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Picciotto G, Fabio RA. Does stress induction affect cognitive performance or avoidance of cognitive effort? Stress Health 2024; 40:e3280. [PMID: 37306658 DOI: 10.1002/smi.3280] [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: 02/01/2023] [Revised: 05/07/2023] [Accepted: 05/21/2023] [Indexed: 06/13/2023]
Abstract
Previous research has shown that acute psychosocial stress impairs cognitive abilities, but recent studies suggest that this may be due to a decrease in willingness to engage in cognitive effort rather than a direct effect on performance. The aim of the present study was to replicate this last research and verify the influence of acute stress on avoidance of cognitive effort and cognitive performance. Fifty young, healthy individuals (26 females, 24 males) aged between 18 and 40 years were randomly assigned to two groups: a stress condition and a control condition. We used a Demand Selection Task paradigm (DST), in which participants chose between performing tasks that required either high or low cognitive effort. Stress was induced through the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and measured with both subjective and psychophysiological measurements. The results indicated that acute stress significantly increased participants' preference for less demanding behaviors, while no significant alterations in cognitive performance in task change activities were found. This study offers new perspectives on how stress affects behavior and decision-making in everyday life.
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Kelley DP, Albrechet‐Souza L, Cruise S, Maiya R, Destouni A, Sakamuri SSVP, Duplooy A, Hibicke M, Nichols C, Katakam PVG, Gilpin NW, Francis J. Conditioned place avoidance is associated with a distinct hippocampal phenotype, partly preserved pattern separation, and reduced reactive oxygen species production after stress. GENES, BRAIN, AND BEHAVIOR 2023; 22:e12840. [PMID: 36807494 PMCID: PMC10067435 DOI: 10.1111/gbb.12840] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/28/2022] [Revised: 01/23/2023] [Accepted: 01/23/2023] [Indexed: 02/20/2023]
Abstract
Stress is associated with contextual memory deficits, which may mediate avoidance of trauma-associated contexts in posttraumatic stress disorder. These deficits may emerge from impaired pattern separation, the independent representation of similar experiences by the dentate gyrus-Cornu Ammonis 3 (DG-CA3) circuit of the dorsal hippocampus, which allows for appropriate behavioral responses to specific environmental stimuli. Neurogenesis in the DG is controlled by mitochondrial reactive oxygen species (ROS) production, and may contribute to pattern separation. In Experiment 1, we performed RNA sequencing of the dorsal hippocampus 16 days after stress in rats that either develop conditioned place avoidance to a predator urine-associated context (Avoiders), or do not (Non-Avoiders). Weighted genome correlational network analysis showed that increased expression of oxidative phosphorylation-associated gene transcripts and decreased expression of gene transcripts for axon guidance and insulin signaling were associated with avoidance behavior. Based on these data, in Experiment 2, we hypothesized that Avoiders would exhibit elevated hippocampal (HPC) ROS production and degraded object pattern separation (OPS) compared with Nonavoiders. Stress impaired pattern separation performance in Non-Avoider and Avoider rats compared with nonstressed Controls, but surprisingly, Avoiders exhibited partly preserved pattern separation performance and significantly lower ROS production compared with Non-Avoiders. Lower ROS production was associated with better OPS performance in Stressed rats, but ROS production was not associated with OPS performance in Controls. These results suggest a strong negative association between HPC ROS production and pattern separation after stress, and that stress effects on these outcome variables may be associated with avoidance of a stress-paired context.
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Affiliation(s)
- D. Parker Kelley
- Comparative Biomedical SciencesLouisiana State University School of Veterinary MedicineBaton RougeLouisianaUSA
- Department of PhysiologyLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Lucas Albrechet‐Souza
- Department of Cell Biology & AnatomyLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- Alcohol & Drug Abuse Center of ExcellenceLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Shealan Cruise
- Department of PhysiologyLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Rajani Maiya
- Department of PhysiologyLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Aspasia Destouni
- Comparative Biomedical SciencesLouisiana State University School of Veterinary MedicineBaton RougeLouisianaUSA
| | | | - Alexander Duplooy
- Comparative Biomedical SciencesLouisiana State University School of Veterinary MedicineBaton RougeLouisianaUSA
| | - Meghan Hibicke
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental TherapeuticsLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Charles Nichols
- Alcohol & Drug Abuse Center of ExcellenceLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- Department of Pharmacology and Experimental TherapeuticsLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Prasad V. G. Katakam
- Department of PharmacologyTulane University School of MedicineNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Nicholas W. Gilpin
- Department of PhysiologyLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- Alcohol & Drug Abuse Center of ExcellenceLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- Neuroscience Center of ExcellenceLouisiana State University Health Sciences CenterNew OrleansLouisianaUSA
- Southeast Louisiana VA Healthcare System (SLVHCS)New OrleansLouisianaUSA
| | - Joseph Francis
- Comparative Biomedical SciencesLouisiana State University School of Veterinary MedicineBaton RougeLouisianaUSA
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Moses TE, Gray E, Mischel N, Greenwald MK. Effects of neuromodulation on cognitive and emotional responses to psychosocial stressors in healthy humans. Neurobiol Stress 2023; 22:100515. [PMID: 36691646 PMCID: PMC9860364 DOI: 10.1016/j.ynstr.2023.100515] [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: 08/10/2022] [Revised: 12/19/2022] [Accepted: 01/09/2023] [Indexed: 01/12/2023] Open
Abstract
Physiological and psychological stressors can exert wide-ranging effects on the human brain and behavior. Research has improved understanding of how the sympatho-adreno-medullary (SAM) and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical (HPA) axes respond to stressors and the differential responses that occur depending on stressor type. Although the physiological function of SAM and HPA responses is to promote survival and safety, exaggerated psychobiological reactivity can occur in psychiatric disorders. Exaggerated reactivity may occur more for certain types of stressors, specifically, psychosocial stressors. Understanding stressor effects and how the body regulates these responses can provide insight into ways that psychobiological reactivity can be modulated. Non-invasive neuromodulation is one way that responding to stressors may be altered; research into these interventions may provide further insights into the brain circuits that modulate stress reactivity. This review focuses on the effects of acute psychosocial stressors and how neuromodulation might be effective in altering stress reactivity. Although considerable research into stress interventions focuses on treating pathology, it is imperative to first understand these mechanisms in non-clinical populations; therefore, this review will emphasize populations with no known pathology and consider how these results may translate to those with psychiatric pathologies.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | - Mark K. Greenwald
- Corresponding author. Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Neurosciences, Tolan Park Medical Building, 3901 Chrysler Service Drive, Suite 2A, Detroit, MI, 48201, USA.
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The association between acute stress & empathy: A systematic literature review. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2023; 144:105003. [PMID: 36535374 DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.105003] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2022] [Revised: 12/09/2022] [Accepted: 12/12/2022] [Indexed: 12/23/2022]
Abstract
Empathy is a fundamental component of our social-emotional experience. Over the last decade, there has been increased interest in understanding the effects of acute stress on empathy. We provide a first comprehensive-and systematic-overview identifying emerging patterns and gaps in this literature. Regarding affective empathy, there is abundant evidence for stress contagion-the 'spillover' of stress from a stressed target to an unstressed perceiver. We highlight contextual factors that can facilitate and/or undermine these effects. Fewer studies have investigated the effects of acute stress on affective empathy, revealing a nuanced picture, some evidence suggests acute stress can block contagion of other's emotions; but again contextual differences need to be considered. Regarding cognitive empathy, most studies find no conclusive effects for simplistic measures of emotion recognition; however, studies using more complex empathy tasks find that acute stress might affect cognitive empathy differentially for men and women. This review provides an important first step towards understanding how acute stress can impact social-togetherness, and aims to aid future research by highlighting (in)congruencies and outstanding questions.
