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Nie H, Hu X, Gao Y, Ma Y, Han P. Altered neural representation of olfactory food reward in the nucleus accumbens after acute stress. J Affect Disord 2024; 354:239-246. [PMID: 38461902 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2024.03.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2023] [Revised: 02/08/2024] [Accepted: 03/07/2024] [Indexed: 03/12/2024]
Abstract
Acute stress impairs reward processing. The nucleus accumbens (NAcc) plays an important role in the processing of primary rewards such as food. The present study investigates how acute stress affects the olfactory food reward processing in the NAcc using the representational similarity analysis. Forty-eight participants underwent an olfactory fMRI session following either an acute psychosocial stress (N = 24; stress group) or a control (N = 24; control group). Brain activation was recorded during the anticipatory and the perceptual phases of high-calorie food, low-calorie food, and non-food odor stimuli. Compared to the control group, the stress group rated the high-calorie food odor as significantly more pleasant (p = 0.005). In the NAcc, acute stress significantly reduced the dissimilarity of food and non-food odors in the perceptual phase (p = 0.027) and marginally reduced the dissimilarity of high- and low-calorie foods in the anticipatory phase (p = 0.095). Significant negative correlations were observed between the level of NAcc representational differentiation for high- and low-calorie food odors during perception and the difference in pleasantness ratings between high- and low-calorie food odors (r = -0.40, p = 0.005). These findings suggest that acute stress may impair participants' ability to discriminate between olfactory food rewards, leading individuals to seek out more palatable foods in stressful situations in order to maintain positive emotions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Haoyu Nie
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Xin Hu
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yuan Gao
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Yihang Ma
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Pengfei Han
- MOE Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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2
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Ma J, Zhang Y, Ge Q, Wu K. The effect of auricular acupuncture on preoperative blood pressure across age groups: a prospective randomized controlled trial. Clin Exp Hypertens 2023; 45:2169452. [PMID: 36681906 DOI: 10.1080/10641963.2023.2169452] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/23/2023]
Abstract
PURPOSE To determine the effect of auricular acupuncture on preoperative blood pressure (BP) elevation in different age groups. MATERIALS AND METHODS Auricular acupuncture treats elevated BP among patients before surgery. This prospective, randomized clinical trial was performed at Li Huili Hospital of Ningbo Medical Center, China, from January to June 2021. We prospectively enrolled 120 patients with elevated BP aged 45 to 75 and observed them in the inpatient department. Patients were randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to undergo auricular acupuncture or sham control groups. In addition to usual care, the study group underwent auricular acupuncture bilaterally at HX6 7i-Ear apex, TF4-Shen men, TF1-Superior triangular fossa, and CO15-Heart. RESULTS A total of 120 patients completed the study, 60 in the study group and 60 in the control group. Of these, 76 (63.3%) were men, and the mean (standard deviation) was 64.55 (9.48) years. The differences in systolic BP comparisons after intervention were significant (7.88 mmHg; 95% confidence interval [CI], 2.94 to 12.81; P = .002). Diastolic BP also showed statistical significance (5.85 mmHg; 95% CI, 3.05 to 8.64; P < .01. Neither AA-related adverse events nor serious adverse events occurred. Stratified by age, the differences comparisons of systolic BP (-10.13 mmHg; 95% confidence interval [CI], -16.69 to -3.57; P < .01) and diastolic BP (-7.65 mmHg; 95% confidence interval [CI], -11.17 to -4.14; P < .01) were statistically significant for participants aged 60-75 years; The differences comparison of systolic BP (-2.37 mmHg; 95% confidence interval [CI], -8.04 to 3.31; P = .40) and diastolic BP (-1.46 mmHg; 95% confidence interval [CI], -5.68 to 2.76; P = .48) were not significant aged 45-59. CONCLUSION Auricular acupuncture can reduce BP before procedures. However, further research is needed on the antihypertensive effect on people aged 45-59. These findings provide clinicians with evidence of auricular acupuncture as a standard adjunctive therapy targeting this patient population.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingjing Ma
- Department of Nursing, Ningbo Medical Center LiHuili Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Yiqing Zhang
- Department of Nursing, Ningbo Medical Center LiHuili Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Qingqing Ge
- Department of Nursing, Ningbo Medical Center LiHuili Hospital, Ningbo, China
| | - Keer Wu
- Department of Nursing, Ningbo Medical Center LiHuili Hospital, Ningbo, China
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3
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Ai Y, Hummel T, Nie H, Yang J, Han P. Reduced neural responses to pleasant odor stimuli after acute psychological stress is associated with cortisol reactivity. Neuroimage 2023; 284:120474. [PMID: 38008298 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2023.120474] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/21/2023] [Revised: 11/07/2023] [Accepted: 11/23/2023] [Indexed: 11/28/2023] Open
Abstract
Acute stress alters olfactory perception. However, little is known about the neural processing of olfactory stimuli after acute stress exposure and the role of cortisol in such an effect. Here, we used an event-related olfactory fMRI paradigm to investigate brain responses to odors of different valence (unpleasant, pleasant, or neutral) in healthy young adults following an acute stress (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) induction (N = 22) or a non-stressful resting condition (N = 22). We obtained the odor pleasantness, intensity, and familiarity ratings after the acute stress induction or resting condition. We also measured the participants' perceived stress and salivary cortisol at four time points during the procedure. We found a stress-related decrease in brain activation in response to the pleasant, but not to the neutral or unpleasant odor stimuli in the right piriform cortex extending to the right amygdala, the right orbitofrontal cortex, and the right insula. In addition, activation of clusters within the regions of interest were negatively associated with individual baseline-to-peak increase in salivary cortisol levels after stress. We also found increased functional connectivity between the right piriform cortex and the right insula after stress when the pleasant odor was presented. The strength of the connectivity was positively correlated with increased perceived stress levels immediately after stress exposure. These results provide novel evidence for the effects of acute stress in attenuating the neural processing of a pleasant olfactory stimulus. Together with previous findings, the effect of acute stress on human olfactory perception appears to depend on both the valence and the concentration (e.g., peri-threshold or suprathreshold levels) of odor stimuli.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yun Ai
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Thomas Hummel
- Interdisciplinary Centre Smell and Taste, Department of Otorhinolaryngology, TU Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Haoyu Nie
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Juan Yang
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, China
| | - Pengfei Han
- Faculty of Psychology, Southwest University, Chongqing, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Cognition and Personality, Southwest University, Chongqing, China.
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Yi W, Chen Y, Yan L, Kohn N, Wu J. Acute stress selectively blunts reward anticipation but not consumption: An ERP study. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 27:100583. [PMID: 38025282 PMCID: PMC10660484 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2023] [Revised: 10/13/2023] [Accepted: 10/24/2023] [Indexed: 12/01/2023] Open
Abstract
Stress-induced dysfunction of reward processing is documented to be a critical factor associated with mental illness. Although many studies have attempted to clarify the relationship between stress and reward, few studies have investigated the effect of acute stress on the temporal dynamics of reward processing. The present study applied event-related potentials (ERP) to examine how acute stress differently influences reward anticipation and consumption. In this study, seventy-eight undergraduates completed a two-door reward task following a Trier Social Stress Task (TSST) or a placebo task. The TSST group showed higher cortisol levels, perceived stress, anxiety, and negative affect than the control group. For the control group, a higher magnitude of reward elicited a reduced cue-N2 but increased stimulus-preceding negativity (SPN), suggesting that controls were sensitive to reward magnitude. In contrast, these effects were absent in the stress group, suggesting that acute stress reduces sensitivity to reward magnitude during the anticipatory phase. However, the reward positivity (RewP) and P3 of both groups showed similar patterns, which suggests that acute stress has no impact on reward responsiveness during the consummatory phase. These findings suggest that acute stress selectively blunts sensitivity to reward magnitude during the anticipatory rather than the consummatory phase.
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Affiliation(s)
- Wei Yi
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Yantao Chen
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Linlin Yan
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Nils Kohn
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Medical Center, Nijmegen, the Netherlands
| | - Jianhui Wu
- School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
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5
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Wu J, Song J, He Y, Li Z, Deng H, Huang Z, Xie X, Wong NML, Tao J, Lee TMC, Chan CCH. Effect of Tai Chi on Young Adults with Subthreshold Depression via a Stress-Reward Complex: A Randomized Controlled Trial. SPORTS MEDICINE - OPEN 2023; 9:90. [PMID: 37768381 PMCID: PMC10539242 DOI: 10.1186/s40798-023-00637-w] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/17/2023] [Accepted: 09/17/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Subthreshold depression is a highly prevalent mood disorder in young adults. Mind-body exercises, such as Tai Chi, have been adopted as interventions for clinical depressive symptoms. However, the possible effect and underlying mechanism of Tai Chi on subthreshold depression of young individuals remain unclear. This randomized controlled study aimed to evaluate the effects of Tai Chi training and tested the combined stress and reward circuitry model for subthreshold depression. RESULTS A total of 103 participants completed this trial, with 49 in the 12-week 24-style Tai Chi group and 54 participants in control group. Our results showed significantly lower scores on depressive symptoms (P = 0.002) and anxiety symptoms (P = 0.009) and higher scores on quality of life (P = 0.002) after Tai Chi training. There were significant reductions in salivary cortisol levels (P = 0.007) and putamen gray matter volume (P < 0.001) in the Tai Chi group. The changes in cortisol levels and putamen gray matter volume had direct (bootstrapping confidence interval [- 0.91, - 0.11]) and indirect effects (bootstrapping confidence interval [- 0.65, - 0.19]) on the changes induced by Tai Chi training on depressive symptoms, respectively. CONCLUSION The stress-reward complex results indicated an interaction between lowering stress levels and increasing reward circuitry activity associated with the alleviation of depressive symptoms among participants. The 12-week Tai Chi training was effective in improving the symptoms and quality of life of young adults with subthreshold depression. Trial Registration Chinese Registry of Clinical Trials (Registration Number: ChiCTR1900028289, Registered December 12, 2019).
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Affiliation(s)
- Jingsong Wu
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China
- The Academy of Rehabilitation Industry, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Jian Song
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China
- The Academy of Rehabilitation Industry, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Youze He
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China
- The Academy of Rehabilitation Industry, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhaoying Li
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Haiyin Deng
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Zhenming Huang
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Xiaoting Xie
- College of Rehabilitation Medicine, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China
| | - Nichol M L Wong
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Rm 656, The Jockey Club Tower, Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology and Human Neuroscience, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China
| | - Jing Tao
- National-Local Joint Engineering Research Center of Rehabilitation Medicine Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Fuzhou, People's Republic of China.
- Fujian Key Laboratory of Rehabilitation Technology, Fujian University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, 1 Huatuo Road, Minhou Shangjie, Fuzhou, 350122, Fujian, People's Republic of China.
| | - Tatia M C Lee
- State Key Laboratory of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, The University of Hong Kong, Rm 656, The Jockey Club Tower, Pokfulam Road, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.
- Laboratory of Neuropsychology and Human Neuroscience, The University of Hong Kong, Pokfulam, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.
| | - Chetwyn C H Chan
- Department of Psychology, The Education University of Hong Kong, Tai Po, Hong Kong, People's Republic of China.
