Nicolas Rohleder | Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg (original) (raw)
Papers by Nicolas Rohleder
Brain Behavior and Immunity
Chronic stress has been linked with detrimental health effects. The present study aimed to invest... more Chronic stress has been linked with detrimental health effects. The present study aimed to investigate consequences of repeated strong stress system activation without habituation on stress system and inflammatory status in highly experienced competitive ballroom dancers. Ballroom dancing served as a model for repeated, non-habituating social-evaluative and physical stress. We recruited 20 highly experienced young ballroom dancers and 20 controls of both sexes. Participants collected five saliva samples throughout an ordinary day (no competitive activities) to assess cortisol (cort) and alpha-amylase (sAA) levels as markers of the activity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system, respectively. Further, participants provided a blood sample to determine basal interleukin- (IL-) 6 levels. ANOVAs revealed significant lower cort and sAA daily output in dancers compared to controls (cort: p = .007; sAA: p = .015) while there was no effect of sex...
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Psychoendokrinologie und Psychoimmunologie, 2011
ABSTRACT Das endokrine System und das Immunsystem stellen zusammen mit dem Zentralnervensystem (Z... more ABSTRACT Das endokrine System und das Immunsystem stellen zusammen mit dem Zentralnervensystem (ZNS) drei weitverzweigte Kommunikationsnetze unseres Organismus dar, über die zahlreiche Körperfunktionen gesteuert und überwacht werden. Während das ZNS elektrische Impulse generiert um Informationen innerhalb des ZNS zu verarbeiten und von Neuronen an nachgeordnete Körperzellen weiterzuleiten, produziert das endokrine System Hormone, welche als Botenstoff e des Körpers agieren. In enger Zusammenarbeit mit dem ZNS steuert das endokrine System nicht nur die offensichtlichen phänotypischen Entwicklungen des Menschen über die Lebensspanne, sondern es ist auch maßgeblich an der Veränderung funktioneller Eigenschaft en beteiligt. Das Immunsystem muss parallel mit sowohl zellulären und humoralen Abwehrprozessen dafür sorgen, dass die Integrität des Organismus in der Auseinandersetzung mit potenziell schädigenden Fremdkörpern (Antigenen) im sich entwickelnden bzw. alternden Menschen aufrechterhalten wird.
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Advances in Neuroimmune Biology, 2012
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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2014
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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2008
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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2015
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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2009
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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2009
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Expert Review of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2011
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Life Sciences, 2006
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Psychosomatic Medicine, 2012
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Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2012
Chronic low-grade inflammation, in particular increased concentrations of proinflammatory cytokin... more Chronic low-grade inflammation, in particular increased concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 in the circulation, is observed with increasing age, but it is also as a consequence of various medical and psychological conditions, as well as life-style choices. Since molecules such as IL-6 have pleiotropic effects, consequences are wide ranging. This short review summarizes the evidence showing how IL-6 elevations in the context of inflammatory disease affect the organism, with a focus on sleep-related symptoms and fatigue; and conversely, how alterations in sleep duration and quality stimulate increased concentrations of IL-6 in the circulation. Research showing that acute as well as chronic psychological stress also increase concentrations of IL-6 supports the notion of a close link between an organism's response to physiological and psychological perturbations. The findings summarized here further underscore the particular importance of IL-6 as a messenger molecule that connects peripheral regulatory processes with the CNS.
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Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2014
Failure of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to habituate to repeated stress exposure... more Failure of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to habituate to repeated stress exposure is related with adverse health outcomes, but our knowledge of predictors of non-habituation is limited. Rumination, defined as repetitive and unwanted past-centered negative thinking, is related with exaggerated HPA axis stress responses and poor health outcomes. The aim of this study was to test whether post-stress rumination was related with non-habituation of cortisol to repeated stress exposure. Twenty-seven participants (n=13 females) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) twice on consecutive afternoons. Post-stress rumination was measured after the first TSST, and HPA axis responses were assessed by measuring salivary cortisol 1 min before, and 1, 10, 20, 60, and 120 min after both TSSTs. Stress exposure induced HPA axis activation on both days, and this activation showed habituation indicated by lower responses to the second TSST (F=3.7, p=0.015). Post-stress rumination after the first TSST was associated with greater cortisol reactivity after the initial stress test (r=0.45, p<0.05) and with increased cortisol responses to the second TSST (r=0.51, p<0.01), indicating non-habituation, independently of age, sex, depressive symptoms, perceived life stress, and trait rumination. In summary, results showed that rumination after stress predicted non-habituation of HPA axis responses. This finding implicates rumination as one possible mechanism mediating maladaptive stress response patterns, and it might also offer a pathway through which rumination might lead to negative health outcomes.
