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Abstract
The effects of glucocorticoids on aggression can be conceptualized based on its mechanisms of action. These hormones can affect cell function non-genomically within minutes, primarily by affecting the cell membrane. Overall, such effects are activating and promote both metabolic preparations for the fight and aggressive behavior per se. Chronic increases in glucocorticoids activate genomic mechanisms and are depressing overall, including the inhibition of aggressive behavior. Finally, excessive stressors trigger epigenetic phenomena that have a large impact on brain programming and may also induce the reprogramming of neural functions. These induce qualitative changes in aggression that are deemed abnormal in animals, and psychopathological and criminal in humans. This review aims at deciphering the roles of glucocorticoids in aggression control by taking in view the three mechanisms of action often categorized as acute, chronic, and toxic stress based on the duration and the consequences of the stress response. It is argued that the tripartite way of influencing aggression can be recognized in all three animal, psychopathological, and criminal aggression and constitute a framework of mechanisms by which aggressive behavior adapts to short-term and log-term changes in the environment.
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From phone use to speeding and driving under influence: Identifying clusters of driving risk behaviors as an opportunity for targeted interventions. J Psychiatr Res 2021; 143:556-562. [PMID: 33218750 DOI: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2020.11.025] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/08/2020] [Revised: 10/16/2020] [Accepted: 11/09/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Identifying the profile of risky behaviors among drivers is central to propose effective interventions. Due to the multidimensional and overlapping aspects of risky driving behaviors, cluster analysis can provide additional insights in order to identify specific subgroups of risk. This study aimed to identify clusters of driving risk behavior (DRB) among car drivers, and to verify intra-cluster differences concerning clinical and sociodemographic variables. We approached a total of 12,231 drivers and we included 6392 car drivers. A cluster algorithm was used to identify groups of car drivers in relation to the DRB: driving without a seat belt (SB), exceeding the speed limit (SPD), using a cell phone while driving (CELL), and driving after drinking alcohol (DUI). The algorithm classified drivers within five different DRB profiles. In cluster 1 (20.1%), subjects with a history of CELL. In cluster 2 (41.4%), drivers presented no DRB. In cluster 3 (9.3%), all drivers presented SPD. In cluster 4 (12.5%), drivers presented all DRB. In cluster 5 (16.6%), all drivers presented DUI. Clusters with DUI-related offenses (4 and 5) comprised more men (81.9 and 78.8%, respectively) than the overall sample (63.4%), with more binge drinking (50.9 and 45.7%) and drug use in the previous year (13.5 and 8.6%). Cluster 1 had a high years of education (14.4 ± 3.4) and the highest personal income (Md = 3000 IQR [2000-5000]). Cluster 2 had older drivers (46.6 ± 15), and fewer bingers (10.9%). Cluster 4 had the youngest drivers (34.4 ± 11.4) of all groups. Besides reinforcing previous literature data, our study identified five unprecedented clusters with different profiles of drivers regarding DRB. We identified an original and heterogeneous group of drivers with only CELL misuse, as well as other significant differences among clusters. Hence, our findings show that targeted interventions must be developed for each subgroup in order to effectively produce safe behavior in traffic.
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Cigarette Smoking as a Predictor of Male DUI Recidivism. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH 2021; 18:ijerph182010761. [PMID: 34682508 PMCID: PMC8535916 DOI: 10.3390/ijerph182010761] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/06/2021] [Revised: 10/03/2021] [Accepted: 10/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
This study aimed to investigate the predictors of recidivism in first-time driving under the influence (DUI) offenders, analyzing variables derived from medico-legal and toxicological examinations. The research was structured as a comparative study for the period 2012-2019. DUI offenders with a blood alcohol concentration >0.5 were included in the study. The case group consisted of recidivist offenders, while the comparison group consisted of first-time offenders. Personal data, socioeconomics, and parameters linked to the DUI were compared between the two groups. Significance was determined by chi-square and Mann-Whitney tests. To prevent confounding effects, multivariate binary logistic regression analysis was performed. Our sample encompassed 1678 subjects (196 in the case group, 1482 in the comparison group). Gender, driving license category, education, and tobacco use resulted in significant differences between the groups. In a model including age at DUI, education, and smoking habit as independent variables, higher educational levels (high school, bachelor's) and older age protected against recidivism, whereas smoking >20 cigarettes/day was an independent risk factor for recidivism. Recidivist offenders have specific characteristics indicating different therapeutic programs and carefulness in driving license regranting. A higher tobacco consumption in recidivists suggests that the use of this substance could influence the risk of DUI for reasons that will need to be explored.
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Konzok J, Henze GI, Peter H, Giglberger M, Bärtl C, Massau C, Kärgel C, Schiffer B, Eisenbarth H, Wüst S, Kudielka BM. Externalizing behavior in healthy young adults is associated with lower cortisol responses to acute stress and altered neural activation in the dorsal striatum. Psychophysiology 2021; 58:e13936. [PMID: 34482554 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13936] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/01/2020] [Revised: 08/09/2021] [Accepted: 08/09/2021] [Indexed: 01/03/2023]
Abstract
The externalizing spectrum is characterized by disinhibition, impulsivity, antisocial-aggressive behavior as well as substance (mis)use. Studies in forensic samples and mentally impaired children suggested that higher rates of externalization are linked to lower cortisol stress responses and altered affect-related neural activation. In this fMRI-study, we investigated whether externalizing behavior in healthy participants is likewise associated with altered cortisol responses and neural activity to stress. Following a quasi-experimental approach, we tested healthy participants (N = 61, 31 males) from the higher versus lower range of the non-clinical variation in externalization (31 participants with high externalization) as assessed by the subscales disinhibition and meanness of the Triarchic-Psychopathy-Measure. All participants were exposed to ScanSTRESS, a standardized psychosocial stress paradigm for scanner environments. In both groups, ScanSTRESS induced a significant rise in cortisol levels with the high externalization group showing significantly lower cortisol responses to stress than the low externalization group. This was mainly driven by males. Further, individual increases in cortisol predicted neural response differences between externalization groups, indicating more activation in the dorsal striatum in low externalization. This was primarily driven by females. In contrast, post-hoc analysis showed that hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis hyporeactivity in males was associated with prefrontal and hippocampal activation. Our data substantiate that individuals from the general population high on externalization, show reduced cortisol stress responses. Furthermore, dorsal striatum activity as part of the mesolimbic system, known to be sensitive to environmental adversity, seems to play a role in externalization-specific cortisol stress responses. Beyond that, a modulating influence of gender was disclosed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Julian Konzok
- Institute of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | | | - Hannah Peter
- Institute of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Marina Giglberger
- Institute of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Christoph Bärtl
- Institute of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
| | - Claudia Massau
- Division of Forensic Psychiatry, LWL-University Hospital, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Christian Kärgel
- Division of Forensic Psychiatry, LWL-University Hospital, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Boris Schiffer
- Division of Forensic Psychiatry, LWL-University Hospital, Ruhr University, Bochum, Germany
| | - Hedwig Eisenbarth
- School of Psychology, Victoria University of Wellington, Wellington, New Zealand
| | - Stefan Wüst
- Institute of Psychology, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
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Cortisol stress response predicts 9-year risky driving convictions in male first-time driving-while-impaired offenders. Psychopharmacology (Berl) 2020; 237:177-187. [PMID: 31511917 DOI: 10.1007/s00213-019-05359-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/16/2019] [Accepted: 09/02/2019] [Indexed: 10/26/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND With driving while impaired by alcohol (DWI) representing a persistent burden on global health, better understanding and prevention of recidivism following a first-time DWI conviction are needed. Progress towards these goals is challenged by the marked heterogeneity in offender characteristics and a traffic safety literature that relies on subjective self-report measures and cross-sectional study designs. The present study tested the hypothesis that an objective neurobiological marker of behavioural maladjustment, the cortisol stress response (CSR), predicts future DWI and other traffic convictions over a 9-year follow-up period. METHODS One hundred thirty-two male first-time DWI offenders and 31 non-offender comparators were recruited and assessed at intake for their substance use, psychosocial and psychological characteristics and CSR. Traffic conviction data were obtained from provincial driving records. Survival analysis estimated the association between CSR and risk of a traffic conviction over time. RESULTS In support of our hypothesis, blunted CSR predicted traffic convictions during the follow-up duration. This effect generalized to both DWI offenders and non-DWI drivers. While CSR was lower in DWI offenders compared to non-offenders, it did not specifically predict recidivism in DWI offenders. Modelling results indicated that blunted CSR, along with DWI offender group membership, experience seeking and drug use frequency, may demarcate a high-risk driver phenotype. CONCLUSIONS CSR is a neurobiological marker of a driver phenotype with elevated generalized driving risk. For drivers with characteristics consistent with this phenotype, expanding the focus of intervention to address multiple forms of risky driving may be necessary to curb their overall threat to traffic safety.