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Boyle CC, Bower JE, Eisenberger NI, Irwin MR. Stress to inflammation and anhedonia: Mechanistic insights from preclinical and clinical models. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 152:105307. [PMID: 37419230 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2023.105307] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2022] [Revised: 06/30/2023] [Accepted: 07/04/2023] [Indexed: 07/09/2023]
Abstract
Anhedonia, as evidenced by impaired pleasurable response to reward, reduced reward motivation, and/or deficits in reward-related learning, is a common feature of depression. Such deficits in reward processing are also an important clinical target as a risk factor for depression onset. Unfortunately, reward-related deficits remain difficult to treat. To address this gap and inform the development of effective prevention and treatment strategies, it is critical to understand the mechanisms that drive impairments in reward function. Stress-induced inflammation is a plausible mechanism of reward deficits. The purpose of this paper is to review evidence for two components of this psychobiological pathway: 1) the effects of stress on reward function; and 2) the effects of inflammation on reward function. Within these two areas, we draw upon preclinical and clinical models, distinguish between acute and chronic effects of stress and inflammation, and address specific domains of reward dysregulation. By addressing these contextual factors, the review reveals a nuanced literature which might be targeted for additional scientific inquiry to inform the development of precise interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chloe C Boyle
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, USA.
| | - Julienne E Bower
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, USA; Department of Psychology, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA
| | | | - Michael R Irwin
- Norman Cousins Center for Psychoneuroimmunology, Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior, UCLA, Los Angeles, CA, USA; Department of Psychiatry and Biobehavioral Sciences, UCLA, USA
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Rrapaj A, Landau AM, Winterdahl M. Exploration of possible sex bias in acute social stress research: a semi-systematic review. Acta Neuropsychiatr 2023; 35:205-217. [PMID: 36876342 DOI: 10.1017/neu.2023.16] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 03/07/2023]
Abstract
Stress can have a significant impact on the daily lives of individuals and can increase vulnerability to a number of medical conditions. This study aims to estimate the ratio of male to female participants in acute social stress research in healthy individuals. We examined original research articles published over the last 20 years. Each article was screened to determine the total number of female and male participants. We extracted data from 124 articles involving a total of 9539 participants. A total of 4221 (44.2%) participants were female, 5056 (53.0%) were male and 262 (2.7%) were unreported. Articles incorporating only females were significantly underrepresented compared to articles incorporating only males. Forty articles (63.5%) which presented data from both females and males, failed to analyse and interpret the results by sex, a significant methodological limitation. In conclusion, in the literature published over the last 20 years, female participants are significantly underrepresented. In the studies where females are represented, severe methodological limitations are apparent. Researchers should be conscious of sexual dimorphism, menstrual phase and use of hormonal contraception, which may impact the interpretation of their results.
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Affiliation(s)
- Artemida Rrapaj
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Anne M Landau
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET-Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
| | - Michael Winterdahl
- Translational Neuropsychiatry Unit, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
- Department of Nuclear Medicine and PET-Centre, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark
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Werner M, Borgmann M, Laan E. Sexual Pleasure Matters - and How to Define and Assess It Too. A Conceptual Framework of Sexual Pleasure and the Sexual Response. INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SEXUAL HEALTH : OFFICIAL JOURNAL OF THE WORLD ASSOCIATION FOR SEXUAL HEALTH 2023; 35:313-340. [PMID: 38595929 PMCID: PMC10903685 DOI: 10.1080/19317611.2023.2212663] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/16/2021] [Revised: 05/04/2023] [Accepted: 05/05/2023] [Indexed: 04/11/2024]
Abstract
Objective Sexual pleasure is central to current understandings of sexual function, health, and wellbeing. In this article, we suggest that we lack a sufficiently specific, yet encompassing, definition of sexual pleasure and that we therefore lack comprehensive assessments of sexual pleasure. We introduce a definition of sexual pleasure and position it centrally in an adapted framework of the sexual response. In the framework, we include a taxonomy of rewards which can be retrieved from sex and thereby aim to capture the multifaceted nature of sexual pleasure. Methods/Results Through narrative review, we arrive at the definition, framework, and taxonomy by integrating theories of sexual motivation and response with the literature on sexual pleasure and basic rewards. We position this literature within theories of affect and personality which allows us to differentiate between the experience of and the tendency to experience sexual pleasure (i.e., state versus trait sexual pleasure). We discuss how this conceptualization of sexual pleasure could be reflected in self-report assessments to quantitatively assess sexual pleasure. Conclusions The framework may aid to understand the role of the diverse facets of sexual pleasure in sexual function, health, and wellbeing and contribute to giving sexual pleasure the center position it deserves in sex research and therapy.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marlene Werner
- Department of Sexology and Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - Michèle Borgmann
- Department of Health Psychology and Behavioral Medicine, Institute of Psychology, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Ellen Laan
- Department of Sexology and Psychosomatic Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Amsterdam University Medical Center, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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Bonapersona, Born FJ, Bakvis P, Branje S, Elzinga B, Evers A, van Eysden M, Fernandez G, Habets PC, Hartman CA, Hermans EJ, Meeus W, van Middendorp H, Nelemans S, Oei NY, Oldehinkel AJ, Roelofs K, de Rooij SR, Smeets T, Tollenaar MS, Joëls M, Vinkers CH. The STRESS-NL database: A resource for human acute stress studies across the Netherlands. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2022; 141:105735. [PMID: 35447495 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2022.105735] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/02/2021] [Revised: 01/10/2022] [Accepted: 03/17/2022] [Indexed: 10/18/2022]
Abstract
Stress initiates a cascade of (neuro)biological, physiological, and behavioral changes, allowing us to respond to a challenging environment. The human response to acute stress can be studied in detail in controlled settings, usually in a laboratory environment. To this end, many studies employ acute stress paradigms to probe stress-related outcomes in healthy and patient populations. Though valuable, these studies in themselves often have relatively limited sample sizes. We established a data-sharing and collaborative interdisciplinary initiative, the STRESS-NL database, which combines (neuro)biological, physiological, and behavioral data across many acute stress studies in order to accelerate our understanding of the human acute stress response in health and disease (www.stressdatabase.eu). Researchers in the stress field from 12 Dutch research groups of 6 Dutch universities created a database to achieve an accurate inventory of (neuro)biological, physiological, and behavioral data from laboratory-based human studies that used acute stress tests. Currently, the STRESS-NL database consists of information on 5529 individual participants (2281 females and 3348 males, age range 6-99 years, mean age 27.7 ± 16 years) stemming from 57 experiments described in 42 independent studies. Studies often did not use the same stress paradigm; outcomes were different and measured at different time points. All studies currently included in the database assessed cortisol levels before, during and after experimental stress, but cortisol measurement will not be a strict requirement for future study inclusion. Here, we report on the creation of the STRESS-NL database and infrastructure to illustrate the potential of accumulating and combining existing data to allow meta-analytical, proof-of-principle analyses. The STRESS-NL database creates a framework that enables human stress research to take new avenues in explorative and hypothesis-driven data analyses with high statistical power. Future steps could be to incorporate new studies beyond the borders of the Netherlands; or build similar databases for experimental stress studies in rodents. In our view, there are major scientific benefits in initiating and maintaining such international efforts.
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Affiliation(s)
- Bonapersona
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University,Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - F J Born
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University,Utrecht, The Netherlands; Charité University, Berlin,Germany
| | - P Bakvis
- Clinical Psychology unit, Institute of Psychology and Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University,The Netherlands; SEIN, Epilepsy Institute in the Netherlands,Heemstede,The Netherlands
| | - S Branje
- Department of Youth & Family, Utrecht University,Utrecht,The Netherlands
| | - B Elzinga
- Clinical Psychology unit, Institute of Psychology and Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University,The Netherlands
| | - Awm Evers
- Health, Medical & Neuropsychology unit, Institute of Psychology and Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | - M van Eysden
- Department of Translational Neuroscience, University Medical Center Utrecht Brain Center, Utrecht University,Utrecht, The Netherlands
| | - G Fernandez
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center,Nijmegen,The Netherlands
| | - P C Habets
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Psychiatry,DeBoelelaan 1117, Amsterdam,The Netherlands; Amsterdam Neurosciences, Mood, Anxiety, Psychosis, Stress, and Sleep (MAPSS),Amsterdam, The Netherlands
| | - C A Hartman
- Department of Psychiatry and Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen,Groningen,The Netherlands
| | - E J Hermans
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition, and Behaviour, Radboud University Medical Center,Nijmegen,The Netherlands
| | - W Meeus
- Department of Youth & Family, Utrecht University,Utrecht,The Netherlands
| | - H van Middendorp
- Health, Medical & Neuropsychology unit, Institute of Psychology and Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University, The Netherlands
| | - S Nelemans
- Department of Youth & Family, Utrecht University,Utrecht,The Netherlands
| | - N Y Oei
- Amsterdam Brain and Cognition (ABC), University of Amsterdam,Amsterdam,The Netherlands; Department of Developmental Psychology, Addiction Development and Psychopathology(ADAPT)-Lab, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, University of Amsterdam,Amsterdam,The Netherlands
| | - A J Oldehinkel
- Department of Psychiatry and Interdisciplinary Center Psychopathology and Emotion Regulation, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen,Groningen,The Netherlands
| | - K Roelofs
- Radboud University Nijmegen: Donders Institute for Brain Cognition and Behaviour and Behavioural Science Institute
| | - S R de Rooij
- Department of Epidemiology and Data Science, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam UMC,Amsterdam,The Netherlands
| | - T Smeets
- Department of Medical and Clinical Psychology, Center of Research on Psychological disorders and Somatic diseases (CoRPS), Tilburg School of Social and Behavioral Sciences, Tilburg University,Tilburg,The Netherlands
| | - M S Tollenaar
- Clinical Psychology unit, Institute of Psychology and Leiden Institute for Brain and Cognition, Leiden University,The Netherlands
| | - M Joëls
- University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen,Groningen,The Netherlands
| | - C H Vinkers
- Amsterdam UMC location Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, Psychiatry,DeBoelelaan 1117, Amsterdam,The Netherlands; Amsterdam Neurosciences, Mood, Anxiety, Psychosis, Stress, and Sleep (MAPSS),Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
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10
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Stark R, Markert C, Kruse O, Walter B, Strahler J, Klein S. Individual cortisol response to acute stress influences neural processing of sexual cues. J Behav Addict 2022; 11:506-519. [PMID: 35895611 PMCID: PMC9295234 DOI: 10.1556/2006.2022.00037] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2022] [Revised: 03/28/2022] [Accepted: 04/28/2022] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND AIMS Problematic pornography use can be conceptualized as an impulse control disorder or alternatively as a behavioral addiction. Stress is an important trigger in addiction, but less is known about the neural effect of stress in problematic pornography use. Therefore, we aimed at investigating the effect of stress during the anticipation and viewing of sexually explicit material while considering person characteristics related to potentially being at risk for developing problematic pornography use. METHODS In an fMRI study (n = 157 men, age: mean = 25.46, SD = 4.11) we used a sexual incentive delay task. A social stress test was used to induce stress in half of the participants. Salivary cortisol was repeatedly measured and person characteristics were considered moderating the effects of cortisol response. RESULTS We found no group differences in the neural responses during the anticipation phase, but a higher reactivity to sexual stimuli in the dACC in the stress group. Acute stress activated a pronounced cortisol response, which positively correlated with neural activations in the reward system (NAcc, dACC) to sexual cues. Further, the individual time spent on pornography use moderated the effect of cortisol in some regions of the reward system (dACC, mOFC). DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS Our results suggest that acute stress related increases in cortisol can enhance the incentive value of cues announcing sexual stimuli. This might explain why acute stress is considered a trigger of pornography use and relapse and why individual stress response might be a risk factor for developing a problematic pornography use.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rudolf Stark
- Department of Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany,Bender Institute of Neuroimaging, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany,Center of Mind, Brain and Behavior, Universities of Marburg and Giessen, Germany,Corresponding author. E-mail:
| | - Charlotte Markert
- Department of Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany,Bender Institute of Neuroimaging, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany,Center of Mind, Brain and Behavior, Universities of Marburg and Giessen, Germany
| | - Onno Kruse
- Department of Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany,Bender Institute of Neuroimaging, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany
| | - Bertram Walter
- Department of Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany,Center of Mind, Brain and Behavior, Universities of Marburg and Giessen, Germany
| | - Jana Strahler
- Sportpsychology, Institute of Sport and Sport Sciences, University of Freiburg, Germany
| | - Sanja Klein
- Department of Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany,Bender Institute of Neuroimaging, Justus Liebig University of Giessen, Germany,Center of Mind, Brain and Behavior, Universities of Marburg and Giessen, Germany
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11
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Effects of stress on endophenotypes of suicide across species: A role for ketamine in risk mitigation. Neurobiol Stress 2022; 18:100450. [PMID: 35685678 PMCID: PMC9170747 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2022.100450] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/01/2022] [Revised: 04/05/2022] [Accepted: 04/15/2022] [Indexed: 12/28/2022] Open
Abstract
Suicide is a leading cause of death and morbidity worldwide, yet few interventions are available to mitigate its risk. Barriers to effective treatments involve a limited understanding of factors that predict the onset of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. In the context of suicide risk, stress is a precipitating factor that is largely overlooked in the literature. Indeed, the pathophysiology of stress and suicide are heavily interconnected, underscoring the need to target the stress system in suicide prevention. In this review, we integrate findings from the preclinical and clinical literature that links stress and suicide. We focus specifically on the effects of stress on underlying biological functions and processes associated with suicide, allowing for the review of research using animal models. Owing to the rapid anti-suicidal effects of (R,S)-ketamine, we discuss its ability to modulate various stress-related endophenotypes of suicide, as well as its potential role in preventing suicide in those with a history of chronic life stress (e.g., early life adversity). We highlight future research directions that could advance our understanding of stress-related effects on suicide risk, advocating a dimensional, endophenotype approach to suicide research. Suicide and chronic stress pathophysiology are interconnected. Chronic stress has profound impacts on several endophenotypes of suicide. Animal and human research points to stress as a precipitating factor in suicide. Ketamine modulates specific biological processes associated with stress and suicide. Suicide research into endophenotypes can help inform risk-mitigation strategies.
