Effect of academic examination stress on hormonal level in healthy medical technology students

ABSTRACT

Stress may alter many physiological functions and may lead to psychiatric diseases, such as anxiety and depression. In this study, the effect of academic exam stress on thyroid stimulating hormone [TSH], thyroxin T4, triiodothyronine T3, Testosterone, and cortisol were studied Blood samples were taken from students before examination Another blood samples were collected from the same students during normal collage days. The results obtained showed stress caused significant increase in the hormones measured except the triiodothyronine, which shows no significant increase during stress. It has been suggested that acute increase of TSH level may result from central catecholaminergic stimulation and increased levels of catecholamines Stress was accompanied by increased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis function