Going the distance: The diurnal range of cortisol and its association with cognitive and physiological functioning

• Published in: Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020-02, Vol.112, p.104516-104516, Article 104516
• Main Authors: Charles, Susan T., Mogle, Jacqueline, Piazza, Jennifer R., Karlamangla, Arun, Almeida, David M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Allostasis - physiology; Allostatic load; Circadian Rhythm - physiology; Cognition; Cognition - physiology; Cortisol; Daily diary; Dynamic range; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Hydrocortisone - metabolism; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Middle Aged; Saliva - metabolism; Time Factors
• ISSN: 0306-4530; 1873-3360
• DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.104516

•Cortisol dynamic range is the distance from the daily estimated daily peak to nadir.•Cortisol dynamic range, but not total daily output, is related to allostatic load.•Cortisol dynamic range is related to cognitive functioning, but total daily cortisol output is not.•Cortisol dynamic range, as well as cortisol diurnal slopes, predict allostatic load. Cortisol features prominently in theories describing how chronic stress wears away at physical and cognitive health. The current study examines composite measures of physiological and cognitive functioning in relation to two aspects of daily cortisol: total daily output and change in levels throughout the day. Participants (N = 1001; aged 28–84 years-old) from the Midlife Development in the United States (MIDUS) study provided 4 daily saliva samples across four consecutive days and underwent a physical exam that provided information about six inter-related physiological systems that were combined into a measure of allostatic load. They also completed a phone-based battery of cognitive tasks, which provided a composite score combining memory, reasoning, and speed of processing performance. Total daily cortisol output was captured using area under the curve with respect to ground (AUCg). Change in cortisol levels was assessed using two methods: slope, calculated through piecewise spline models, and dynamic range, calculated by the difference between the day’s highest and lowest log-cortisol levels. Findings indicate that, when examined together, overall cortisol output was not associated with either outcome, but a greater range in cortisol throughout the day was associated with both lower allostatic load and higher cognitive functioning. Results emphasize the importance of dynamic daily processes, assessed either using slopes or dynamic range, to both physiological and cognitive functioning.