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12
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Abstract
Anhedonia is a core feature of psychopathological conditions that have recent exposure to stress and trauma as central to their etiology. Indeed, evolutionary accounts of depression suggest that decreased motivation to pursue reward may be an adaptive strategy in the face of social stress, in particular, as it may serve to defuse interpersonal conflict. Through a review of rodent models and research with humans, we show that exposure to stress, particularly when it is chronic, repeated, and/or involves themes of social rejection or defeat, is consistently associated with reduced hedonic capacity ("liking"), motivation to pursue reward ("wanting"), and ability to learn from reward ("reward learning"). Further, across rodent and human research, there is evidence that females show greater stress-induced blunting of reward processing than males. In humans, this sex difference emerges most strongly when examining individual differences in the stress response rather than group differences in stress exposure. We discuss the implications of these findings for understanding the etiology of, and sex differences in, stress-related psychopathology, including depression and addiction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Kate L Harkness
- Department of Psychology, Queen's University, Kingston, ON, Canada.
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13
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Guterstam J, Jayaram-Lindström N, Berrebi J, Petrovic P, Ingvar M, Fransson P, Franck J. The Hypothesis of Subliminal Cue Reactivity in Addiction Revisited: An fMRI Study. Eur Addict Res 2022; 28:210-219. [PMID: 35026761 DOI: 10.1159/000521344] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/25/2020] [Accepted: 11/30/2021] [Indexed: 11/19/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Exposure to conditioned cues is a common trigger of relapse in addiction. It has been suggested that such cues can activate motivationally relevant neurocircuitry in individuals with substance use disorders even without being consciously perceived. We aimed to see if this could be replicated in a sample with severe amphetamine use disorder and a control group of healthy subjects. METHODS We used fMRI to test the hypothesis that individuals with amphetamine use disorder, but not healthy controls, exhibit a specific neural reactivity to subliminally presented pictures related to amphetamine use. Twenty-four amphetamine users and 25 healthy controls were recruited and left data of sufficient quality to be included in the final analysis. All subjects were exposed to drug-related and neutral pictures of short duration (13.3 ms), followed by a backward visual mask image. The contrast of interest was drug versus neutral subliminal pictures. RESULTS There were no statistically significant differences in BOLD signal between the drug and neutral cues, neither in the limbic regions of primary interest nor in exploratory whole-brain analyses. The same results were found both in amphetamine users and controls. DISCUSSION/CONCLUSION We found no evidence of neural reactivity to subliminally presented drug cues in this sample of subjects with severe amphetamine dependence. These results are discussed in relation to the earlier literature, and the evidence for subliminal drug cue reactivity in substance use disorders is questioned.
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Affiliation(s)
- Joar Guterstam
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Nitya Jayaram-Lindström
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Jonathan Berrebi
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Predrag Petrovic
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden.,Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Martin Ingvar
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Peter Fransson
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden
| | - Johan Franck
- Department of Clinical Neuroscience, Centre for Psychiatry Research, Karolinska Institutet, & Stockholm Health Care Services, Stockholm County Council, Stockholm, Sweden
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14
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Cunningham S, Mazurka R, Wynne-Edwards KE, Milev RV, Pizzagalli DA, Kennedy S, Harkness KL. Cortisol reactivity to stress predicts behavioral responsivity to reward moderation by sex, depression, and anhedonia. J Affect Disord 2021; 293:1-8. [PMID: 34153656 DOI: 10.1016/j.jad.2021.05.126] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/11/2020] [Revised: 04/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/31/2021] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
Depression is associated with blunted reactivity to acute stress, as well as blunted responsivity to rewards. However, the extent to which responses to stress are associated with responses to reward in individuals meeting criteria for a depressive disorder is unknown. The goal of this study was to examine the relation of responses to stress and reward, and to determine if this relation is moderated by depression diagnosis, anhedonia, and sex. Participants included 114 adults (68 depressed, 46 non-depressed; 75% women) recruited from the community. Stress reactivity was operationalized as the total salivary cortisol output to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST; Kirschbaum et al., 1993). Response bias to monetary reward was assessed following the TSST recovery period with a probabilistic reward task (PRT; Pizzagalli et al., 2005). In men only, total cortisol output during the TSST was more strongly positively associated with response bias to reward across the three blocks of the PRT. In addition, among depressed participants with high levels of anhedonia, higher cortisol output during the TSST was significantly associated with higher overall response bias to reward. We suggest that in men, the stress and reward systems may both respond quickly, and resolve rapidly, in the face of acute stress. Further, in depression, our findings suggest that anhedonia may represent a specific phenotype in which the stress and reward systems are particularly tuned together.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | - Diego A Pizzagalli
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School & McLean Hospital, United States.
| | - Sidney Kennedy
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Toronto, Canada.
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15
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Simon KR, Merz EC, He X, Desai PM, Meyer JS, Noble KG. Socioeconomic factors, stress, hair cortisol, and white matter microstructure in children. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:e22147. [PMID: 34105766 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22147] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/16/2020] [Revised: 05/12/2021] [Accepted: 05/18/2021] [Indexed: 11/11/2022]
Abstract
Socioeconomic disadvantage has been linked to increased stress exposure in children and adults. Exposure to stress in childhood has been associated with deleterious effects on cognitive development and well-being throughout the lifespan. Further, exposure to stress has been associated with differences in brain development in children, both in cortical and subcortical gray matter. However, less is known about the associations among socioeconomic disadvantage, stress, and children's white matter development. In this study, we investigated whether socioeconomic disparities would be associated with differences in white matter microstructure in the cingulum bundle, as has been previously reported. We additionally investigated whether any such differences could be explained by differences in stress exposure and/or physiological stress levels. White matter tracts were measured via diffusion tensor imaging in 58 children aged 5-9 years. Results indicated that greater exposure to stressful life events was associated with higher child hair cortisol concentrations. Further, physiological stress, as indexed by hair cortisol concentrations, were associated with higher fractional anisotropy in the cingulum bundle. These results have implications for better understanding how perceived and physiological stress may alter neural development during childhood.
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Affiliation(s)
- Katrina R Simon
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Emily C Merz
- Colorado State University, Fort Collins, Colorado, USA
| | - Xiaofu He
- Columbia University Irving Medical Center, New York, New York, USA
| | - Pooja M Desai
- Teachers College, Columbia University, New York, New York, USA
| | - Jerrold S Meyer
- University of Massachusetts Amherst, Amherst, Massachusetts, USA
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16
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Helminen EC, Morton ML, Wang Q, Felver JC. Stress Reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Test in Traditional and Virtual Environments: A Meta-Analytic Comparison. Psychosom Med 2021; 83:200-211. [PMID: 33534392 DOI: 10.1097/psy.0000000000000918] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/24/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE The traditional Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) is a widely used standardized stress induction protocol and has recently been adapted in a variety of virtual reality environments (V-TSST). Research has demonstrated the ability of the V-TSST to induce a stress reactivity response measured via cortisol, heart rate, and self-report. However, research comparing stress reactivity induced via the V-TSST to the traditional TSST across neuroendocrine, cardiovascular, and self-report variables has not yet been systematically and quantitatively reviewed. METHODS In this meta-analytic review, the existing studies that used V-TSST were gathered, and each was age and sex matched with samples using the traditional TSST. These studies were then meta-analytically synthesized to determine if there was a moderating effect of TSST type (traditional TSST or V-TSST) on multiple measures of stress reactivity (i.e., cortisol, heart rate, and self-report). RESULTS Examining the pre-post stress induction, the V-TSST studies demonstrated comparable effect sizes (ESs) for stress reactivity (cortisol ES = 0.61, heart rate ES = 0.98, self-reported stress ES = 0.94) to traditional TSST study ESs (cortisol ES = 0.79, heart rate ES = 0.85, self-reported stress ES = 0.85). CONCLUSIONS The TSST type differences between ESs were not statistically significant, indicating that the V-TSST is as effective as the traditional TSST at eliciting a physiological and self-reported stress reactivity response. Implications and limitations of this meta-analysis are discussed, and recommendations for future research are provided.
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Affiliation(s)
- Emily C Helminen
- From the Departments of Psychology (Helminen, Morton, Felver) and Higher Education (Wang), Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
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17
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Arsalidou M, Vijayarajah S, Sharaev M. Basal ganglia lateralization in different types of reward. Brain Imaging Behav 2021; 14:2618-2646. [PMID: 31927758 DOI: 10.1007/s11682-019-00215-3] [Citation(s) in RCA: 17] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Reward processing is a fundamental human activity. The basal ganglia are recognized for their role in reward processes; however, specific roles of the different nuclei (e.g., nucleus accumbens, caudate, putamen and globus pallidus) remain unclear. Using quantitative meta-analyses we assessed whole-brain and basal ganglia specific contributions to money, erotic, and food reward processing. We analyzed data from 190 fMRI studies which reported stereotaxic coordinates of whole-brain, within-group results from healthy adult participants. Results showed concordance in overlapping and distinct cortical and sub-cortical brain regions as a function of reward type. Common to all reward types was concordance in basal ganglia nuclei, with distinct differences in hemispheric dominance and spatial extent in response to the different reward types. Food reward processing favored the right hemisphere; erotic rewards favored the right lateral globus pallidus and left caudate body. Money rewards engaged the basal ganglia bilaterally including its most anterior part, nucleus accumbens. We conclude by proposing a model of common reward processing in the basal ganglia and separate models for money, erotic, and food rewards.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marie Arsalidou
- Department of Psychology, National Research University Higher School of Economics, Moscow, Russian Federation. .,Department of Psychology, Faculty of Health, York University, Toronto, ON, Canada.
| | - Sagana Vijayarajah
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts and Science, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada
| | - Maksim Sharaev
- Skolkovo Institute of Science and Technology, Moscow, Russian Federation
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18
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Martin-Soelch C, Guillod M, Gaillard C, Recabarren RE, Federspiel A, Mueller-Pfeiffer C, Homan P, Hasler G, Schoebi D, Horsch A, Gomez P. Increased Reward-Related Activation in the Ventral Striatum During Stress Exposure Associated With Positive Affect in the Daily Life of Young Adults With a Family History of Depression. Preliminary Findings. Front Psychiatry 2021; 11:563475. [PMID: 33584359 PMCID: PMC7873952 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyt.2020.563475] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/18/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 12/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Background: Being the offspring of a parent with major depression disorder (MDD) is a strong predictor for developing MDD. Blunted striatal responses to reward were identified in individuals with MDD and in asymptomatic individuals with family history of depression (FHD). Stress is a major etiological factor for MDD and was also reported to reduce the striatal responses to reward. The stress-reward interactions in FHD individuals has not been explored yet. Extending neuroimaging results into daily-life experience, self-reported ambulatory measures of positive affect (PA) were shown to be associated with striatal activation during reward processing. A reduction of self-reported PA in daily life is consistently reported in individuals with current MDD. Here, we aimed to test (1) whether increased family risk of depression is associated with blunted neural and self-reported reward responses. (2) the stress-reward interactions at the neural level. We expected a stronger reduction of reward-related striatal activation under stress in FHD individuals compared to HC. (3) the associations between fMRI and daily life self-reported data on reward and stress experiences, with a specific interest in the striatum as a crucial region for reward processing. Method: Participants were 16 asymptomatic young adults with FHD and 16 controls (HC). They performed the Fribourg Reward Task with and without stress induction, using event-related fMRI. We conducted whole-brain analyses comparing the two groups for the main effect of reward (rewarded > not-rewarded) during reward feedback in control (no-stress) and stress conditions. Beta weights extracted from significant activation in this contrast were correlated with self-reported PA and negative affect (NA) assessed over 1 week. Results: Under stress induction, the reward-related activation in the ventral striatum (VS) was higher in the FHD group than in the HC group. Unexpectedly, we did not find significant group differences in the self-reported daily life PA measures. During stress induction, VS reward-related activation correlated positively with PA in both groups and negatively with NA in the HC group. Conclusion: As expected, our results indicate that increased family risk of depression was associated with specific striatum reactivity to reward in a stress condition, and support previous findings that ventral striatal reward-related response is associated with PA. A new unexpected finding is the negative association between NA and reward-related ventral striatal activation in the HC group.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chantal Martin-Soelch
- IReach Lab, Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Guillod
- IReach Lab, Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Claudie Gaillard
- IReach Lab, Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
- Section on Neurobiology of Fear and Anxiety, National Institutes of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD, United States
| | - Romina Evelyn Recabarren
- IReach Lab, Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Andrea Federspiel
- Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Mueller-Pfeiffer
- Department of Consultation-Liaison-Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Homan
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, Manhasset, NY, United States
- Division of Psychiatry Research, Zucker Hillside Hospital, Northwell Health, New York, NY, United States
- Department of Psychiatry, Zucker School of Medicine at Northwell/Hofstra, Hempstead, NY, United States
| | - Gregor Hasler
- Unit of Psychiatry Research, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Schoebi
- Unit of Clinical Family Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Antje Horsch
- Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland
- Institute of Higher Education and Research in Healthcare, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Patrick Gomez
- Center for Primary Care and Public Health (Unisanté), University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
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19
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Schulreich S, Schwabe L. Causal Role of the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex in Belief Updating under Uncertainty. Cereb Cortex 2021; 31:184-200. [PMID: 32820317 DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhaa219] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/06/2020] [Revised: 06/26/2020] [Accepted: 07/19/2020] [Indexed: 11/14/2022] Open
Abstract
Adaptive performance in uncertain environments depends on the ability to continuously update internal beliefs about environmental states. Recent correlative evidence suggests that a frontoparietal network including the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) supports belief updating under uncertainty, but whether the dlPFC serves a "causal" role in this process is currently not clear. To elucidate its contribution, we leveraged transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the right dlPFC, while 91 participants performed an incentivized belief-updating task. Participants also underwent a psychosocial stress or control manipulation to investigate the role of stress, which is known to modulate dlPFC functioning. We observed enhanced monetary value updating after anodal tDCS when it was normatively expected from a Bayesian perspective. A model-based analysis indicates that this effect was driven by belief updating. However, we also observed enhanced non-normative value updating, which might have been driven instead by expectancy violation. Enhanced normative and non-normative value updating reflected increased vs. decreased Bayesian rationality, respectively. Furthermore, cortisol increases were associated with enhanced positive, but not with negative, value updating. The present study thereby sheds light on the causal role of the right dlPFC in the remarkable human ability to navigate uncertain environments by continuously updating prior knowledge following new evidence.
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Affiliation(s)
- Stefan Schulreich
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement Science, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
| | - Lars Schwabe
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Human Movement Science, Universität Hamburg, 20146 Hamburg, Germany
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20
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Schneider M, Elbau IG, Nantawisarakul T, Pöhlchen D, Brückl T, BeCOME Working Group, Czisch M, Saemann PG, Lee MD, Binder EB, Spoormaker VI. Pupil Dilation during Reward Anticipation Is Correlated to Depressive Symptom Load in Patients with Major Depressive Disorder. Brain Sci 2020; 10:E906. [PMID: 33255604 PMCID: PMC7760331 DOI: 10.3390/brainsci10120906] [Citation(s) in RCA: 11] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/12/2020] [Revised: 11/17/2020] [Accepted: 11/21/2020] [Indexed: 12/18/2022] Open
Abstract
Depression is a debilitating disorder with high prevalence and socioeconomic cost, but the brain-physiological processes that are altered during depressive states are not well understood. Here, we build on recent findings in macaques that indicate a direct causal relationship between pupil dilation and anterior cingulate cortex mediated arousal during anticipation of reward. We translated these findings to human subjects with concomitant pupillometry/fMRI in a sample of unmedicated participants diagnosed with major depression and healthy controls. We could show that the upregulation and maintenance of arousal in anticipation of reward was disrupted in patients in a symptom-load dependent manner. We could further show that the failure to maintain reward anticipatory arousal showed state-marker properties, as it tracked the load and impact of depressive symptoms independent of prior diagnosis status. Further, group differences of anticipatory arousal and continuous correlations with symptom load were not traceable only at the level of pupillometric responses, but were mirrored also at the neural level within salience network hubs. The upregulation and maintenance of arousal during reward anticipation is a novel translational and well-traceable process that could prove a promising gateway to a physiologically informed patient stratification and targeted interventions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Max Schneider
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; (M.S.); (I.G.E.); (T.N.); (D.P.); (T.B.); (BeCOME Working Group); (M.C.); (P.G.S.); (E.B.B.)
| | - Immanuel G. Elbau
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; (M.S.); (I.G.E.); (T.N.); (D.P.); (T.B.); (BeCOME Working Group); (M.C.); (P.G.S.); (E.B.B.)
| | - Teachawidd Nantawisarakul
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; (M.S.); (I.G.E.); (T.N.); (D.P.); (T.B.); (BeCOME Working Group); (M.C.); (P.G.S.); (E.B.B.)
| | - Dorothee Pöhlchen
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; (M.S.); (I.G.E.); (T.N.); (D.P.); (T.B.); (BeCOME Working Group); (M.C.); (P.G.S.); (E.B.B.)
| | - Tanja Brückl
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; (M.S.); (I.G.E.); (T.N.); (D.P.); (T.B.); (BeCOME Working Group); (M.C.); (P.G.S.); (E.B.B.)
| | - BeCOME Working Group
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; (M.S.); (I.G.E.); (T.N.); (D.P.); (T.B.); (BeCOME Working Group); (M.C.); (P.G.S.); (E.B.B.)
| | - Michael Czisch
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; (M.S.); (I.G.E.); (T.N.); (D.P.); (T.B.); (BeCOME Working Group); (M.C.); (P.G.S.); (E.B.B.)
| | - Philipp G. Saemann
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; (M.S.); (I.G.E.); (T.N.); (D.P.); (T.B.); (BeCOME Working Group); (M.C.); (P.G.S.); (E.B.B.)
| | - Michael D. Lee
- Department of Cognitive Sciences, University of California, Irvine, CA 92697-5100, USA;
| | - Elisabeth B. Binder
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; (M.S.); (I.G.E.); (T.N.); (D.P.); (T.B.); (BeCOME Working Group); (M.C.); (P.G.S.); (E.B.B.)
| | - Victor I. Spoormaker
- Department of Translational Research in Psychiatry, Max Planck Institute of Psychiatry, 80804 Munich, Germany; (M.S.); (I.G.E.); (T.N.); (D.P.); (T.B.); (BeCOME Working Group); (M.C.); (P.G.S.); (E.B.B.)
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21
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Harrewijn A, Vidal-Ribas P, Clore-Gronenborn K, Jackson SM, Pisano S, Pine DS, Stringaris A. Associations between brain activity and endogenous and exogenous cortisol - A systematic review. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 120:104775. [PMID: 32592873 PMCID: PMC7502528 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104775] [Citation(s) in RCA: 28] [Impact Index Per Article: 7.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/27/2020] [Revised: 06/10/2020] [Accepted: 06/11/2020] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
To arrive at a coherent understanding of the relation between glucocorticoids and the human brain, we systematically reviewed the literature for studies examining the associations between endogenous or exogenous cortisol and human brain function. Higher levels of endogenous cortisol during psychological stress were related to increased activity in the middle temporal gyrus and perigenual anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), decreased activity in the ventromedial prefrontal cortex, and altered function (i.e., mixed findings, increased or decreased) in the amygdala, hippocampus and inferior frontal gyrus. Moreover, endogenous cortisol response to psychological stress was related to increased activity in the inferior temporal gyrus and altered function in the amygdala during emotional tasks that followed psychological stress. Exogenous cortisol administration was related to increased activity in the postcentral gyrus, superior frontal gyrus and ACC, and altered function in the amygdala and hippocampus during conditioning, emotional and reward-processing tasks after cortisol administration. These findings were in line with those from animal studies on amygdala activity during and after stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Anita Harrewijn
- Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA.
| | - Pablo Vidal-Ribas
- Social and Behavioral Sciences Branch, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, 6710 Rockledge Drive, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Katharina Clore-Gronenborn
- Cleveland Clinic Lerner College of Medicine of Case Western Reserve University, 9501 Euclid Ave. EC10, Cleveland, OH, 44195, USA; Genetic Epidemiology Research Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Sarah M Jackson
- Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Simone Pisano
- Department of Neuroscience, AORN Santobono-Pausilipon, Via Mario Fiore 6, Naples, Italy; Department of Translational Medical Sciences, Federico II University, Via Pansini 5, Naples, Italy
| | - Daniel S Pine
- Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
| | - Argyris Stringaris
- Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, 9000 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD, 20892, USA
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22
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Metz S, Waiblinger-Grigull T, Schulreich S, Chae WR, Otte C, Heekeren HR, Wingenfeld K. Effects of hydrocortisone and yohimbine on decision-making under risk. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2020; 114:104589. [PMID: 32028083 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2020.104589] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2019] [Revised: 01/08/2020] [Accepted: 01/13/2020] [Indexed: 01/02/2023]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Many studies have investigated the influence of stress on decision-making. However, results are equivocal and the exact role of increased noradrenaline and cortisol after stress remains unclear. Using pharmacological manipulation, we investigated the influence of noradrenergic and glucocorticoid activity on risky decision-making in a gambling task that included mixed-gamble trials (gains and losses are possible) and gain-only trials. METHODS AND MATERIALS One hundred-and-four healthy young men participated in our randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-group study. Participants were randomly assigned to one of four groups: (A) yohimbine, (B) hydrocortisone, (C) yohimbine and hydrocortisone, or (D) placebo. Frequency of risky choices, i.e., monetary risk taking, was the dependent variable. We also investigated the influence of hydrocortisone and yohimbine on loss aversion, which is the tendency to overweigh losses compared with gains. RESULTS Participants chose the risky option less often after receiving hydrocortisone compared with no hydrocortisone. This effect was strongest in the gain-only trials. Yohimbine had no effect. Loss aversion was not affected by hydrocortisone or yohimbine. DISCUSSION Decreased reward processing may explain the reduction of risk taking by hydrocortisone in gain-only trials. The effects of stress hormones on different decision-related constructs and processes hence require further investigation.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sophie Metz
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Tina Waiblinger-Grigull
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| | | | - Woo Ri Chae
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Christian Otte
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany
| | - Hauke R Heekeren
- Department of Education and Psychology, Freie Universität Berlin, Germany
| | - Katja Wingenfeld
- Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Berlin Institute of Health, Klinik für Psychiatrie und Psychotherapie, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Berlin, Germany.
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Safron A, Sylva D, Klimaj V, Rosenthal AM, Bailey JM. Neural Responses to Sexual Stimuli in Heterosexual and Homosexual Men and Women: Men's Responses Are More Specific. ARCHIVES OF SEXUAL BEHAVIOR 2020; 49:433-445. [PMID: 31399924 DOI: 10.1007/s10508-019-01521-z] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/15/2018] [Revised: 07/12/2019] [Accepted: 07/15/2019] [Indexed: 05/27/2023]
Abstract
Patterns of genital arousal in response to gendered sexual stimuli (i.e., sexual stimuli presenting members of only one sex at a time) are more predictive of men's than of women's sexual orientations. Additional lines of evidence may shed light on the nature of these differences. We measured neural activation in homosexual and heterosexual men and women using fMRI while they viewed three kinds of gendered sexual stimuli: pictures of nude individuals, pictures of same-sex couples interacting, and videos of individuals self-stimulating. The primary neural region of interest was the ventral striatum (VS), an area of central importance for reward processing. For all three kinds of stimuli and for both VS activation and self-report, men's responses were more closely related to their sexual orientations compared with women's. Furthermore, men showed a much greater tendency to respond more positively to stimuli featuring one sex than to stimuli featuring the other sex, leading to higher correlations among men's responses as well as higher correlations between men's responses and their sexual orientations. Whole-brain analyses identified several other regions showing a similar pattern to the VS, and none showed an opposite pattern. Because fMRI is measured identically in men and women, our results provide the most direct evidence to date that men's sexual arousal patterns are more gender specific than women's.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Safron
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA.
| | | | - Victoria Klimaj
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
- Cognitive Science Program & Department of Informatics, Indiana University, Bloomington, IN, USA
| | - A M Rosenthal
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
| | - J Michael Bailey
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, Evanston, IL, 60208, USA
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Paul M, Bellebaum C, Ghio M, Suchan B, Wolf OT. Stress effects on learning and feedback-related neural activity depend on feedback delay. Psychophysiology 2020; 57:e13471. [PMID: 31976590 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13471] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/21/2018] [Revised: 07/31/2019] [Accepted: 08/02/2019] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Depending on feedback timing, the neural structures involved in learning differ, with the dopamine system including the dorsal striatum and anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) being more important for learning from immediate than delayed feedback. As stress has been shown to promote striatum-dependent learning, the current study aimed to explore if stress differentially affects learning from and processing of immediate and delayed feedback. One group of male participants was stressed using the socially evaluated cold pressor test, and another group underwent a control condition. Subsequently, participants performed a reward learning task with immediate (500 ms) and delayed (6,500 ms) feedback while brain activity was assessed with electroencephalography (EEG). While stress enhanced the accuracy for delayed relative to immediate feedback, it reduced the feedback-related negativity (FRN) valence effect, which is the amplitude difference between negative and positive feedback. For the P300, a reduced valence effect was found in the stress group only for delayed feedback. Frontal theta power was most pronounced for immediate negative feedback and was generally reduced under stress. Moreover, stress reduced associations of FRN and theta power with trial-by-trial accuracy. Associations between stress-induced cortisol increases and EEG components were examined using linear mixed effects analyses, which showed that the described stress effects were accompanied by associations between the stress-induced cortisol increases and feedback processing. The results indicate that stress and cortisol affect different aspects of feedback processing. Instead of an increased recruitment of the dopamine system and the ACC, the results may suggest enhanced salience processing and reduced cognitive control under stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Marcus Paul
- Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Christian Bellebaum
- Biological Psychology, Institute for Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Marta Ghio
- Biological Psychology, Institute for Experimental Psychology, Heinrich-Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Boris Suchan
- Clinical Neuropsychology, Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
| | - Oliver T Wolf
- Cognitive Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, Institute of Cognitive Neuroscience, Ruhr University Bochum, Bochum, Germany
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Gaillard C, Guillod M, Ernst M, Federspiel A, Schoebi D, Recabarren RE, Ouyang X, Mueller-Pfeiffer C, Horsch A, Homan P, Wiest R, Hasler G, Martin-Soelch C. Striatal reactivity to reward under threat-of-shock and working memory load in adults at increased familial risk for major depression: A preliminary study. Neuroimage Clin 2020; 26:102193. [PMID: 32036303 PMCID: PMC7011085 DOI: 10.1016/j.nicl.2020.102193] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/08/2019] [Revised: 12/27/2019] [Accepted: 01/20/2020] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Anhedonia, a core symptom of Major Depressive Disorder (MDD), manifests as a lack or loss of motivation as reflected by decreased reward responsiveness, at both behavioral and neural (i.e., striatum) levels. Exposure to stressful life events is another important risk factor for MDD. However, the mechanisms linking reward-deficit and stress to MDD remain poorly understood. Here, we explore whether the effects of stress exposure on reward processing might differentiate between Healthy Vulnerable adults (HVul, i.e., positive familial MDD) from Healthy Controls (HCon). Furthermore, the well-described reduction in cognitive resources in MDD might facilitate the stress-induced decrease in reward responsiveness in HVul individuals. Accordingly, this study includes a manipulation of cognitive resources to address the latter possibility. METHODS 16 HVul (12 females) and 16 gender- and age-matched HCon completed an fMRI study, during which they performed a working memory reward task. Three factors were manipulated: reward (reward, no-reward), cognitive resources (working memory at low and high load), and stress level (no-shock, unpredictable threat-of-shock). Only the reward anticipation phase was analyzed. Imaging analyses focused on striatal function. RESULTS Compared to HCon, HVul showed lower activation in the caudate nucleus across all conditions. The HVul group also exhibited lower stress-related activation in the nucleus accumbens, but only in the low working memory (WM) load condition. Moreover, while stress potentiated putamen reactivity to reward cues in HVul when the task was more demanding (high WM load), stress blunted putamen reactivity in both groups when no reward was at stake. CONCLUSION Findings suggest that HVul might be at increased risk of developing anhedonic symptoms due to weaker encoding of reward value, higher difficulty to engage in goal-oriented behaviors and increased sensitivity to negative feedback, particularly in stressful contexts. These findings open new avenues for a better understanding of the mechanisms underlying how the complex interaction between the systems of stress and reward responsiveness contribute to the vulnerability to MDD, and how cognitive resources might modulate this interaction.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudie Gaillard
- IReach Lab, Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland; Section on Neurobiology of Fear and Anxiety, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA.
| | - Matthias Guillod
- IReach Lab, Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Monique Ernst
- Section on Neurobiology of Fear and Anxiety, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA
| | - Andrea Federspiel
- Psychiatric Neuroimaging Unit, Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Schoebi
- Unit of Clinical Family Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Romina Evelyn Recabarren
- IReach Lab, Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Xinyi Ouyang
- iBM Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Mueller-Pfeiffer
- Department of Consultation-Liaison-Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Antje Horsch
- Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland; Institute of Higher Education and Research in Healthcare, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Homan
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, New York, New York, USA
| | - Roland Wiest
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gregor Hasler
- Unit of Psychiatry Research, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Chantal Martin-Soelch
- IReach Lab, Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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Salivary cortisol as a non-invasive window on the brain. INTERNATIONAL REVIEW OF NEUROBIOLOGY 2020; 150:1-16. [PMID: 32204827 DOI: 10.1016/bs.irn.2019.12.003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/08/2022]
Abstract
The validation of accurate and meaningful assessment of cortisol in saliva samples has proved revolutionary in stress research. Its many advantages have expanded the scope of investigation from traditional laboratory and clinical settings to include multidisciplinary and community-based research. These developments have given rise to a wealth insight into the links between stress and health. Here we highlight the potential of salivary cortisol as both a product and mediator of brain function, instrumental in disturbing brain health. However, the subtleties of salivary cortisol as a measure can be underestimated, leading to misinterpretation of findings. These issues are explored, with a particular emphasis on necessary methodological rigor. Notwithstanding great promise, there is undeniably more to learn so we conclude by making recommendations for future research including use of salivary cortisol in the development of integrative predictive models of stress-related risk factors and resilience across the life course.
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Tomova L, Saxe R, Klöbl M, Lanzenberger R, Lamm C. Acute stress alters neural patterns of value representation for others. Neuroimage 2019; 209:116497. [PMID: 31899285 DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2019.116497] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/28/2019] [Revised: 12/06/2019] [Accepted: 12/24/2019] [Indexed: 12/20/2022] Open
Abstract
Acute stress is often evoked during social interactions, by feelings of threat or negative evaluation by other people. We also constantly interact with others while under stress - in the workplace or in private alike. However, it is not clear how stress affects social interactions. For one, individuals could become more selfish and focused on their own goals. On the other hand, individuals might also become more focused on affiliating with potential social partners, in order to secure their support. There is, indeed, accumulating behavioral evidence that prosocial behaviors increase rather than decrease under stress. Here, we tested the underlying brain processes of such findings, by assessing the effects of stress on the neural representations of (monetary) value for self and other. Participants (N = 30; male, 18-40 years) played a gambling task for themselves and for another participant while undergoing functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Each participant played the gambling task twice: once immediately following acute stress induction, and once in a control session. We compared neural patterns of value representation in the dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (dmPFC), ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) and striatum using representational similarity analysis (RSA). We found that under stress, dmPFC and striatum showed higher dissimilarity between neural patterns underlying high and low value for the other. Dissimilarity of neural patterns underlying high and low value for the self was unaffected by stress. These findings suggest that participants track the magnitude of possible rewards for others more under stress, suggesting increased prosocial orientation.
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Affiliation(s)
- L Tomova
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, 02139, Massachusetts, USA; Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, University of Vienna, Austria.
| | - R Saxe
- Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, 02139, Massachusetts, USA
| | - M Klöbl
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - R Lanzenberger
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Medical University of Vienna, Austria
| | - C Lamm
- Social, Cognitive and Affective Neuroscience Unit, Department of Basic Psychological Research and Research Methods, University of Vienna, Austria; Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Austria
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How Spirituality May Mitigate Against Stress and Related Mental Disorders: a Review and Preliminary Neurobiological Evidence. Curr Behav Neurosci Rep 2019. [DOI: 10.1007/s40473-019-00195-0] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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Gaillard C, Guillod M, Ernst M, Torrisi S, Federspiel A, Schoebi D, Recabarren RE, Ouyang X, Mueller-Pfeiffer C, Horsch A, Homan P, Wiest R, Hasler G, Martin-Soelch C. Striatal responsiveness to reward under threat-of-shock and working memory load: A preliminary study. Brain Behav 2019; 9:e01397. [PMID: 31557426 PMCID: PMC6790302 DOI: 10.1002/brb3.1397] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/29/2019] [Accepted: 08/03/2019] [Indexed: 01/15/2023] Open
Abstract
INTRODUCTION Reward and stress are important determinants of motivated behaviors. Striatal regions play a crucial role in both motivation and hedonic processes. So far, little is known on how cognitive effort interacts with stress to modulate reward processes. This study examines how cognitive effort (load) interacts with an unpredictable acute stressor (threat-of-shock) to modulate motivational and hedonic processes in healthy adults. MATERIALS AND METHODS A reward task, involving stress with unpredictable mild electric shocks, was conducted in 23 healthy adults aged 20-37 (mean age: 24.7 ± 0.9; 14 females) during functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). Manipulation included the use of (a) monetary reward for reinforcement, (b) threat-of-shock as the stressor, and (c) a spatial working memory task with two levels of difficulty (low and high load) for cognitive load. Reward-related activation was investigated in a priori three regions of interest, the nucleus accumbens (NAcc), caudate nucleus, and putamen. RESULTS During anticipation, threat-of-shock or cognitive load did not affect striatal responsiveness to reward. Anticipated reward increased activation in the ventral and dorsal striatum. During feedback delivery, both threat-of-shock and cognitive effort modulated striatal activation. Higher working memory load blunted NAcc responsiveness to reward delivery, while stress strengthened caudate nucleus reactivity regardless reinforcement or load. CONCLUSIONS These findings provide initial evidence that both stress and cognitive load modulate striatal responsiveness during feedback delivery but not during anticipation in healthy adults. Of clinical importance, sustained stress exposure might go along with dysregulated arousal, increasing therefore the risk for the development of maladaptive incentive-triggered motivation. This study brings new insight that might help to build a framework to understand common stress-related disorders, given that these psychiatric disorders involve disturbances of the reward system, cognitive deficits, and abnormal stress reactivity.
