Is afternoon cortisol more reliable than waking cortisol in association studies of children with an ASD?

Abstract Salivary cortisol may be used as a biomarker of stress and anxiety in children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is particularly valuable in studies of the association between stress-related cortisol concentrations and other factors such as comorbid disorders or aspects of the ASD...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Physiology & behavior 2016-03, Vol.155, p.218-223
Main Authors: Sharpley, Christopher F, Bitsika, Vicki, Andronicos, Nicholas M, Agnew, Linda L
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Anxiety
Anxiety - complications
Anxiety - metabolism
Autism
Autism Spectrum Disorder - complications
Autism Spectrum Disorder - metabolism
Biomarkers - metabolism
Child
Circadian Rhythm - physiology
Cortisol
Humans
Hydrocortisone - metabolism
Psychiatry
Saliva - metabolism
Stress
Stress, Psychological - complications
Stress, Psychological - metabolism
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Summary:Abstract Salivary cortisol may be used as a biomarker of stress and anxiety in children with an Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) and is particularly valuable in studies of the association between stress-related cortisol concentrations and other factors such as comorbid disorders or aspects of the ASD phenotype. Although protocols for the collection of cortisol shortly after waking are often based on the assumption of the presence of a diurnal rhythm in cortisol, that rhythm may not be as reliable in children with an ASD as in non-ASD children. Alternatively, collecting cortisol during the afternoon may represent a more reliable procedure with less inter-participant variability.
ISSN:0031-9384
1873-507X
DOI:10.1016/j.physbeh.2015.12.020