mental Health Grant RO1 58393-03; National Institutes of Health, General Clinical Research Center, Grant M01 RR 10732; and the Shibley Endowment, The Pennsylvania State University.
PY - 2010/5
Y1 - 2010/5
N2 - The theoretical framework proposed that cortisol and saliva alpha amylase (sAA) reactivitiy are vulnerabilities for antisocial behaviour. These indices of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and sympathetic-adrenal-medulary (SAM) components of the stress system, respectively, were considered vulnerabilities that also interact with the putative stressful transition of timing of puberty to predispose adolescents toward antisocial behaviour. The sample consisted of 8- to-13-year-old boys and girls (N=135) and a parent. For boys, timing of puberty moderated the association between cortisol and sAA reactivity and antisocial behaviour. Higher cortisol reactivity in later timing boys was related to a composite index of antisocial behaviour and rule-breaking behaviour problems. In contrast, lower sAA reactivity and earlier timing of puberty in boys was related to rule breaking and conduct disorder symptoms. The interaction between timing of puberty and HPA or SAM regulation and timing of puberty in boys suggests that reproductive, neuroendocrine mechanisms may be involved in the extensively documented adverse consequences of off-time pubertal development.
AB - The theoretical framework proposed that cortisol and saliva alpha amylase (sAA) reactivitiy are vulnerabilities for antisocial behaviour. These indices of hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and sympathetic-adrenal-medulary (SAM) components of the stress system, respectively, were considered vulnerabilities that also interact with the putative stressful transition of timing of puberty to predispose adolescents toward antisocial behaviour. The sample consisted of 8- to-13-year-old boys and girls (N=135) and a parent. For boys, timing of puberty moderated the association between cortisol and sAA reactivity and antisocial behaviour. Higher cortisol reactivity in later timing boys was related to a composite index of antisocial behaviour and rule-breaking behaviour problems. In contrast, lower sAA reactivity and earlier timing of puberty in boys was related to rule breaking and conduct disorder symptoms. The interaction between timing of puberty and HPA or SAM regulation and timing of puberty in boys suggests that reproductive, neuroendocrine mechanisms may be involved in the extensively documented adverse consequences of off-time pubertal development.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.09.004
DO - 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2009.09.004
M3 - Article
C2 - 19819639
AN - SCOPUS:77950692262
SN - 0306-4530
VL - 35
SP - 557
EP - 569
JO - Psychoneuroendocrinology
JF - Psychoneuroendocrinology
IS - 4
ER -