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Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2012
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Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2012
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Pain, 2005
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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2012
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Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2015
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Biological Psychology, 2013
According to the effort-reward-imbalance (ERI) model, a lack of reciprocity between costs and gai... more According to the effort-reward-imbalance (ERI) model, a lack of reciprocity between costs and gains at work increases the risk for adverse health outcomes. Inflammation has been shown to play a crucial role in a variety of stress-related diseases and alterations in immune system glucocorticoid sensitivity may help to explain the increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression related to chronic work stress. Changes in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced interleukin (IL)-6 production and inhibition of IL-6 production by dexamethasone in reaction to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) were assessed in forty-six healthy school teachers to test whether chronic work stress is accompanied by alterations in inflammatory activity and glucocorticoid sensitivity of the innate immune system. High ERI was associated with an increase in pro-inflammatory potential, reflected in elevated IL-6 production before and after stress and with a lower capacity of dexamethasone to suppress IL-6 production in vitro over all measurement time points. ERI was not associated with stress-related changes in GC sensitivity. The present findings suggest a less effective anti-inflammatory regulation by glucocorticoids in teachers suffering from chronic work stress.
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Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2010
Both hyper- and hypo-activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity are a con... more Both hyper- and hypo-activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity are a consistently reported hallmark feature of stress-related disorders, such as major depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), respectively. In this manuscript, however, we are summarizing evidence pointing to altered glucocorticoid (GC) sensitivity in relevant target tissues for HPA axis hormones. Specifically, we provide a summary of GC effects on cognitive functions, as an emerging marker for central nervous system GC sensitivity, and of GC effects on peripheral inflammatory responses. With regard to depression and PTSD, evidence thereby points to decreased GC sensitivity of the cognitive and inflammatory systems in depression, and increased GC sensitivity of both systems in PTSD. Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that both psychiatric disorders are characterized by inefficient GC signaling, although through dysregulations at different levels. Potential underlying pathways and implications are discussed.
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Brain Behavior and Immunity
Chronic stress has been linked with detrimental health effects. The present study aimed to invest... more Chronic stress has been linked with detrimental health effects. The present study aimed to investigate consequences of repeated strong stress system activation without habituation on stress system and inflammatory status in highly experienced competitive ballroom dancers. Ballroom dancing served as a model for repeated, non-habituating social-evaluative and physical stress. We recruited 20 highly experienced young ballroom dancers and 20 controls of both sexes. Participants collected five saliva samples throughout an ordinary day (no competitive activities) to assess cortisol (cort) and alpha-amylase (sAA) levels as markers of the activity of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis and the sympathetic nervous system, respectively. Further, participants provided a blood sample to determine basal interleukin- (IL-) 6 levels. ANOVAs revealed significant lower cort and sAA daily output in dancers compared to controls (cort: p = .007; sAA: p = .015) while there was no effect of sex...
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Psychoendokrinologie und Psychoimmunologie, 2011
ABSTRACT Das endokrine System und das Immunsystem stellen zusammen mit dem Zentralnervensystem (Z... more ABSTRACT Das endokrine System und das Immunsystem stellen zusammen mit dem Zentralnervensystem (ZNS) drei weitverzweigte Kommunikationsnetze unseres Organismus dar, über die zahlreiche Körperfunktionen gesteuert und überwacht werden. Während das ZNS elektrische Impulse generiert um Informationen innerhalb des ZNS zu verarbeiten und von Neuronen an nachgeordnete Körperzellen weiterzuleiten, produziert das endokrine System Hormone, welche als Botenstoff e des Körpers agieren. In enger Zusammenarbeit mit dem ZNS steuert das endokrine System nicht nur die offensichtlichen phänotypischen Entwicklungen des Menschen über die Lebensspanne, sondern es ist auch maßgeblich an der Veränderung funktioneller Eigenschaft en beteiligt. Das Immunsystem muss parallel mit sowohl zellulären und humoralen Abwehrprozessen dafür sorgen, dass die Integrität des Organismus in der Auseinandersetzung mit potenziell schädigenden Fremdkörpern (Antigenen) im sich entwickelnden bzw. alternden Menschen aufrechterhalten wird.
