biostudies-literatureAbercrombie HCNIMH NIH HHSNational Institute of Mental HealthNIH HHS2174780https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC9930177biostudies-literatureUnknown26(1)Greater cortisol reactivity to stress is often assumed to lead to heightened negative affective reactivity to stress. Conversely, a growing body of evidence demonstrates mood-protective effects of cortisol elevations in the context of acute stress. We administered a laboratory-based stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), and measured cortisol and emotional reactivity in 68 adults (48 women) between the ages of 25 and 65. In accordance with our pre-registered hypothesis (https://osf.io/t8r3w) and prior research, negative affective reactivity was inversely related to cortisol reactivity assessed immediately after the stressor. We found that greater cortisol response to acute stress is associated with smaller increases in negative affect, consistent with mood-protective effects of cortisol elevations in response to acute stress.Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands)Inverse association between stress induced cortisol elevations and negative emotional reactivity to stress in humans.PMC9930177K01MH117222F32 MH126537R01 MH043454K01 MH117222R01MH043454P51 OD011106Schaefer SMHiggins ETRosenkranz MABarnes ALFinley AJAbercrombie HCGrupe DWNord ECDavidson RJfalseInverse association between stress induced cortisol elevations and negative emotional reactivity to stress in humans.Greater cortisol reactivity to stress is often assumed to lead to heightened negative affective reactivity to stress. Conversely, a growing body of evidence demonstrates mood-protective effects of cortisol elevations in the context of acute stress. We administered a laboratory-based stressor, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), and measured cortisol and emotional reactivity in 68 adults (48 women) between the ages of 25 and 65. In accordance with our pre-registered hypothesis (https://osf.io/t8r3w) and prior research, negative affective reactivity was inversely related to cortisol reactivity assessed immediately after the stressor. We found that greater cortisol response to acute stress is associated with smaller increases in negative affect, consistent with mood-protective effects of cortisol elevations in response to acute stress.2023-01-01T00:00:00Z2023 Jan2025-04-29T09:55:44.807Z2025-04-06T19:17:30.578ZS-EPMC99301773677285110.1080/10253890.2023.2174780