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Elevated cortisol levels and increased rates of diabetes and mood symptoms in Soviet Union-born Jewish immigrants to Germany

Molecular Psychiatry volume 10, pages 974–975 (2005)Cite this article

SIR—Environmental and emotional stressors are associated with persistent activation of the endogenous glucocorticoid system. Chronic hyperactivation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis is a contributing factor both to metabolic diseases, including diabetes mellitus, and to psychiatric disorders, such as depression and anxiety.1, 2, 3 Surveys of phenomenology, comorbidity, family history, genetic traits, and pharmacologic treatment responses of mood disorders and the metabolic syndrome suggest that both types of condition may overlap and share striking similarities.4, 5, 6 Little is known about the causal relationships and the initial sequence of events triggering and sustaining these complex and inter-related processes. In order to assess the contributions of environmental and lifestyle changes to these two outcomes, we studied a defined ethnic population following immigration with marked changes in social environment. It is reasonable to assume that increased mobility and immigration leading to profound alterations in culture and social structures result in drastic alterations in lifestyle and consequent exposure to long-lasting stress.

Immigration into Western societies accelerates the development of the metabolic syndrome in certain ethnic groups. For example, Indian migrants living in the USA or UK have higher prevalence rates of diabetes, coronary heart disease (CHD) and dyslipidemia compared to native populations.7, 8, 9 This process has been particularly alarming with an accelerated or premature CHD in relatively young individuals. The cause of these clinical observations has been attributed to the obvious changes in lifestyle and diet as well as the distinct genetic background of the diverse populations. Although this hypothesis appears reasonable, it may be too simplistic to fully explain this phenomenon.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medicine, University of Dresden, Carl Gustav Carus, Dresden, Germany

    W Korenblum & S R Bornstein

  2. Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Rheumatology, University Hospital Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany

    A Barthel

  3. Center for Pharmacogenomics and Clinical Pharmacology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles, CA, USA

    J Licinio & M-L Wong

  4. Department of Experimental Psychology, University of Duesseldorf, Duesseldorf, Germany

    O T Wolf

  5. Department of Biopsychology, University of Dresden, Dresden, Germany

    C Kirschbaum

Authors
  1. W Korenblum
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  2. A Barthel
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  3. J Licinio
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  4. M-L Wong
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  5. O T Wolf
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  6. C Kirschbaum
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  7. S R Bornstein
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Correspondence to S R Bornstein.

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Korenblum, W., Barthel, A., Licinio, J. et al. Elevated cortisol levels and increased rates of diabetes and mood symptoms in Soviet Union-born Jewish immigrants to Germany. Mol Psychiatry 10, 974–975 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.mp.4001720

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