Stress has been widely associated with a number of clinical and mental illnesses. The body has numerous responses to varying stress levels, so it is vital for people to be informed of how much stress hormones are present in their bodies.
A team of researchers from Rutgers University has just unveiled a microchip that can instantly measure stress hormone levels from a single drop of blood in real-time. This technology aims to provide an alternative replacement for expensive and bulky lab tests for hormones, and in turn, allow patients to quickly monitor stress levels with ease.
Natural Stress Response and Stress Hormones
When we encounter perceived threats, a part of the brain, the hypothalamus, sets off an alarm in the body. Through a complex combination of nerves and hormonal signals, the body prompts the adrenal gland to release numerous hormones, including cortisol and adrenaline.
According to Mayo Clinic, adrenaline increases the heart rate, boosts energy supplies, and elevates blood pressure. Compared to cortisol, the known primary stress hormone increases sugar present in the bloodstream while curbing non-essential bodily functions during a flight-or-fight situation.
Normally, stress responses are self-limiting, which means that as soon as the perceived threat passes, hormones and body functions return to normal. On the other hand, if the stressors are constantly present and the body feels under attack, the flight-or-fight reaction. Long-term activation of the body's stress response system can increase health risks such as anxiety, depression, headaches, digestive problems, cardiovascular diseases, and sleep problems.
Stress Level Measuring Microchip
In a study published in the journal Science Advances, entitled "Single-step label-free nanowell immunoassay accurately quantifies serum stress hormones within minutes," researchers designed a microchip that uses a single drop of blood can assess stress levels based on the amount of cortisol present in the blood. Conventionally, without the microchip, this process would require complex and expensive lab tests.
The stress level measuring microchip aims to help patients measure the changes in cortisol levels using a single drop of blood and monitor it in real-time without having to subject themselves to lengthy lab tests.
Reza Mahmoodi, the co-author of the study and a researcher from Rutgers University, explains that the developed devise uses nanosensors to detect cortisol molecules directly from the blood without the need for other particles and molecules to act labels.
The newly designed microchip was fabricated on glass substrates containing a wide array of microscopic wells and electrodes. The electrodes, in turn, measure antibody binding within the microchip to provide sensitive measurements of cortisol levels from a single drop of blood.
Thus far, researchers have tested the device with human blood samples. Results showed that the device is comparable with the sensitivity and accuracy of ELISA, the conventional lab test for stress hormone levels.
Mehdi Javanmard, a researcher involved in the study, says that technologies such as the newly designed microchip allow patients to monitor their hormone levels at the comforts of their home and allow better management of chronic inflammation, stress, and various other conditions at a much lower price, MedGadgets reports.
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