18 year Challenge-me Study

The Raine Challenge-Me Study at 18 years of age is examining stress sensitivity and coping ability.

Feeling “stressed” happens to everyone regularly. Your body releases extra stress hormones (cortisol/adrenaline) under different circumstance - if you are late for an appointment or doing an exam, but also in pleasant situations like winning a prize or meeting a new girl/boyfriend. This extra release of stress hormones helps your body and brain to deal with the challenge and only lasts for a short period of time. In the minutes after the “stressful event”,  stress hormone levels fall back to normal.

These stress hormones also play a role in many diseases. Raine Researchers are trying to improve our understanding of how these hormones contribute to some diseases (which can range from heart disease to depression, anxiety and organ failure). 

In the 16/17 Raine Follow up, stress hormones were measured in blood and saliva samples collected from the Raine participants under non-stressfull circumstances while at home early in the morning. To follow up on this, researchers are measuring cortisol levels at 18 years of age in the participants when they are in a challenging and therefore 'stressed' situation. In the Raine Challenge-me Study, participants are given two challenges and blood and saliva samples are collected for measurements of the peak and decline in stress hormone levels during the test. This Study is currently being conducted at the heritage listed Carson House, which is one of the original buildings of King Edward Memorial Hospital.

Raine study - Laurence - using his adrenalin!