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Affiliation(s)
- Claudie Gaillard
- IReach Lab, Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Matthias Guillod
- IReach Lab, Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Monique Ernst
- Section on Neurobiology of Fear and Anxiety, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Salvatore Torrisi
- Section on Neurobiology of Fear and Anxiety, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD
| | - Andrea Federspiel
- Psychiatric Neuroimaging Unit, Translational Research Center, University Hospital of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Dominik Schoebi
- Unit of Clinical Family Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Romina E Recabarren
- IReach Lab, Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Xinyi Ouyang
- iBM Lab, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Christoph Mueller-Pfeiffer
- Department of Consultation-Liaison-Psychiatry and Psychosomatic Medicine, University Hospital Zurich, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Antje Horsch
- Department Woman-Mother-Child, Lausanne University Hospital, Lausanne, Switzerland.,Institute of Higher Education and Research in Healthcare, University of Lausanne, Lausanne, Switzerland
| | - Philipp Homan
- Center for Psychiatric Neuroscience, Feinstein Institute for Medical Research, New York, NY
| | - Roland Wiest
- Department of Diagnostic and Interventional Neuroradiology, University Hospital of Bern, Bern, Switzerland
| | - Gregor Hasler
- Unit of Psychiatry Research, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
| | - Chantal Martin-Soelch
- IReach Lab, Unit of Clinical and Health Psychology, Department of Psychology, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, Switzerland
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Strahler J, Baranowski AM, Walter B, Huebner N, Stark R. Attentional bias toward and distractibility by sexual cues: A meta-analytic integration. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 105:276-287. [PMID: 31415866 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2019.07.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/16/2018] [Revised: 06/06/2019] [Accepted: 07/20/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
From an evolutionary perspective, sexual stimuli are highly salient and are assumed to be processed with high priority. Hence, attentional processing of sexual cues is expected to not only bias attention but to also distract from other cognitive (foreground) tasks. It is, however, unclear to what extent these stimuli capture attention and whether there are differences between men and women. This meta-analysis combined the results of 32 studies employing experiments of attentional bias toward and distraction by sexual stimuli. From these, 13 studies provided data to examine gender differences. Overall, attentional bias and distractibility was lower than anticipated (gz = 0.43, p < .001) and there was support for the assumption of higher attention bias/interference in men (gs = 0.29, p = .031). Importantly, there was evidence for the presence of publication bias. With this in mind, findings are discussed in the context of stimulus features, the impact of provoked sexual arousal and motivational state, and gender-specific and -nonspecific neural processing of sexual stimuli which influence attention toward them.
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Affiliation(s)
- J Strahler
- Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany.
| | - A M Baranowski
- Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - B Walter
- Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - N Huebner
- Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
| | - R Stark
- Psychotherapy and Systems Neuroscience, Justus Liebig University Giessen, Germany
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Tu BX, Wang LF, Zhong XL, Hu ZL, Cao WY, Cui YH, Li SJ, Zou GJ, Liu Y, Zhou SF, Zhang WJ, Su JZ, Yan XX, Li F, Li CQ. Acute restraint stress alters food-foraging behavior in rats: Taking the easier Way while suffered. Brain Res Bull 2019; 149:184-193. [DOI: 10.1016/j.brainresbull.2019.04.021] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/09/2018] [Revised: 03/12/2019] [Accepted: 04/23/2019] [Indexed: 12/15/2022]
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Vidal-Ribas P, Benson B, Vitale AD, Keren H, Harrewijn A, Fox NA, Pine DS, Stringaris A. Bidirectional Associations Between Stress and Reward Processing in Children and Adolescents: A Longitudinal Neuroimaging Study. BIOLOGICAL PSYCHIATRY: COGNITIVE NEUROSCIENCE AND NEUROIMAGING 2019; 4:893-901. [PMID: 31324591 DOI: 10.1016/j.bpsc.2019.05.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 14] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/22/2019] [Revised: 05/01/2019] [Accepted: 05/21/2019] [Indexed: 01/22/2023]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Aberrations in both neural reward processing and stress reactivity are associated with increased risk for mental illness; yet, how these two factors relate to each other remains unclear. Several studies suggest that stress exposure impacts reward function, thus increasing risk for psychopathology. However, the alternative hypothesis, in which reward dysfunction impacts stress reactivity, has been rarely examined. The current study aimed to test both hypotheses using a longitudinal design. METHODS Participants were 38 children (23 girls; 61%) from a prospective cohort study. A standard stress-exposure measure was collected at 7 years of age. Children performed a well-validated imaging reward paradigm at age 10, and a standardized acute psychological stress laboratory protocol was administered both at age 10 and at age 13. Structural equation modeling was used to examine bidirectional associations between stress and neural response to reward anticipation. RESULTS Higher exposure to stressful life events at age 7 predicted lower neural response to reward anticipation in regions of the basal ganglia at age 10, which included ventral caudate, nucleus accumbens, putamen, and globus pallidus. Lower response to reward anticipation in medial prefrontal and anterior cingulate cortex predicted higher stress reactivity at age 13. CONCLUSIONS Our findings provide support for bidirectional associations between stress and reward processing, in that stress may impact reward anticipation, but also in that reduced reward anticipation may increase susceptibility to stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Pablo Vidal-Ribas
- Mood Brain and Development Unit, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland; Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, United Kingdom.
| | - Brenda Benson
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Aria D Vitale
- Mood Brain and Development Unit, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Hanna Keren
- Mood Brain and Development Unit, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Anita Harrewijn
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Nathan A Fox
- Department of Human Development and Quantitative Methodology, University of Maryland, College Park, Maryland
| | - Daniel S Pine
- Section on Development and Affective Neuroscience, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
| | - Argyris Stringaris
- Mood Brain and Development Unit, Emotion and Development Branch, National Institute of Mental Health, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland
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Smyth N, Flynn M, Rajcani J, F Hucklebridge M, Thorn L, Wood C, Golding J, Evans P, Clow A. Attenuated cortisol reactivity to psychosocial stress is associated with greater visual dependency in postural control. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 104:185-190. [PMID: 30856424 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2019.02.028] [Citation(s) in RCA: 7] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/06/2018] [Revised: 01/21/2019] [Accepted: 02/28/2019] [Indexed: 12/29/2022]
Abstract
Despite known anatomical links between the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the vestibular system, there are no studies on the relationship between postural control and HPA axis function. Visual dependence in postural control, often measured by increased postural sway on exposure to visual motion, is an indication of altered visual-vestibular integration with greater weighting towards visual cues for balance. Visual dependence is more common in older age and a range of vestibular and non-vestibular health conditions. The relationship between visual dependence in postural control was investigated in relation to cortisol reactivity to psychosocial stress (using the Trier Social Stress Test for groups: TSST-G), as an index of HPA axis function, in healthy young females. In those who exhibited a cortisol response (>2 nmol/l), a negative relationship between stress-induced cortisol reactivity and visual dependence in postural control was observed, since those with the largest cortisol response showed less visual motion induced postural sway (measured by force platform). This finding in healthy females indicates that subtle non-clinical differences in vestibular function are associated with dysregulated HPA axis activity as indicated by lower cortisol reactivity to psychosocial stress. It adds to the growing body of evidence linking blunted cortisol reactivity to stress to poor homeostatic regulation and potential negative health and behavioural outcomes.
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Affiliation(s)
- N Smyth
- Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group, Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW, UK.
| | - M Flynn
- Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group, Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW, UK
| | - J Rajcani
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, Comenius University, Gondova 2, 81499 Bratislava, Slovakia
| | - M F Hucklebridge
- Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group, Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW, UK
| | - L Thorn
- Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group, Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW, UK
| | - C Wood
- Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group, Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW, UK
| | - J Golding
- Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group, Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW, UK
| | - P Evans
- Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group, Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW, UK
| | - A Clow
- Psychophysiology and Stress Research Group, Psychology, School of Social Sciences, University of Westminster, 115 New Cavendish Street, London, W1W 6UW, UK
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Prasad S, Knight EL, Mehta PH. Basal testosterone's relationship with dictator game decision-making depends on cortisol reactivity to acute stress: A dual-hormone perspective on dominant behavior during resource allocation. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2019; 101:150-159. [PMID: 30463044 PMCID: PMC6379121 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2018.11.012] [Citation(s) in RCA: 9] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/11/2018] [Revised: 10/05/2018] [Accepted: 11/06/2018] [Indexed: 11/18/2022]
Abstract
The dual-hormone hypothesis proposes that testosterone's relationship with status-seeking behavior is moderated by cortisol. However, research testing this hypothesis has focused on basal cortisol; the potential moderating effect of the acute cortisol response to stress has been largely overlooked. The present research investigated the moderating role of cortisol responses to an acute stressor on basal testosterone's link with dominant, status-relevant decision-making. Also, given the multifaceted nature of the response to acute stress, cardiovascular and affective responses to the stressor were examined as alternative moderators of the testosterone-behavior relationship. Participants (N = 112; 56% female) were exposed to a social-evaluative stressor, and their stress responses were measured. Participants subsequently engaged in a one-shot dictator game, wherein they were asked to split money ($10) with a confederate counterpart. The amount of money participants decided to keep for themselves was treated as a metric of dominant status-seeking behavior. For individuals who demonstrated lower cortisol responses to the stressor, basal testosterone was positively associated with more dominant behavior (i.e., keeping more money for oneself), but for those who showed higher cortisol responses, the testosterone-behavior relationship was suppressed. Moreover, other aspects of the stress response (i.e., cardiovascular and affective responses) did not moderate the relationship between basal testosterone and dictator game behavior. These results provide unique support for the dual-hormone hypothesis using markers of stress-induced cortisol change. The findings also suggest that the antagonistic effects of stress on testosterone's role in motivating status-relevant behavior may be specific to cortisol's role in the acute stress response.