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Nitschke JP, Forbes PA, Lamm C. Does stress make us more—or less—prosocial? A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of acute stress on prosocial behaviours using economic games. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 2022; 142:104905. [DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2022.104905] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/15/2022] [Revised: 09/16/2022] [Accepted: 10/02/2022] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
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Huang Y, Wang H, Yang C, Luo Y, Ding Y, Jin H, Wen S. Evaluation of changes in the cognitive function of adult cynomolgus monkeys under stress induced by audio-visual stimulation by applying modified finger maze test. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:959174. [PMID: 36389243 PMCID: PMC9660267 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.959174] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2022] [Accepted: 08/26/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Stress in life is ubiquitous and unavoidable. Prolonged exposure to severe stress can lead to physical intolerance and impair cognitive function. Non-human primates are considered to be the best animal model for studying cognitive function, especially memory and attention. The finger maze test, with the advantages of short training time and lower cost, is recommended to evaluate learning and memory in non-human primates. In this study, we modified the finger maze test method to evaluate the cognitive function of single-housed cynomolgus monkeys. The flexibility and attention of cynomolgus monkeys were assessed by performing the complex task test and the stranger intrusion interference test, respectively, which increased the difficulty of obtaining rewards, and the ability of long-term memory was also evaluated by the memory test. Furthermore, the changes in cognitive function of the cynomolgus monkeys were tested by using the finger maze test after audio-visual stimulation, and the changes in the cortisol levels during stimulation were also analyzed. We found that, after completing the learning test, there was no significant decrease in their success rate when monkeys processed multitasks at the same time. In the stranger intrusion interference test, all subjects were distracted, but the accuracy did not decrease. The monkeys completed the memory tests in the 1st and 2nd months after the learning tests, with a high success rate. However, the success rate decreased significantly at the end of the 4th month. During audio-visual stimulation, the plasma cortisol level significantly increased in the first 2 months and was maintained at a high level thereafter. One month after audio-visual stimulation, the accuracy of the memory test was significantly reduced, and the total time of distraction was significantly prolonged. In conclusion, chronic audio-visual stimulation can increase blood cortisol levels and impair cognitive function. The modified finger maze test can evaluate many aspects of cognitive function and assess the changes in the cognitive function of adult cynomolgus monkeys under stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ying Huang
- Department of Psychology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Hong Wang
- Department of Psychology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Chen Yang
- Department of Psychology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yuchong Luo
- Department of Psychology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
| | - Yongyan Ding
- Hong Kong and Macao Central Nervous Regeneration Research Institute, Ji'nan University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Hongjun Jin
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Biomedical Imaging, Guangdong Provincial Engineering Research Center of Molecular Imaging, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
- *Correspondence: Hongjun Jin
| | - Shenglin Wen
- Department of Psychology, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China
- Shenglin Wen
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Wang H, Sun N, Wang X, Han J, Zhang Y, Huang Y, Zhou W. A touchscreen-based paradigm to measure visual pattern separation and pattern completion in mice. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:947742. [PMID: 36090275 PMCID: PMC9449699 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.947742] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/19/2022] [Accepted: 07/29/2022] [Indexed: 11/27/2022] Open
Abstract
Memory accuracy involves two major processes: pattern separation and pattern completion. Pattern separation refers to the ability to reduce overlap among similar inputs to avoid interference, and pattern completion refers to the ability to retrieve the whole information from partial or degraded cues. Impairments in pattern separation/pattern completion contribute to cognitive deficits in several diseases of the nervous system. Therefore, it is better to evaluate both pattern separation and pattern completion in one apparatus. However, few tools are available to assess pattern separation and pattern completion within the same apparatus for rodents. In this study, we designed a series of images with varying degrees of similarity to the correct image to evaluate pattern separation and pattern completion. First, mice were trained to discriminate between two totally different images, and once the correct percentage reached above 77% for two consecutive days, the images with different degrees of similarity were used to measure pattern separation and pattern completion. The results showed the mice performed progressively worse from S0 to S4 (increasing similarity) when discriminating similar images in pattern separation, and the mice performed progressively worse from C0 to C4 (decreasing cues information) when recalling the correct image according to partial cues in pattern completion, implying a good image similarity-dependent manner for memory accuracy evaluation. In sum, we designed a convenient, effective paradigm to evaluate pattern separation and pattern completion based on a touchscreen pairwise discrimination task, which may provide a new method for the studies of the effects and mechanisms of memory accuracy enhancing drugs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hao Wang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Na Sun
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Xinyue Wang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Jinyuan Han
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Yongxiang Zhang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
| | - Yan Huang
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- *Correspondence: Yan Huang,
| | - Wenxia Zhou
- Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- State Key Laboratory of Toxicology and Medical Countermeasures, Beijing Institute of Pharmacology and Toxicology, Beijing, China
- Wenxia Zhou,
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Bogdanov M, Nitschke JP, LoParco S, Bartz JA, Otto AR. Acute Psychosocial Stress Increases Cognitive-Effort Avoidance. Psychol Sci 2021; 32:1463-1475. [PMID: 34464216 DOI: 10.1177/09567976211005465] [Citation(s) in RCA: 19] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Adverse effects following acute stress are traditionally thought to reflect functional impairments of central executive-dependent cognitive-control processes. However, recent evidence demonstrates that cognitive-control application is perceived as effortful and aversive, indicating that stress-related decrements in cognitive performance could denote decreased motivation to expend effort instead. To investigate this hypothesis, we tested 40 young, healthy individuals (20 female, 20 male) under both stress and control conditions in a 2-day study that had a within-subjects design. Cognitive-effort avoidance was assessed using the demand-selection task, in which participants chose between performing low-demand and high-demand variants of a task-switching paradigm. We found that acute stress indeed increased participants' preference for less demanding behavior, whereas task-switching performance remained intact. Additional Bayesian and multiverse analyses confirmed the robustness of this effect. Our findings provide novel insights into how stressful experiences shape behavior by modulating our motivation to employ cognitive control.
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Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Sophia LoParco
- Department of Psychology, McGill University
- Integrated Program in Neuroscience, McGill University
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Keeler J, Lambert E, Olivola M, Owen J, Xia J, Thuret S, Himmerich H, Cardi V, Treasure J. Lower pattern recognition memory scores in anorexia nervosa. J Eat Disord 2021; 9:49. [PMID: 33865451 PMCID: PMC8052530 DOI: 10.1186/s40337-021-00406-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/07/2020] [Accepted: 04/07/2021] [Indexed: 11/10/2022] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND There is extensive evidence for volumetric reductions in the hippocampus in patients with anorexia nervosa (AN), however the impact on function is unclear. Pattern separation and recognition are hippocampus-dependent forms of learning thought to underlie stimulus discrimination. METHODS The present study used the Mnemonic Similarity Task to investigate pattern separation and recognition for the first time in patients with AN (N = 46) and healthy controls (N = 56). An Analysis of Covariance examined between-group differences, controlling for age, antidepressant use and method of task delivery (remote vs. in person). RESULTS When controlling for covariates, pattern recognition memory scores were lower in the AN group with a medium effect size (d = 0.51). In contrast, there was a small effect whereby patients with AN had a greater pattern separation score than controls (d = 0.34), albeit this difference was not significant at the p = 0.05 threshold (p = 0.133). Furthermore, pattern separation and recognition memory abilities were not related to age, body mass index, eating disorder psychopathology or trait anxiety levels. CONCLUSIONS This preliminary study provides initial evidence for an imbalance in pattern separation and recognition abilities in AN, a hippocampus-dependent cognitive ability. Further studies should endeavour to investigate pattern separation and recognition performance further in AN, as well as investigate other hippocampus-dependent functions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Johanna Keeler
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK.
| | - Ellen Lambert
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Miriam Olivola
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- Department of Mental Health and Addictions, Azienda Socio-Sanitaria Territoriale di Pavia, Pavia, Italy
| | - Judith Owen
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Jingjing Xia
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Sandrine Thuret
- Department of Basic and Clinical Neuroscience, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, London, UK
- Department of Neurology, University Hospital Carl Gustav Carus, Technische Universität Dresden, Dresden, Germany
| | - Hubertus Himmerich
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
| | - Valentina Cardi
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
- Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Padova, Italy
| | - Janet Treasure
- Section of Eating Disorders, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King's College London, 103 Denmark Hill, London, SE5 8AF, UK
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