Asperger Syndrome Linked To Cortisol Response

[Guest guest]

I wonder if that could be why certain kinds of stress don't bother Aspies as much, but other minor things do?

In a message dated 4/16/2009 12:30:29 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, no_reply writes:

Asperger Syndrome Linked To Cortisol Response Great deals on Dell's most popular laptops - Starting at $479

[Guest guest]

http://www.postchronicle.com/news/health/article_212223232.shtml

Published: Apr 15, 2009

Asperger Syndrome Linked To Cortisol Response

by Staff

Upon awakening, there is normally a surge in cortisol, a steroid hormone

produced by the adrenal gland and released in response to stress. Now, UK

researchers report that this response is absent in adolescent boys with Asperger

syndrome, which may explain some of the symptoms of the condition, such as the

need for routine and resistance to change.

Among other functions, the ability to adapt to change is controlled by the

hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, which controls the dramatic increase in

cortisol upon awakening, referred to as " the cortisol awakening response, " the

study team explains in an article in press in the journal

Psychoneuroendocrinology.

" The cortisol awakening response is a robust and reproducible neuroendocrine

phenomenon which has been positively correlated with psychological and physical

well-being, " they add.