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Frenkel MO, Brokelmann J, Nieuwenhuys A, Heck RB, Kasperk C, Stoffel M, Plessner H. Mindful Sensation Seeking: An Examination of the Protective Influence of Selected Personality Traits on Risk Sport-Specific Stress. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1719. [PMID: 31440179 PMCID: PMC6694797 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01719] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/28/2019] [Accepted: 07/10/2019] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress often has a negative influence on sports performance. Stress-induced decreases in performance can be especially disastrous for risk sports athletes, who often put their life at risk when practicing their sport. Therefore, it is of great importance to identify protective factors in stressful situations in risk sports. On average, risk sports athletes score extremely high on the personality trait sensation seeking. At the same time, theoretical considerations about dispositional mindfulness suggest that mindful athletes can handle stress more effectively. The main goal of this experiment is to examine the influence of sensation seeking and mindfulness on the stress response to a risk sport-specific stressor. To induce stress, 88 male students completed the Heidelberg Risk Sport-Specific Stress Test (HRSST) which utilizes fear of falling as the stressful event during a climbing exercise. Psychological (anxiety) and physiological (cortisol) responses were measured at multiple time points before and after the HRSST to determine the severity of the stress response. In reaction to the stressor, a significant increase in self-reported state anxiety, but no significant increase in cortisol were observed. The mindfulness subscale external observation correlated positively with anxiety in the climbing wall, sensation seeking and the anxiety scales after the jump correlated negatively and sensation seeking predicted anxiety subscales after the jump in hierarchical regression analyses. However, mindfulness did not predict anxiety measures. Neither sensation seeking nor mindfulness correlated significantly with cortisol levels. The results suggest that high sensation seekers perceive a risk sport-specific stressor as less stressful. The missing physiological response might be explained by the Cross-Stressor-Adaptation-Hypothesis and particularities of the sample. Good internal observers might be especially aware of their need of stimulation and new experiences, which in turn might explain the higher experience-seeking scores. Future studies should further examine the role of mindfulness in stressful situations and the interaction of its subscales with sensation seeking. The current experiment offers new possibilities for adjoining research fields at the interface between sports sciences, psychology and medicine: The findings can be transferred to high risk professions such as police officers, firefighters and military forces (e.g., for selection processes or for interventions).
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Joana Brokelmann
- Psychological Institute, Goethe University Frankfurt, Frankfurt, Germany
| | - Arne Nieuwenhuys
- Department of Exercise Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
- Behavioural Science Institute, Radboud University, Nijmegen, Netherlands
| | - Robin-Bastian Heck
- Institute of Sports and Sports Sciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Christian Kasperk
- Department of Internal Medicine I and Clinical Chemistry, Steroid Laboratory, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Martin Stoffel
- Institute of Medical Psychology, University Hospital Heidelberg, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henning Plessner
- Institute of Sports and Sports Sciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Giessing L, Frenkel MO, Zinner C, Rummel J, Nieuwenhuys A, Kasperk C, Brune M, Engel FA, Plessner H. Effects of Coping-Related Traits and Psychophysiological Stress Responses on Police Recruits' Shooting Behavior in Reality-Based Scenarios. Front Psychol 2019; 10:1523. [PMID: 31333547 PMCID: PMC6617500 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2019.01523] [Citation(s) in RCA: 25] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/25/2019] [Accepted: 06/17/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Police officers are often required to perform under high-stress circumstances, in which optimal task performance is crucial for their and the bystanders' physical integrity. However, stress responses, particularly anxiety and increased cortisol levels, shift attention from goal-directed to stimulus-driven control, leaving police officers with poor shooting performance under stress. Cardiac vagal activity and coping-related traits (i.e., self-control, sensation seeking) might help individuals to maintain performance under stress. So far, only few studies