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Affiliation(s)
- Smrithi Prasad
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, United States; Marshall School of Business, University of Southern California, United States.
| | - Erik L Knight
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, United States; Center for Healthy Aging, Pennsylvania State University, United States.
| | - Pranjal H Mehta
- Department of Psychology, University of Oregon, United States; Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, United Kingdom
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35
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A meta-analytical evaluation of the dual-hormone hypothesis: Does cortisol moderate the relationship between testosterone and status, dominance, risk taking, aggression, and psychopathy? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2019; 96:250-271. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2018.12.004] [Citation(s) in RCA: 56] [Impact Index Per Article: 11.2] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/19/2017] [Revised: 12/04/2018] [Accepted: 12/04/2018] [Indexed: 12/28/2022]
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36
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Strahler J, Kruse O, Wehrum-Osinsky S, Klucken T, Stark R. Neural correlates of gender differences in distractibility by sexual stimuli. Neuroimage 2018; 176:499-509. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2018.04.072] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2017] [Revised: 04/06/2018] [Accepted: 04/30/2018] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
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37
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Finke JB, Behrje A, Schächinger H. Acute stress enhances pupillary responses to erotic nudes: Evidence for differential effects of sympathetic activation and cortisol. Biol Psychol 2018; 137:73-82. [PMID: 30025747 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2018.07.005] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/27/2018] [Revised: 07/11/2018] [Accepted: 07/12/2018] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Abstract
Chronic stress attenuates reproductive behavior in many species, but evidence regarding the impact of acute stress on human sexual arousability is insufficient. Stressor-specific effects might result from divergent roles of both stress response systems. Social self-threat, linked to affiliation-oriented coping, might also influence sexual responsivity. To investigate stress-induced modulation of the processing of sexual cues and its relationship with cortisol, 58 participants underwent either a predominantly sympathetic stressor (3 min sustained handgrip) or similar control procedure. In both conditions, half of the sample was monitored by an opposite-sex person (social evaluation). Pupillary responses to erotic nudes were recorded and dissociated into fast and slow PCA components. Physically stressed participants showed enhanced (slow) dilation to explicit pictures. Cortisol levels after stress negatively predicted rapid responses to opposite-sex and (marginally) explicit stimuli. Our results suggest that acute sympathetic stress exposure facilitates cognitive sexual processing, whereas subsequent HPA-axis activation may induce counteracting effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johannes B Finke
- Institute of Psychobiology, Department of Clinical Psychophysiology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany.
| | - Andreas Behrje
- Institute of Psychobiology, Department of Clinical Psychophysiology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
| | - Hartmut Schächinger
- Institute of Psychobiology, Department of Clinical Psychophysiology, University of Trier, Trier, Germany
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38
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Motoki K, Saito T, Nouchi R, Kawashima R, Sugiura M. Tastiness but not healthfulness captures automatic visual attention: Preliminary evidence from an eye-tracking study. Food Qual Prefer 2018. [DOI: 10.1016/j.foodqual.2017.09.014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 22] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/29/2023]
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39
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Margittai Z, Nave G, Van Wingerden M, Schnitzler A, Schwabe L, Kalenscher T. Combined Effects of Glucocorticoid and Noradrenergic Activity on Loss Aversion. Neuropsychopharmacology 2018; 43:334-341. [PMID: 28409566 PMCID: PMC5729575 DOI: 10.1038/npp.2017.75] [Citation(s) in RCA: 24] [Impact Index Per Article: 4.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/04/2017] [Revised: 03/21/2017] [Accepted: 04/04/2017] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
Abstract
Loss aversion is a well-known behavioral regularity in financial decision making, describing humans' tendency to overweigh losses compared to gains of the same amount. Recent research indicates that stress and associated hormonal changes affect loss aversion, yet the underlying neuroendocrine mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here, we investigated the causal influence of two major stress neuromodulators, cortisol and noradrenaline, on loss aversion during financial decision making. In a double-blind, placebo-controlled between-subject design, we orally administered either the α2-adrenergic antagonist yohimbine (increasing noradrenergic stimulation), hydrocortisone, both substances, or a placebo to healthy young men. We tested the treatments' influence on a financial decision-making task measuring loss aversion and risk attitude. We found that both drugs combined, relative to either drug by itself, reduced loss aversion in the absence of an effect on risk attitude or choice consistency. Our data suggest that concurrent glucocorticoid and noradrenergic activity prompts an alignment of reward- with loss-sensitivity, and thus diminishes loss aversion. Our results have implications for the understanding of the susceptibility to biases in decision making.
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Affiliation(s)
- Zsofia Margittai
- Comparative Psychology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Gideon Nave
- Department of Marketing, The Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA, USA
| | | | - Alfons Schnitzler
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
| | - Lars Schwabe
- Department of Cognitive Psychology, Institute of Psychology, University of Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Tobias Kalenscher
- Comparative Psychology, Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany
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40
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van Oort J, Tendolkar I, Hermans EJ, Mulders PC, Beckmann CF, Schene AH, Fernández G, van Eijndhoven PF. How the brain connects in response to acute stress: A review at the human brain systems level. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2017; 83:281-297. [PMID: 29074385 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2017.10.015] [Citation(s) in RCA: 119] [Impact Index Per Article: 17.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/29/2017] [Revised: 10/13/2017] [Accepted: 10/17/2017] [Indexed: 12/26/2022]
Abstract
The brain's response to stress is a matter of extensive neurocognitive research in an attempt to unravel the mechanistic underpinnings of neural adaptation. In line with the broadly defined concept of acute stress, a wide variety of induction procedures are used to mimic stress experimentally. We set out to review commonalities and diversities of the stress-related functional activity and connectivity changes of functional brain networks in healthy adults across procedures. The acute stress response is consistently associated with both increased activity and connectivity in the salience network (SN) and surprisingly also with increased activity in the default mode network (DMN), while most studies show no changes in the central executive network. These results confirm earlier findings of an essential, coordinating role of the SN in the acute stress response and indicate a dynamic role of the DMN whose function is less clear. Moreover, paradigm specific brain responses have to be taken into account when investigating the role and the within and between network connectivity of these three networks.
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Affiliation(s)
- J van Oort
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - I Tendolkar
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - E J Hermans
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Centre for Neuroscience, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - P C Mulders
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - C F Beckmann
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Centre for Neuroscience, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - A H Schene
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - G Fernández
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Centre for Neuroscience, P.O. Box 9010, 6500 GL Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
| | - P F van Eijndhoven
- Department of Psychiatry, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB, Nijmegen, The Netherlands; Department of Cognitive Neuroscience, Radboud University Medical Centre, P.O. Box 9101, 6500 HB Nijmegen, The Netherlands.
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41
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The Effect of Acute Stress on the Calculus of Reward and Punishment. Biol Psychiatry 2017; 82:544-546. [PMID: 28935096 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2017.07.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/26/2017] [Accepted: 07/27/2017] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
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42
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Wernicke M, Hofter C, Jordan K, Fromberger P, Dechent P, Müller JL. Neural correlates of subliminally presented visual sexual stimuli. Conscious Cogn 2017; 49:35-52. [DOI: 10.1016/j.concog.2016.12.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.1] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/18/2016] [Revised: 11/29/2016] [Accepted: 12/12/2016] [Indexed: 01/15/2023]
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43
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Safron A, Sylva D, Klimaj V, Rosenthal AM, Li M, Walter M, Bailey JM. Neural Correlates of Sexual Orientation in Heterosexual, Bisexual, and Homosexual Men. Sci Rep 2017; 7:41314. [PMID: 28145518 PMCID: PMC5286516 DOI: 10.1038/srep41314] [Citation(s) in RCA: 27] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.9] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/25/2016] [Accepted: 12/14/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022] Open
Abstract
Studies of subjective and genital sexual arousal in monosexual (i.e. heterosexual and homosexual) men have repeatedly found that erotic stimuli depicting men’s preferred sex produce strong responses, whereas erotic stimuli depicting the other sex produce much weaker responses. Inconsistent results have previously been obtained in bisexual men, who have sometimes demonstrated distinctly bisexual responses, but other times demonstrated patterns more similar to those observed in monosexual men. We used fMRI to investigate neural correlates of responses to erotic pictures and videos in heterosexual, bisexual, and homosexual men, ages 25–50. Sixty participants were included in video analyses, and 62 were included in picture analyses. We focused on the ventral striatum (VS), due to its association with incentive motivation. Patterns were consistent with sexual orientation, with heterosexual and homosexual men showing female-favoring and male-favoring responses, respectively. Bisexual men tended to show less differentiation between male and female stimuli. Consistent patterns were observed in the whole brain, including the VS, and also in additional regions such as occipitotemporal, anterior cingulate, and orbitofrontal cortices. This study extends previous findings of gender-specific neural responses in monosexual men, and provides initial evidence for distinct brain activity patterns in bisexual men.
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Affiliation(s)
- Adam Safron
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, USA
| | - David Sylva
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente, USA
| | | | - A M Rosenthal
- Department of Psychology, Northwestern University, USA.,Department of Psychiatry, Kaiser Permanente, USA
| | - Meng Li
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany
| | - Martin Walter
- Department of Neurology, Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany
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44
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Peters AT, Van Meter A, Pruitt PJ, Briceño EM, Ryan KA, Hagan M, Weldon AL, Kassel MT, Vederman A, Zubieta JK, McInnis M, Weisenbach SL, Langenecker SA. Acute cortisol reactivity attenuates engagement of fronto-parietal and striatal regions during emotion processing in negative mood disorders. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2016; 73:67-78. [PMID: 27474908 PMCID: PMC5048542 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.07.215] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/28/2016] [Revised: 07/21/2016] [Accepted: 07/21/2016] [Indexed: 12/30/2022]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Depression and bipolar disorder (negative mood disorders, NMD) are associated with dysregulated hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA)-axis function and disrupted emotion processing. The neural networks involved in attenuation of HPA-axis reactivity overlap with the circuitry involved in perception and modulation of emotion; however, direct links between these systems are understudied. This study investigated whether cortisol activity prior to undergoing fMRI was related to neural processing of emotional information in participants with NMD. METHODS Forty-one adults (Mage=40.33, SD=15.57) with major depression (n=29) or bipolar disorder (n=12) and 23 healthy control comparisons (Mage=36.43, SD=17.33) provided salivary cortisol samples prior to completing a facial emotion perception test during 3-Tesla fMRI. RESULTS Overall, pre-scan cortisol level was positively associated with greater engagement of the dorsal anterior cingulate (dACC), inferior parietal lobule, insula, putamen, precuneus, middle and medial frontal and postcentral gyri, posterior cingulate, and inferior temporal gyrus during emotion processing of all faces. NMD status moderated this effect; in NMD participants' pre-scan cortisol was associated with attenuated activation of the insula, postcentral gyrus, precuneus, and putamen for fearful faces and the medial frontal gyrus for angry faces relative to HCs. Cortisol-related attenuation of activation among NMD participants was also observed for facial identification in the dACC, putamen, middle temporal gyrus, precuneus, and caudate. CONCLUSIONS Across all participants, cortisol was associated with greater activation in several regions involved in the perception and control of emotion. However, cortisol responsivity was associated with hypoactivation of several of these regions in the NMD group, suggesting that HPA-axis activity may selectively interfere with the potentially adaptive recruitment of circuits supporting emotion perception, processing and/or regulation in mood disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Amy T. Peters
- University of Illinois at Chicago, Department of Psychiatry, Chicago, IL, USA
| | - Anna Van Meter
- Ferkauf Graduate School, Yeshiva University, Bronx, NY, USA
| | - Patrick J. Pruitt
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Emily M. Briceño
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Kelly A. Ryan
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Melissa Hagan
- Department of Psychology, San Francisco State University, San Francisco, CA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, USA
| | - Anne L. Weldon
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Michelle T. Kassel
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Aaron Vederman
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
| | - Jon-Kar Zubieta
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA
| | - Melvin McInnis
- Department of Psychiatry, University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, USA
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Gola M, Wordecha M, Marchewka A, Sescousse G. Visual Sexual Stimuli-Cue or Reward? A Perspective for Interpreting Brain Imaging Findings on Human Sexual Behaviors. Front Hum Neurosci 2016; 10:402. [PMID: 27574507 PMCID: PMC4983547 DOI: 10.3389/fnhum.2016.00402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 86] [Impact Index Per Article: 10.8] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/27/2016] [Accepted: 07/26/2016] [Indexed: 11/28/2022] Open
Abstract
There is an increasing number of neuroimaging studies using visual sexual stimuli (VSS), especially within the emerging field of research on compulsive sexual behaviors (CSB). A central question in this field is whether behaviors such as excessive pornography consumption share common brain mechanisms with widely studied substance and behavioral addictions. Depending on how VSS are conceptualized, different predictions can be formulated within the frameworks of Reinforcement Learning or Incentive Salience Theory, where a crucial distinction is made between conditioned and unconditioned stimuli (related to reward anticipation vs. reward consumption, respectively). Surveying 40 recent human neuroimaging studies we show existing ambiguity about the conceptualization of VSS. Therefore, we feel that it is important to address the question of whether VSS should be considered as conditioned stimuli (cue) or unconditioned stimuli (reward). Here we present our own perspective, which is that in most laboratory settings VSS play a role of reward, as evidenced by: (1) experience of pleasure while watching VSS, possibly accompanied by genital reaction; (2) reward-related brain activity correlated with these pleasurable feelings in response to VSS; (3) a willingness to exert effort to view VSS similarly as for other rewarding stimuli such as money; and (4) conditioning for cues predictive of VSS. We hope that this perspective article will initiate a scientific discussion on this important and overlooked topic and increase attention for appropriate interpretations of results of human neuroimaging studies using VSS.
