Moderate within-person variability in cortisol is related to executive function in early childhood.

ABSTRACT: Lab-based experimental studies with humans and in animal models demonstrate that the relation between glucocorticoid (GC) levels and performance on measures of higher-order cognitive ability such as executive function (EF) is best described by an inverted U-shape curve. Moderate levels of GCs (cortisol/corticosterone) are associated with comparatively better performance relative to GC levels that are particularly high or low. Although findings from experimental studies are definitive and have high internal validity, the external validity of this association as an aspect of children's development is unknown. Here we analyze data from the Family Life Project (N=1292), a prospective longitudinal sample of children and families in predominantly low-income and rural communities followed longitu

SUBMITTER: Blair C 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5502684 | biostudies-literature | 2017 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature