Academic stress - Influence on leukocyte distribution, cortisol, and prolactin

Abstract

To study the effects of academic examination on cortisol and prolactin, total leukocyte count, neutrophil counts, lymphocytes, and monocytes, blood samples were drawn from 58 female, fasting students at the beginning (baseline samples) and during final examination periods (stress samples) of summer or fall-winter semesters. Differences between baseline and stress samples were nonsignificant for total leukocytes (P = .9), and relative and absolute monocytes (P = .14 and .88, respectively). Stress samples showed significantly higher relative and absolute neutrophil counts. (P = .0035 and .033) and significantly lower relative and absolute lymphocyte counts (P = .007 and .00022). Cortisol levels were higher in the stress samples (P = .017). Overall prolactin level differences were not statistically significant. These data suggest that academic stress can modulate trafficking of lymphocytes and neutrophils but not monocytes. This redistribution may modulate the performance of the effector function of the immune system.