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Affiliation(s)
- Mateusz Gola
- Swartz Center for Computational Neuroscience, Institute for Neural Computations, University of California San DiegoSan Diego, CA, USA; Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of SciencesWarsaw, Poland
| | - Małgorzata Wordecha
- Institute of Psychology, Polish Academy of SciencesWarsaw, Poland; Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Neurobiology Center, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of SciencesWarsaw, Poland
| | - Artur Marchewka
- Laboratory of Brain Imaging, Neurobiology Center, Nencki Institute of Experimental Biology of Polish Academy of Sciences Warsaw, Poland
| | - Guillaume Sescousse
- Donders Institute for Brain, Cognition and Behavior, Radboud University Nijmegen, Netherlands
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46
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Johannes Paul Michael J, Primes G, Windhager S, Fieder M, Wallner B. Effects of Socioeconomic Status and Fairness on Salivary Cortisol. EVOLUTIONARY PSYCHOLOGY 2016. [DOI: 10.1177/1474704916653487] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/15/2022] Open
Abstract
Research on cooperation has contributed to a better understanding of the foundations of human social behavior. Most studies, however, have not considered fundamental social parameters such as an individual’s position in a social hierarchy. As a first step, this study investigates the modulating effects of socioeconomic status (SES) on behavior and the physiological stress response. Study participants ( n = 83) played a cooperative game with computerized coplayers of four categories: similar or higher SES in combination with either high or low fairness in behavior (i.e., willingness to cooperate). All participants showed a significant increase in saliva cortisol after the game compared to a control group. Only when paired with higher SES coplayers, however, did participants show a significant subsequent decrease in cortisol concentrations. Participants’ behavior in response to a coplayer’s decisions was only affected by the degree of fairness, but not the SES, of respective coplayers. Physiologically, playing this cooperation game was a big challenge for participants as measured by salivary cortisol. Yet, the high recovery rate when playing with cooperative, higher status individuals showed the stress-protective effects of positive social interactions in the framework of social hierarchies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Georg Primes
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Sonja Windhager
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Martin Fieder
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Bernard Wallner
- Department of Anthropology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Department of Behavioural Biology, Cognitive Science Research Platform, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Yu R. Stress potentiates decision biases: A stress induced deliberation-to-intuition (SIDI) model. Neurobiol Stress 2016; 3:83-95. [PMID: 27981181 PMCID: PMC5146206 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2015.12.006] [Citation(s) in RCA: 64] [Impact Index Per Article: 8.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/01/2015] [Accepted: 12/28/2015] [Indexed: 02/08/2023] Open
Abstract
Humans often make decisions in stressful situations, for example when the stakes are high and the potential consequences severe, or when the clock is ticking and the task demand is overwhelming. In response, a whole train of biological responses to stress has evolved to allow organisms to make a fight-or-flight response. When under stress, fast and effortless heuristics may dominate over slow and demanding deliberation in making decisions under uncertainty. Here, I review evidence from behavioral studies and neuroimaging research on decision making under stress and propose that stress elicits a switch from an analytic reasoning system to intuitive processes, and predict that this switch is associated with diminished activity in the prefrontal executive control regions and exaggerated activity in subcortical reactive emotion brain areas. Previous studies have shown that when stressed, individuals tend to make more habitual responses than goal-directed choices, be less likely to adjust their initial judgment, and rely more on gut feelings in social situations. It is possible that stress influences the arbitration between the emotion responses in subcortical regions and deliberative processes in the prefrontal cortex, so that final decisions are based on unexamined innate responses. Future research may further test this 'stress induced deliberation-to-intuition' (SIDI) model and examine its underlying neural mechanisms.
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Affiliation(s)
- Rongjun Yu
- Department of Psychology, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Neurobiology/Ageing Programme, Life Sciences Institute, National University of Singapore, Singapore; Singapore Institute for Neurotechnology (SINAPSE), Center for Life Sciences, National University of Singapore, Singapore
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48
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Admon R, Holsen LM, Aizley H, Remington A, Whitfield-Gabrieli S, Goldstein JM, Pizzagalli DA. Striatal Hypersensitivity During Stress in Remitted Individuals with Recurrent Depression. Biol Psychiatry 2015; 78:67-76. [PMID: 25483401 PMCID: PMC4383718 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsych.2014.09.019] [Citation(s) in RCA: 59] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/26/2014] [Revised: 08/29/2014] [Accepted: 09/19/2014] [Indexed: 12/22/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increased sensitivity to stress and dysfunctional reward processing are two primary characteristics of major depressive disorder (MDD) that may persist after remission. Preclinical work has established the pivotal role of the striatum in mediating both stress and reward responses. Human neuroimaging studies have corroborated these preclinical findings and highlighted striatal dysfunction in MDD in response to reward but have yet to investigate striatal function during stress, in particular in individuals with recurrent depression. METHODS A validated mild psychological stress task involving viewing of negative stimuli during functional magnetic resonance imaging was conducted in 33 remitted individuals with a history of recurrent major depressive disorder (rMDD) and 35 matched healthy control subjects. Cortisol and anxiety levels were assessed throughout scanning. Stress-related activation was investigated in three striatal regions: caudate, nucleus accumbens, and putamen. Psychophysiologic interaction analyses probed connectivity of regions with central structures of the neural stress circuitry, such as the amygdala and hippocampus. RESULTS The task increased cortisol and anxiety levels, although to a greater extent in rMDD individuals than healthy control subjects. In response to the negative stimuli, rMDD individuals, but not controls, also exhibited significantly potentiated caudate, nucleus accumbens, and putamen activations and increased caudate-amygdala and caudate-hippocampus connectivity. CONCLUSIONS The findings highlight striatal hypersensitivity in response to a mild psychological stress in rMDD, as manifested by hyperactivation and hyperconnectivity with the amygdala and hippocampus. Striatal hypersensitivity during stress might thus constitute a trait mark of depression, providing a potential neural substrate for the interaction between stress and reward dysfunction in MDD.
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Affiliation(s)
- Roee Admon
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Laura M. Holsen
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology, Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Harlyn Aizley
- Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology, Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Anne Remington
- Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology, Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA
| | - Susan Whitfield-Gabrieli
- Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Charlestown, MA, USA,Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Cambridge, MA, USA
| | - Jill M. Goldstein
- Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,Connors Center for Women's Health and Gender Biology, Division of Women's Health, Department of Medicine, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Brigham & Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA,Athinoula A. Martinos Center, Massachusetts General Hospital and Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Charlestown, MA, USA
| | - Diego A. Pizzagalli
- Center for Depression, Anxiety and Stress Research, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA,Department of Psychiatry, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA,McLean Imaging Center, McLean Hospital, Belmont, MA, USA
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Brkic S, Söderpalm B, Söderpalm Gordh A. A family history of Type 1 alcoholism differentiates alcohol consumption in high cortisol responders to stress. Pharmacol Biochem Behav 2014; 130:59-66. [PMID: 25543065 DOI: 10.1016/j.pbb.2014.12.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 5] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/04/2014] [Revised: 11/21/2014] [Accepted: 12/18/2014] [Indexed: 11/30/2022]
Abstract
BACKGROUND The differentiation between high and low cortisol responders to stress is of interest in determining the risk factors which may, along with genetic vulnerability, influence alcohol intake. STUDY 1 METHODS Thirty-two healthy volunteers, family history positive to alcoholism (FHP, n = 16) and family history negative (FHN, n = 16) attended two laboratory sessions during which alcohol or placebo was offered. RESULTS There were no differences in consumption of alcohol or placebo between FHP and FHN subjects. STUDY 2: METHODS Fifty-eight healthy social drinkers, FHP (n = 27) and FHN (n = 31) attended two laboratory sessions. They were administered either alcohol or placebo in both sessions they attended. All subjects underwent either a stress task (the Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) or a stress-free period, at two separate occasions, before being offered beverage. After the salivary cortisol analysis, subjects in each group were divided into high (HCR) or low (LCR) cortisol responders. RESULTS After stress, subjects who were FHP-HCR consumed more alcohol than FHN-HCR. There were no differences in the placebo intake between FHP and FHN subjects regardless of their cortisol response. CONCLUSIONS This result indicates that stress promotes alcohol consumption only in subjects with a family history of Type 1 alcoholism who show an increase in cortisol response to stress. This behaviour is similar to that previously observed in alcohol dependent individuals after stress and thus could represent an endophenotype posing a risk for future development of alcohol use disorders.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sejla Brkic
- Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Bo Söderpalm
- Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Beroendekliniken, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Gothenburg, Sweden
| | - Anna Söderpalm Gordh
- Addiction Biology Unit, Department of Psychiatry and Neurochemistry, Institute of Neuroscience and Physiology, The Sahlgrenska Academy at University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden.
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Contoreggi C. Corticotropin releasing hormone and imaging, rethinking the stress axis. Nucl Med Biol 2014; 42:323-39. [PMID: 25573209 DOI: 10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2014.11.008] [Citation(s) in RCA: 13] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2014] [Revised: 11/07/2014] [Accepted: 11/19/2014] [Indexed: 11/25/2022]
Abstract
The stress system provides integration of both neurochemical and somatic physiologic functions within organisms as an adaptive mechanism to changing environmental conditions throughout evolution. In mammals and primates the complexity and sophistication of these systems have surpassed other species in triaging neurochemical and physiologic signaling to maximize chances of survival. Corticotropin releasing hormone (CRH) and its related peptides and receptors have been identified over the last three decades and are fundamental molecular initiators of the stress response. They are crucial in the top down regulatory cascade over a myriad of neurochemical, neuroendocrine and sympathetic nervous system events. From neuroscience, we've seen that stress activation impacts behavior, endocrine and somatic physiology and influences neurochemical events that one can capture in real time with current imaging technologies. To delineate these effects one can demonstrate how the CRH neuronal networks infiltrate critical cognitive, emotive and autonomic regions of the central nervous system (CNS) with somatic effects. Abundant preclinical and clinical studies show inter-regulatory actions of CRH with multiple neurotransmitters/peptides. Stress, both acute and chronic has epigenetic effects which magnify genetic susceptibilities to alter neurochemistry; stress system activation can add critical variables in design and interpretation of basic and clinical neuroscience and related research. This review will attempt to provide an overview of the spectrum of known functions and speculative actions of CRH and stress responses in light of imaging technology and its interpretation. Metabolic and neuroreceptor positron emission/single photon tomography (PET/SPECT), functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI), anatomic MRI, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI), and proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (pMRS) are technologies that can delineate basic mechanisms of neurophysiology and pharmacology. Stress modulates the myriad of neurochemical and networks within and controlled through the central and peripheral nervous system and the effects of stress activation on imaging will be highlighted.
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Affiliation(s)
- Carlo Contoreggi
- Intramural Research Program (IRP), National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA), National Institutes of Health (NIH), Baltimore, MD, 21224.
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