Identifying acceptable studies that may ethically assess biological parameters in human volunteers can frequently be challenging for teachers teaching laboratory courses in behavioural neuroscience. The default experiments that let students act as both subjects and experimenters are often electrophysiological in nature. Here, we describe an experiment module that measures human salivary cortisol using a cheap enzyme immunoassay kit. A peripheral indication of hypothalamic neuronal activity can be employed with cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. Circadian effects and environmental disturbances cause an increase in plasma cortisol levels. A peripheral indication of hypothalamic neuronal activity can be employed with cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. Plasma cortisol levels increase as a result of circadian impacts as well as environmental changes that allow for the detection of somewhat robust experimental effects. A therapeutically applicable extension to the lecture segment on the "stress axis" has also been discussed in regards to the role of cortisol and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation in the pathophysiology of depression.

A peripheral indication of hypothalamic neuronal activity can be employed with cortisol, a hormone produced by the adrenal cortex. Plasma cortisol levels increase as a result of circadian impacts as well as environmental changes that allow for the detection of somewhat robust experimental effects. A therapeutically applicable extension to the lecture segment on the "stress axis" has also been discussed in regards to the role of cortisol and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis dysregulation in the pathophysiology of depression. Salivary cortisol testing is easy, painless, and non-invasive, and it can be done whenever the subject wants. The ability to store samples in a home freezer makes sample storage simple. Since repeated freeze-thaw cycles have no negative effects on cortisol level measurements, the students can simply bring the samples in on the day of the assay without the requirement for in-transit cooling or instructor/student cooperation. Anyone who has access to a microplate and a few basic lab supplies can effectively complete the test. It takes two hours to complete one plate assay.

It has long been recognised that depressed patients experience hypercortisolism at a significantly higher rate than the general population, and that many depressed patients who do not exhibit classic hypercortisolism react poorly to clinical tests that challenge this system, like the dexamethasone suppression test (DST). Hypotheses positing that depressed patients have a decreased sensitivity to the negative feedback effects of cortisol caused by a decrease in responsiveness or number of corticosteroid receptors have been developed in reaction to the increasing incidence of hyper-cortisol’s or abnormal response to a glucocorticoid suppression test observed in depressed patients.

Integrative Neuroscience Research Journal is peer-reviewed that focuses on the topics include Neurological research, Neurophysiology, Cognitive neurological research, Molecular behavioural, Developmental, Mathematical and computational research related to neuroscience.

Authors can submit their manuscripts as an email attachment to integrativebiology@globalannualmeet.com

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Journal Co-ordinator
Integrative Neuroscience Research