have integrated coping-related traits, psychophysiological stress markers and occupationally meaningful measures of behavior to investigate police officers' work performance under stress. Therefore, the present study investigated 19 police recruits (M age = 22.84, SD = 3.30) undergoing a reality-based shooting scenario in two experimental conditions in a within-design: low stress (LS) against a non-threatening mannequin, and high stress (HS), involving physical threat by an opponent. Psychological (i.e., anxiety, mental effort) and physiological stress responses (i.e., salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, cardiac vagal activity) as well as shooting accuracy were repeatedly assessed. It was hypothesized that under stress, police recruits would demonstrate elevated psychophysiological stress responses and impaired shooting performance. Elevated psychophysiological stress responses would negatively influence shooting performance, whereas self-control, sensation seeking and cardiac vagal activity would positively influence shooting performance. While recruits reported significantly higher anxiety and mental effort in the HS scenario, both scenarios elicited comparable physiological responses. Overall, shooting accuracy was low and did not significantly decrease in the HS scenario. Shooting performance was predicted by self-control in the LS scenario and by post-task cardiac vagal activity in the HS scenario. While increased anxiety hints at a successful stress manipulation, physiological responses suggest similar stress levels for both scenarios, diminishing potential behavioral differences between the scenarios. Performance efficiency decreased under stress, as indicated by increasing mental effort. Findings on self-control suggest that suppressing negative stress responses might lead to impaired goal-directed attention, resulting in performance decrements. For police research and training, high-realism scenarios afford an opportunity to investigate and experience psychophysiological stress responses.
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Affiliation(s)
- Laura Giessing
- Institute of Sports and Sports Sciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | | | - Christoph Zinner
- Department of Sport, University of Applied Sciences for Police and Administration of Hesse, Wiesbaden, Germany
| | - Jan Rummel
- Psychological Institute, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Arne Nieuwenhuys
- Department of Exercise Sciences, University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand
| | - Christian Kasperk
- Department of Internal Medicine I and Clinical Chemistry, Steroid Laboratory, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Maik Brune
- Department of Internal Medicine I and Clinical Chemistry, Central Laboratory, Heidelberg University Hospital, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Florian Azad Engel
- Institute of Sports and Sports Sciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
| | - Henning Plessner
- Institute of Sports and Sports Sciences, Heidelberg University, Heidelberg, Germany
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Haller J. The Role of the Lateral Hypothalamus in Violent Intraspecific Aggression-The Glucocorticoid Deficit Hypothesis. Front Syst Neurosci 2018; 12:26. [PMID: 29937719 PMCID: PMC6002688 DOI: 10.3389/fnsys.2018.00026] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/05/2018] [Accepted: 05/16/2018] [Indexed: 02/03/2023] Open
Abstract
This review argues for a central role of the lateral hypothalamus in those deviant forms of aggression, which result from chronic glucocorticoid deficiency. Currently, this nucleus is considered a key region of the mechanisms that control predatory aggression. However, recent findings demonstrate that it is strongly activated by aggression in subjects with a chronically downregulated hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axis; moreover, this activation is causally involved in the emergence of violent aggression. The review has two parts. In the first part, we review human findings demonstrating that under certain conditions, strong stressors downregulate the HPA-axis on the long run, and that the resulting glucocorticoid deficiency is associated with violent aggression including aggressive delinquency and aggression-related psychopathologies. The second part addresses neural mechanisms in animals. We show that the experimental downregulation of HPA-axis function elicits violent aggression in rodents, and the activation of the brain circuitry that originally subserves predatory aggression accompanies this change. The lateral hypothalamus is not only an integral part of this circuitry, but can elicit deviant and violent forms of aggression. Finally, we formulate a hypothesis on the pathway that connects unfavorable social conditions to violent aggression via the neural circuitry that includes the lateral hypothalamus.
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Affiliation(s)
- József Haller
- Department of Behavioural Neurobiology, Institute of Experimental Medicine, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest, Hungary.,Institute of Behavioural Sciences and Law Enforcement, National University of Public Service, Budapest, Hungary
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Couture S, Ouimet MC, Dedovic K, Laurier C, Plusquellec P, Brown TG. Blunted cortisol reactivity and risky driving in young offenders - a pilot study. Int J Adolesc Med Health 2018; 32:/j/ijamh.ahead-of-print/ijamh-2017-0123/ijamh-2017-0123.xml. [PMID: 29331098 DOI: 10.1515/ijamh-2017-0123] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/17/2017] [Accepted: 09/10/2017] [Indexed: 11/15/2022]
Abstract
Adolescent risky driving is a significant burden on public health. Young offenders (i.e. under custody and supervision of the criminal justice system) may be particularly vulnerable, but research is scant. Previous work indicated that blunted cortisol reactivity to stress is a marker of risk-taking predisposition, including risky driving. In this study, we hypothesized that young offenders display higher levels of risky driving than a non-offender comparison group, and that cortisol reactivity contributes to the variance in risky driving independent of other associated characteristics (i.e. impulsivity, risk taking, alcohol and drug use). We found that young offenders (n = 20) showed riskier driving in simulation than comparison group (n = 9), and blunted cortisol reactivity was significantly associated with risky driving. The results suggest young offenders are prone to risky driving, and that individual differences in the cortisol stress response may be an explanatory factor.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Couture
- Institut universitaire Jeunes en difficulté, 1001 Maisonneuve Blvd. east, 7th floor, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, Phone: +1 514 896 3485, Fax: +1 514 896 3400
- Université de Montréal, School of Criminology, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marie Claude Ouimet
- Université de Sherbrooke, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
| | - Katarina Dedovic
- Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Addiction Research Program, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Catherine Laurier
- Université de Sherbrooke, Department of Psychoeducation, Sherbrooke, Quebec, Canada
- Institut universitaire Jeunes en difficulté, 1001 Maisonneuve Blvd. east, 7th floor, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Pierrich Plusquellec
- Université de Montréal, School of Psychoeducation, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Institut universitaire en santé mentale de Montréal, Research Center, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Thomas G Brown
- Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Addiction Research Program, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- McGill University, Department of Psychiatry, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
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Blunted cardiac stress reactors exhibit relatively high levels of behavioural impulsivity. Physiol Behav 2016; 159:40-4. [PMID: 26988282 DOI: 10.1016/j.physbeh.2016.03.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/10/2015] [Revised: 01/26/2016] [Accepted: 03/10/2016] [Indexed: 12/19/2022]
Abstract
Blunted physiological reactions to acute psychological stress are associated with a range of adverse health and behavioural outcomes. This study examined whether extreme stress reactors differ in their behavioural impulsivity. Individuals showing blunted (N=23) and exaggerated (N=23) cardiovascular reactions to stress were selected by screening a healthy student population (N=276). Behavioural impulsivity was measured via inhibitory control and motor impulsivity tasks. Blunted reactors exhibited greater impulsivity than exaggerated reactors on both stop-signal, F(1,41)=4.99, p=0.03, ηp(2)=0.108, and circle drawing, F(1,43)=4.00, p=0.05, η p(2)=0.085, tasks. Individuals showing blunted cardiovascular stress reactions are characterized by greater impulsivity which may contribute to their increased susceptibility to outcomes such as obesity and addiction.
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Brown TG, Ouimet MC, Eldeb M, Tremblay J, Vingilis E, Nadeau L, Pruessner J, Bechara A. Personality, Executive Control, and Neurobiological Characteristics Associated with Different Forms of Risky Driving. PLoS One 2016; 11:e0150227. [PMID: 26910345 PMCID: PMC4766103 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0150227] [Citation(s) in RCA: 51] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2015] [Accepted: 02/10/2016] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Background Road crashes represent a huge burden on global health. Some drivers are prone to repeated episodes of risky driving (RD) and are over-represented in crashes and related morbidity. However, their characteristics are heterogeneous, hampering development of targeted intervention strategies. This study hypothesized that distinct personality, cognitive, and neurobiological processes are associated with the type of RD behaviours these drivers predominantly engage in. Methods Four age-matched groups of adult (19–39 years) males were recruited: 1) driving while impaired recidivists (DWI, n = 36); 2) non-alcohol reckless drivers (SPEED, n = 28); 3) drivers with a mixed RD profile (MIXED, n = 27); and 4) low-risk control drivers (CTL, n = 47). Their sociodemographic, criminal history, driving behaviour (by questionnaire and simulation performance), personality (Big Five traits, impulsivity, reward sensitivity), cognitive (disinhibition, decision making, behavioural risk taking), and neurobiological (cortisol stress response) characteristics were gathered and contrasted. Results Compared to controls, group SPEED showed greater sensation seeking, disinhibition, disadvantageous decision making, and risk taking. Group MIXED exhibited more substance misuse, and antisocial, sensation seeking and reward sensitive personality features. Group DWI showed greater disinhibition and more severe alcohol misuse, and compared to the other RD groups, the lowest level of risk taking when sober. All RD groups exhibited less cortisol increase in response to stress compared to controls. Discussion Each RD group exhibited a distinct personality and cognitive profile, which was consistent with stimulation seeking in group SPEED, fearlessness in group MIXED, and poor behavioural regulation associated with alcohol in group DWI. As these group differences were uniformly accompanied by blunted cortisol stress responses, they may reflect the disparate behavioural consequences of dysregulation of the stress system. In sum, RD preference appears to be a useful marker for clarifying explanatory pathways to risky driving, and for research into developing more personalized prevention efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Thomas G. Brown
- Research Centre of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Foster Addiction Rehabilitation Centre, St. Philippe de Laprairie, Quebec, Canada
- * E-mail:
| | - Marie Claude Ouimet
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
| | - Manal Eldeb
- Research Centre of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jacques Tremblay
- Research Centre of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Evelyn Vingilis
- Department of Family Medicine and Epidemiology & Biostatistics, University of Western Ontario, London, Ontario, Canada
| | - Louise Nadeau
- Department of Psychology, University of Montreal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jens Pruessner
- Research Centre of the Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Antoine Bechara
- Department of Psychology, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, United States of America
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Couture S, Ouimet MC, Gianoulakis C, Tremblay J, Ng Ying Kin N, Brochu S, Pruessner J, Dedovic K, Brown TG. Lower Cortisol Activity is Associated with First-Time Driving while Impaired. SUBSTANCE ABUSE-RESEARCH AND TREATMENT 2015; 9:25-32. [PMID: 25922575 PMCID: PMC4384759 DOI: 10.4137/sart.s21353] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/29/2014] [Revised: 01/22/2015] [Accepted: 01/26/2015] [Indexed: 11/17/2022]
Abstract
Driving while impaired (DWI) is a grave and persistent high-risk behavior. Previous work demonstrated that DWI recidivists had attenuated cortisol reactivity compared to non-DWI drivers. This suggests that cortisol is a neurobiological marker of high-risk driving. The present study tested the hypothesis that this initial finding would extend to first-time DWI (fDWI) offenders compared to non-DWI drivers. Male fDWI offenders (n = 139) and non-DWI drivers (n = 31) were exposed to a stress task, and their salivary cortisol activity (total output and reactivity) was measured. Participants also completed questionnaires on sensation seeking, impulsivity, substance use, and engagement in risky and criminal behaviors. As hypothesized, fDWI offenders, compared to non-DWI drivers, had lower cortisol reactivity; fDWI offenders also showed lower total output. In addition, cortisol activity was the most important predictor of group membership, after accounting for alcohol misuse patterns and consequences and other personality and problem behavior characteristics. The findings indicate that attenuated cortisol activity is an independent factor associated with DWI offending risk at an earlier stage in the DWI trajectory than previously detected.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Couture
- Addiction Research Program, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ; School of Criminology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ; Centre jeunesse de Montréal - Institut universitaire, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Marie Claude Ouimet
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Université de Sherbrooke, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada
| | - Christina Gianoulakis
- Addiction Research Program, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jacques Tremblay
- Addiction Research Program, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Nmk Ng Ying Kin
- Addiction Research Program, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Serge Brochu
