Variations in adrenal hormones in law enforcement servicemen during a mission to local armed conflict

Roman Victorovich Koubassov, Yury Evlampievich Barachevsky

Abstract


In a previous study, we reported changes in the adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and cortisol secretion in blood samples from law enforcement personnel during the mission to local armed conflict region. In the present study, we demonstrate those changes collectively with additional data on changes in the adrenaline and noradrenaline in the urine samples of the same individuals. The study was conducted on 48 male officers who were deployed to an army conflict teritory for a duration of 4 months.At the onset of the mission, there was a modestincreasein all hormones corresponding to the general adaptation syndrome theory. As the mission started, significant increases were observed in the mean levels of the hormonal parameters in both serum and urine at different time points as compared to those before the mission. At first week of deployment, a sharp increase in the secretory activity of medulla and cortical adrenal gland was found and at the termination of the mission a dysfunction of hypophysis-adrenal gland regulation system was identified. These findings might lead to disturbances in interhormonal relationships and causedecreased stress tolerance in the relevant individals.


Keywords


Law enforcement officer, adrenaline, noradrenaline, adrenocorticotropic hormone, cortisol, emergency condition

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References


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