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Advances in Neuroimmune Biology, 2012
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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2014
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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2008
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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2015
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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2009
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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2009
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Expert Review of Endocrinology and Metabolism, 2011
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Life Sciences, 2006
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Psychosomatic Medicine, 2012
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Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences, 2012
Chronic low-grade inflammation, in particular increased concentrations of proinflammatory cytokin... more Chronic low-grade inflammation, in particular increased concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-6 in the circulation, is observed with increasing age, but it is also as a consequence of various medical and psychological conditions, as well as life-style choices. Since molecules such as IL-6 have pleiotropic effects, consequences are wide ranging. This short review summarizes the evidence showing how IL-6 elevations in the context of inflammatory disease affect the organism, with a focus on sleep-related symptoms and fatigue; and conversely, how alterations in sleep duration and quality stimulate increased concentrations of IL-6 in the circulation. Research showing that acute as well as chronic psychological stress also increase concentrations of IL-6 supports the notion of a close link between an organism's response to physiological and psychological perturbations. The findings summarized here further underscore the particular importance of IL-6 as a messenger molecule that connects peripheral regulatory processes with the CNS.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2014
Failure of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to habituate to repeated stress exposure... more Failure of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis to habituate to repeated stress exposure is related with adverse health outcomes, but our knowledge of predictors of non-habituation is limited. Rumination, defined as repetitive and unwanted past-centered negative thinking, is related with exaggerated HPA axis stress responses and poor health outcomes. The aim of this study was to test whether post-stress rumination was related with non-habituation of cortisol to repeated stress exposure. Twenty-seven participants (n=13 females) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) twice on consecutive afternoons. Post-stress rumination was measured after the first TSST, and HPA axis responses were assessed by measuring salivary cortisol 1 min before, and 1, 10, 20, 60, and 120 min after both TSSTs. Stress exposure induced HPA axis activation on both days, and this activation showed habituation indicated by lower responses to the second TSST (F=3.7, p=0.015). Post-stress rumination after the first TSST was associated with greater cortisol reactivity after the initial stress test (r=0.45, p<0.05) and with increased cortisol responses to the second TSST (r=0.51, p<0.01), indicating non-habituation, independently of age, sex, depressive symptoms, perceived life stress, and trait rumination. In summary, results showed that rumination after stress predicted non-habituation of HPA axis responses. This finding implicates rumination as one possible mechanism mediating maladaptive stress response patterns, and it might also offer a pathway through which rumination might lead to negative health outcomes.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2012
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Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2012
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Pain, 2005
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Brain, Behavior, and Immunity, 2012
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Psychoneuroendocrinology, 2015
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Biological Psychology, 2013
According to the effort-reward-imbalance (ERI) model, a lack of reciprocity between costs and gai... more According to the effort-reward-imbalance (ERI) model, a lack of reciprocity between costs and gains at work increases the risk for adverse health outcomes. Inflammation has been shown to play a crucial role in a variety of stress-related diseases and alterations in immune system glucocorticoid sensitivity may help to explain the increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and depression related to chronic work stress. Changes in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced interleukin (IL)-6 production and inhibition of IL-6 production by dexamethasone in reaction to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) were assessed in forty-six healthy school teachers to test whether chronic work stress is accompanied by alterations in inflammatory activity and glucocorticoid sensitivity of the innate immune system. High ERI was associated with an increase in pro-inflammatory potential, reflected in elevated IL-6 production before and after stress and with a lower capacity of dexamethasone to suppress IL-6 production in vitro over all measurement time points. ERI was not associated with stress-related changes in GC sensitivity. The present findings suggest a less effective anti-inflammatory regulation by glucocorticoids in teachers suffering from chronic work stress.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact
Neuroscience & Biobehavioral Reviews, 2010
Both hyper- and hypo-activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity are a con... more Both hyper- and hypo-activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity are a consistently reported hallmark feature of stress-related disorders, such as major depression and posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), respectively. In this manuscript, however, we are summarizing evidence pointing to altered glucocorticoid (GC) sensitivity in relevant target tissues for HPA axis hormones. Specifically, we provide a summary of GC effects on cognitive functions, as an emerging marker for central nervous system GC sensitivity, and of GC effects on peripheral inflammatory responses. With regard to depression and PTSD, evidence thereby points to decreased GC sensitivity of the cognitive and inflammatory systems in depression, and increased GC sensitivity of both systems in PTSD. Taken together, these data support the hypothesis that both psychiatric disorders are characterized by inefficient GC signaling, although through dysregulations at different levels. Potential underlying pathways and implications are discussed.
Bookmarks Related papers MentionsView impact