New study shows surprise in Hormone levels in babies, toddlers

"Surprisingly, the CAR hasn't been widely studied in infants or young children," said psychology doctoral student Melissa Bright, who led the study. "There is consensus that the adult pattern of cortisol response isn't present at birth, but much less is known about when in the first year of life it is established."

The research team, from the department of psychology, the UGA Infant Rresearch Lab and the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing, conducted the research using 32 baby-mother pairs. Nineteen of the babies were female and 13 were males, and they ranged in age from 7.8 to 17.4 months.