- School of Criminology, Université de Montréal, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Jens Pruessner
- Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Katarina Dedovic
- Addiction Research Program, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ; Social and Affective Neuroscience Laboratory, University of California, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, USA
| | - Thomas G Brown
- Addiction Research Program, Douglas Hospital Research Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ; Department of Psychiatry, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada. ; Foster Addiction Rehabilitation Centre, St. Philippe de Laprairie, Quebec, Canada
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Ouimet MC, Brown TG, Guo F, Klauer SG, Simons-Morton BG, Fang Y, Lee SE, Gianoulakis C, Dingus TA. Higher crash and near-crash rates in teenaged drivers with lower cortisol response: an 18-month longitudinal, naturalistic study. JAMA Pediatr 2014; 168:517-22. [PMID: 24710522 PMCID: PMC4139916 DOI: 10.1001/jamapediatrics.2013.5387] [Citation(s) in RCA: 30] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/14/2022]
Abstract
IMPORTANCE Road traffic crashes are one of the leading causes of injury and death among teenagers worldwide. Better understanding of the individual pathways to driving risk may lead to better-targeted intervention in this vulnerable group. OBJECTIVE To examine the relationship between cortisol, a neurobiological marker of stress regulation linked to risky behavior, and driving risk. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS The Naturalistic Teenage Driving Study was designed to continuously monitor the driving behavior of teenagers by instrumenting vehicles with kinematic sensors, cameras, and a global positioning system. During 2006-2008, a community sample of 42 newly licensed 16-year-old volunteer participants in the United States was recruited and driving behavior monitored. It was hypothesized in teenagers that higher cortisol response to stress is associated with (1) lower crash and near-crash (CNC) rates during their first 18 months of licensure and (2) faster reduction in CNC rates over time. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES Participants' cortisol response during a stress-inducing task was assessed at baseline, followed by measurement of their involvement in CNCs and driving exposure during their first 18 months of licensure. Mixed-effect Poisson longitudinal regression models were used to examine the association between baseline cortisol response and CNC rates during the follow-up period. RESULTS Participants with a higher baseline cortisol response had lower CNC rates during the follow-up period (exponential of the regression coefficient, 0.93; 95% CI, 0.88-0.98) and faster decrease in CNC rates over time (exponential of the regression coefficient, 0.98; 95%, CI, 0.96-0.99). CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE Cortisol is a neurobiological marker associated with teenaged-driving risk. As in other problem-behavior fields, identification of an objective marker of teenaged-driving risk promises the development of more personalized intervention approaches.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Claude Ouimet
- Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of Sherbrooke, Longueuil, Quebec, Canada,Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Thomas G. Brown
- Douglas Hospital Research Centre, McGill University, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
| | - Feng Guo
- Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia,Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | | | - Bruce G. Simons-Morton
- Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Youjia Fang
- Department of Statistics, Virginia Tech, Blacksburg, Virginia
| | - Suzanne E. Lee
- Virginia Tech Transportation Institute, Blacksburg, Virginia
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Lovallo WR. Early life adversity reduces stress reactivity and enhances impulsive behavior: implications for health behaviors. Int J Psychophysiol 2012; 90:8-16. [PMID: 23085387 DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2012.10.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 198] [Impact Index Per Article: 16.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/03/2012] [Revised: 09/29/2012] [Accepted: 10/03/2012] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Altered reactivity to stress, either in the direction of exaggerated reactivity or diminished reactivity, may signal a dysregulation of systems intended to maintain homeostasis and a state of good health. Evidence has accumulated that diminished reactivity to psychosocial stress may signal poor health outcomes. One source of diminished cortisol and autonomic reactivity is the experience of adverse rearing during childhood and adolescence. The Oklahoma Family Health Patterns Project has examined a cohort of 426 healthy young adults with and without a family history of alcoholism. Regardless of family history, persons who had experienced high degrees of adversity prior to age 16 had a constellation of changes including reduced cortisol and heart rate reactivity, diminished cognitive capacity, and unstable regulation of affect, leading to behavioral impulsivity and antisocial tendencies. We present a model whereby this constellation of physiological, cognitive, and affective tendencies is consistent with altered central dopaminergic activity leading to changes in brain function that may foster impulsive and risky behaviors. These in turn may promote greater use of alcohol other drugs along with adopting poor health behaviors. This model provides a pathway from early life adversity to low stress reactivity that forms a basis for risky behaviors and poor health outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- William R Lovallo
- University of Oklahoma Health Sciences Center, Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences and VA Medical Center, Behavioral Sciences Laboratories (151A), 921 NE 13th Street, Oklahoma City, OK 73104, United States.
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Relationship of serum serotonin and salivary cortisol with sensation seeking. Int J Psychophysiol 2011; 81:225-9. [DOI: 10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2011.06.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2010] [Revised: 06/13/2011] [Accepted: 06/22/2011] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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Freeman HD, Beer JS. Frontal Lobe Activation Mediates the Relation Between Sensation Seeking and Cortisol Increases. J Pers 2010; 78:1497-528. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1467-6494.2010.00659.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/29/2022]
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Couture S, Brown TG, Tremblay J, Ng Ying Kin NMK, Ouimet MC, Nadeau L. Are biomarkers of chronic alcohol misuse useful in the assessment of DWI recidivism status? ACCIDENT; ANALYSIS AND PREVENTION 2010; 42:307-312. [PMID: 19887172 DOI: 10.1016/j.aap.2009.08.016] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/10/2009] [Revised: 08/04/2009] [Accepted: 08/09/2009] [Indexed: 05/28/2023]
Abstract
UNLABELLED A first driving while impaired by alcohol (DWI) conviction is a key opportunity to identify offenders who are at high risk for recidivism. Detection of alcohol use disorder (AUD) is a major target of current DWI assessments. However, offenders frequently underreport their alcohol consumption, and use of biomarkers has been proposed as a more objective indicator. Among the best established are aspartate aminotranferase (AST), alanine aminotransferase (ALT), gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT), mean corpuscular red blood cell volume (MCV), carbohydrate-deficient transferrin (CDT), and thiamine. To our knowledge, no research has directly verified whether AUD biomarkers predict DWI recidivism status. Using a cross-sectional design, this study tested three hypotheses related to the utility of biomarkers in DWI assessment. HYPOTHESES (1) DWI recidivists possess biomarkers indicative of greater prevalence of AUD compared to first-time offenders; (2) multiple biomarkers better differentiate first-time offenders from recidivists compared to individual biomarkers; and (3) biomarkers add significantly to the prediction of recidivism over and above psychosocial questionnaires. METHODS First-time offenders (n = 49) and recidivists (n = 95) participated in the study. In addition to self-reported information on sociodemographic and driving characteristics, data from several AUD questionnaires were gathered: Michigan Alcoholism Screening Test, Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test, Composite International Diagnostic Interview, and Timeline Follow-Back. Blood samples were collected to measure AST, ALT, GGT, MCV, CDT, and thiamine. RESULTS AUD biomarkers, taken individually or in combination, did not indicate that recidivists had more frequent AUD compared to first-time offenders. Also, they failed to significantly differentiate first-time offenders from recidivists or predict recidivism status. Finally, the superiority of biomarkers over psychosocial AUD questionnaires was not supported in the laboratory setting. CONCLUSION The present findings suggest that biomarkers of chronic patterns of heavy drinking may not be adequate to capture the multiple processes that appear to promote recidivism (e.g., binge drinking, other risky behavioural and personality features). Despite their objectivity, caution is warranted in the interpretation of a positive score on these biomarkers in DWI assessment. Longitudinal research is needed to more comprehensively explore the relationship between positive biomarkers in first-time offenders and their risk of becoming recidivists.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Couture
- Addiction Research Program, Douglas Mental Health University Institute, Perry Pavilion, Fourth Floor, Rm. E-4118, 6875 LaSalle Blvd., Verdun, Québec, Canada H4H 1R3
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BROWN THOMASG, OUIMET MARIECLAUDE, NADEAU LOUISE, GIANOULAKIS CHRISTINA, LEPAGE MARTIN, TREMBLAY JACQUES, DONGIER MAURICE. From the brain to bad behaviour and back again: Neurocognitive and psychobiological mechanisms of driving while impaired by alcohol. Drug Alcohol Rev 2009; 28:406-18. [DOI: 10.1111/j.1465-3362.2009.00053.x] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/27/2022]
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