THE INFLUENCE OF PSYCHOLOGICAL STRESS ON TOTAL SERUM-PROTEIN AND PATTERNS OBTAINED IN SERUM-PROTEIN ELECTROPHORESIS

Background. Significant alterations in total serum protein (TSP) patte rns obtained in serum protein electrophoresis and serum proteins have been reported in patients with major depression and in subjects submit ted to a combination of psychological and physical stress. The aim of the present study was to examine the effects of academic examination s tress, on TSP and patterns obtained in serum protein electrophoresis. Methods. TSP and the concentrations and percentages of the major elect rophoretically separated serum proteins were measured in 41 healthy bi omedical students the day before a difficult academic examination (i.e . the stressful condition), as well as a few weeks before and after th e stressful condition (i.e. two baseline conditions). Results. Academi c examination stress increased TSP and the alpha 1, alpha 2, beta and gamma concentrations in stress-reactors, but not in stress non-reactor s las defined by changes in the Perceived Stress Scale). Academic exam ination stress reduced the percentage of albumin in the stress-reactor s, but not in stress non-reactors. There were significant positive rel ationships between the stress-induced changes in TSP and serum alpha 2 , beta and gamma concentrations and the stress-induced changes in the Perceived Scale. Conclusions. The results show that even mild psycholo gical stress of short duration can lead to measurable changes in TSP a nd in patterns obtained in serum protein electrophoresis.