Impact of daily life stress response on integrated mental & somatic health
Research Theme 3 (RT3) explores how daily-life stress responses affect mental and cardiometabolic health. In 2024, we continued our analyses of existing data. We investigated how 1) daily-life affect and behavioural responses (VU Amsterdam and Erasmus MC) and 2) physiological stress measures and genetics (Amsterdam UMC, UMC Groningen and Erasmus MC) are linked to mental and cardiometabolic health.
Notably, this has resulted in one published meta-analysis (Kuckuck et al. 2024, Journal of Internal Medicine) and three accepted publications in 2024. Two of the ePub articles include original data confirming the association of long-term biological stress (measured as scalp hair cortisol and cortisone) and long-term psychological stress (measured using questionnaires) with levels of appetiteregulating hormones and eating behaviour in persons with obesity (PMID: 39509754, PMID: 39433032). The other paper is a review exploring the link between stress and obesity, highlighting how prolonged stress can lead to unhealthy behaviours, such as overeating, reduced physical activity, and poor sleep, which together increase the risk of obesity and related health issues (PMID: 39623561).
In 2024 there were two RT3 meetings, each attended by over 20 researchers. Moreover, SiA members across RT2 and RT3 are pursuing a collaborative effort to validate new stress measurements, including ambulatory monitoring solutions, microdialysis, and ecological-momentary assessments. For this, members of RT3 visited Bristol (UK) to test the microdialysis device which can measure cortisol exposure continuously over >24 hours. The devices worked smoothly, and the RT3 members came back with new laboratory skills. We also engaged with the public, including science communication at two festivals in summer 2024.
For 2025, we expect more journal articles that examine the most important daily-life stress response measurements that determine mental and cardio-metabolic health outcomes. In addition, we will start two validation and feasibility studies among persons with obesity (Erasmus MC) and depression (Amsterdam UMC) for which Institutional Review Board (IRB) applications have been submitted. All these RT3 results will contribute to improve decision making regarding data enrichment in a later stage of Stress in Action.
