Sampedro-Piquero, PatriciaVicario, SelenePérez-Rivas, ArohaVenero, CésarBaliyan, ShishirSantín, Luis Javier2022-07-082022-07-082020-09-27Sampedro-Piquero P, Vicario S, Pérez-Rivas A, Venero C, Baliyan S, Santín LJ. Salivary Cortisol Levels Are Associated with Craving and Cognitive Performance in Cocaine-Abstinent Subjects: A Pilot Study. Brain Sci. 2020 Sep 27;10(10):682http://hdl.handle.net/10668/3767Cortisol is a glucocorticoid hormone secreted by the adrenal cortex upon the activation of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. Assessment of cortisol in saliva has emerged as a reliable way of evaluating HPA function. We examined the relationships between salivary cortisol levels with both craving and cognitive performance, as a possible biomarker of cocaine addiction. Cognitive performance (attention, declarative and working memory, executive functions and recognition of emotions) was assessed in 14 abstinent cocaine-dependent subjects in outpatient treatment and 13 control participants. Three salivary samples were collected at home by all the participants in the morning, afternoon and at bedtime. Patients showed higher levels of cortisol in the morning, as well as higher area under the curve with respect to the ground (AUCg). Regarding cognitive performance, cocaine-abstinent subjects showed worse performance in attention (d2 test), verbal memory (Spanish Complementary Verbal Learning Test, TAVEC) and executive tests (Tower of Hanoi and phonological fluency test) with respect to the control group. Morning cortisol levels and the AUCg index were negatively associated with the age of onset of drug consumption and the AUCg index was also positively associated with craving in our patients' group. Moreover, morning cortisol levels, as well as the AUCg index, were negatively associated with verbal memory performance. Therefore, our pilot study suggests that salivary cortisol measurements could be a good avenue to predict craving level, as well as cognitive status, especially the declarative memory domain.enAtribución 4.0 Internacionalhttp://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/AddictionCocaineCognitionCortisolCravingHypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)MemoryCocaínaCogniciónHidrocortisonaAnsiaMemoriaAndalucíaProyectos pilotoMedical Subject Headings::Organisms::Eukaryota::Animals::Chordata::Vertebrates::Mammals::Primates::Haplorhini::Catarrhini::Hominidae::HumansMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists::Hormones::Adrenal Cortex Hormones::Hydroxycorticosteroids::17-Hydroxycorticosteroids::HydrocortisoneMedical Subject Headings::Anatomy::Endocrine System::Neurosecretory Systems::Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal SystemMedical Subject Headings::Anatomy::Endocrine System::Endocrine Glands::Pituitary-Adrenal SystemMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Chemical Actions and Uses::Pharmacologic Actions::Physiological Effects of Drugs::Hormones, Hormone Substitutes, and Hormone Antagonists::Hormones::GlucocorticoidsMedical Subject Headings::Analytical, Diagnostic and Therapeutic Techniques and Equipment::Investigative Techniques::Evaluation Studies as Topic::Pilot ProjectsMedical Subject Headings::Anatomy::Fluids and Secretions::Bodily Secretions::SalivaMedical Subject Headings::Psychiatry and Psychology::Psychological Phenomena and Processes::Mental Processes::Executive FunctionMedical Subject Headings::Diseases::Chemically-Induced Disorders::Substance-Related Disorders::Cocaine-Related DisordersMedical Subject Headings::Health Care::Environment and Public Health::Public Health::Epidemiologic Factors::Age Factors::Age of OnsetMedical Subject Headings::Psychiatry and Psychology::Psychological Phenomena and Processes::Mental Processes::Learning::Memory::Memory, Short-TermMedical Subject Headings::Persons::Persons::Patients::OutpatientsMedical Subject Headings::Psychiatry and Psychology::Psychological Phenomena and Processes::Mental Processes::CognitionMedical Subject Headings::Psychiatry and Psychology::Psychological Phenomena and Processes::Psychophysiology::Arousal::AttentionMedical Subject Headings::Psychiatry and Psychology::Psychological Phenomena and Processes::Mental Processes::Learning::Verbal LearningMedical Subject Headings::Anatomy::Endocrine System::Endocrine Glands::Adrenal Glands::Adrenal CortexMedical Subject Headings::Psychiatry and Psychology::Behavior and Behavior Mechanisms::EmotionsMedical Subject Headings::Chemicals and Drugs::Heterocyclic Compounds::Heterocyclic Compounds, Bridged-Ring::Tropanes::CocaineMedical Subject Headings::Geographical Locations::Geographic Locations::Europe::Spainresearch article32992573Acceso abierto10.3390/brainsci101006822076-3425PMC7600918