Journal
PSYCHONEUROENDOCRINOLOGY
Volume 31, Issue 9, Pages 1131-1137Publisher
PERGAMON-ELSEVIER SCIENCE LTD
DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2006.07.005
Keywords
cortisol; context; environment; family; genetics; twins
Categories
Funding
- NICHD NIH HHS [P30 HD003352, P30 HD 03352, P30 HD003352-35] Funding Source: Medline
- NIMH NIH HHS [R01 MH059785, T32 MH 18931, P50 MH069315, T32 MH018931-16, P50 MH 069315, T32 MH018931, R01 MH 59785, P50 MH069315-01, R01 MH059785-01A1] Funding Source: Medline
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Modest genetic effects on morning, but not late-day, cortisol levels have been established. Environmental demands may influence basal cortisol Levels later in the day. Thus, we anticipated that individuals in the same family would have similar afternoon cortisol Levels to the extent that they share aspects of their environment. We examined afternoon basal cortisol levels measured across 3 consecutive days in mothers and fathers and in multiple offspring in two separate large and longitudinal studies. Study I involved 321 families with singletons while study II involved 233 families with twins. Modest family similarity was apparent for afternoon basal cortisol levels in both studies. Spouses' cortisol levels were also correlated. Data from study II demonstrated that family resemblance in afternoon cortisol was accounted for by underlying shared environmental factors, but not underlying genetic factors. Shared environment accounted for 62% of the variation in twin afternoon basal cortisol levels and 14% of the variation in parent afternoon basal cortisol levels. We used pooled data from the two studies to examine whether parental depression, socioeconomic status (SES), and offspring sex and age impacted
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