Journal
PROGRESS IN NEUROBIOLOGY
Volume 205, Issue -, Pages -Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.pneurobio.2021.102127
Keywords
Cortisol awakening response; Prefrontal cortex; Hippocampus; fMRI; Working memory
Categories
Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [32130045, 31522028, 81571056, 82021004, 31530031, 31871110, 31771246]
- Open Research Fund of the State Key Laboratory of Cognitive Neuroscience and Learning [CNLZD1503]
- Major Project of National Social Science Foundation [19ZDA363, 20, ZD153]
- Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities
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The cortisol awakening response (CAR) is a crucial point in the healthy cortisol circadian rhythm, preparing the brain for challenges and promoting neurocognitive efficiency. Studies have found a causal link between CAR and its proactive role in optimizing functional brain networks.
Upon awakening from nighttime sleep, the stress hormone cortisol in humans exhibits a robust rise within thirty to forty-five minutes. This cortisol awakening response (CAR), a crucial point of reference within the healthy cortisol circadian rhythm, has been linked to various psychological, psychiatric and health-related conditions. The CAR is thought to prepare the brain for anticipated challenges of the upcoming day to maintain one's ho-meostasis and promote adaptive responses. Using brain imaging with a prospective design and pharmacological manipulation, we investigate the neurobiological mechanisms underlying this preparation function of the CAR across two studies. In Study 1, a robust CAR is predictive of less hippocampal and prefrontal activity, though enhanced functional coupling between those regions during a demanding task hours later in the afternoon. Reduced prefrontal activity is in turn linked to better working memory performance, implicating that the CAR proactively promotes brain preparedness based on improved neurocognitive efficiency. In Study 2, pharmaco-logically suppressed CAR using Dexamethasone mirrors this proactive effect, which further causes a selective reduction of prefrontal top-down functional modulation over hippocampal activity. These findings establish a causal link between the CAR and its proactive role in optimizing functional brain networks involved in neuro-endocrine control, executive function and memory.
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