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Voderholzer U, Meule A, Koch S, Pfeuffer S, Netter AL, Lehr D, Zisler EM. Effectiveness of One Videoconference-Based Exposure and Response Prevention Session at Home in Adjunction to Inpatient Treatment in Persons With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder: Nonrandomized Study. JMIR Ment Health 2024; 11:e52790. [PMID: 38477970 DOI: 10.2196/52790] [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: 09/15/2023] [Revised: 11/24/2023] [Accepted: 12/19/2023] [Indexed: 03/14/2024] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Therapist-guided exposure and response prevention (ERP) for the treatment of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) is frequently conducted within clinical settings but rarely at places where patients are usually confronted with OCD symptom-provoking situations in daily life (eg, at home). OBJECTIVE This study aimed to investigate patients' views on 1 ERP session at home via videoconference and its impact on treatment outcome. METHODS A total of 64 inpatients with OCD received 1 session of therapist-guided videoconference-based ERP at home in adjunction to a multimodal inpatient treatment between 2015 and 2020. RESULTS Compared with 64 age- and sex-matched controls who received a multimodal inpatient treatment without 1 session of videoconference-based ERP at home, patients who received 1 session of videoconference-based ERP in adjunction to a multimodal inpatient treatment showed stronger reductions in OCD symptom severity from admission to discharge. Before the videoconference-based ERP session, patients reported high rationale credibility and treatment expectancy. After the videoconference-based ERP session, patients reported medium-to-high positive mood as well as depth and smoothness of the session, and they perceived the working alliance as high. CONCLUSIONS Results highlight the importance of administering therapist-guided ERP sessions in patients' natural environment to enhance treatment response in OCD. Videoconference-based ERP as add-on to treatment as usual is, therefore, a promising approach to facilitate the application of ERP in patients' natural environment and foster the generalization of ERP conducted in clinical settings.
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Affiliation(s)
- Ulrich Voderholzer
- Schoen Clinic Roseneck, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Medical Center, Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, Germany
| | - Adrian Meule
- Schoen Clinic Roseneck, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
- Institute of Medical Psychology, Faculty of Medicine, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Stefan Koch
- Schoen Clinic Roseneck, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany
| | | | | | - Dirk Lehr
- Leuphana Universität Lüneburg, Lüneburg, Germany
| | - Eva Maria Zisler
- Schoen Clinic Roseneck, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, LMU Munich, Munich, Germany
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2
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Varshney A, Munns ME, Kasowski J, Zhou M, He C, Grafton ST, Giesbrecht B, Hegarty M, Beyeler M. Stress affects navigation strategies in immersive virtual reality. Sci Rep 2024; 14:5949. [PMID: 38467699 PMCID: PMC10928118 DOI: 10.1038/s41598-024-56048-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/27/2023] [Accepted: 03/01/2024] [Indexed: 03/13/2024] Open
Abstract
There are known individual differences in both the ability to learn the layout of novel environments and the flexibility of strategies for navigating known environments. However, it is unclear how navigational abilities are impacted by high-stress scenarios. Here we used immersive virtual reality (VR) to develop a novel behavioral paradigm to examine navigation under dynamically changing situations. We recruited 48 participants (24 female; ages 17-32) to navigate a virtual maze (7.5 m × 7.5 m). Participants learned the maze by moving along a fixed path past the maze's landmarks (paintings). Subsequently, participants experienced either a non-stress condition, or a high-stress condition tasking them with navigating the maze. In the high-stress condition, their initial path was blocked, the environment was darkened, threatening music was played, fog obstructed more distal views of the environment, and participants were given a time limit of 20 s with a countdown timer displayed at the top of their screen. On trials where the path was blocked, we found self-reported stress levels and distance traveled increased while trial completion rate decreased (as compared to non-stressed control trials). On unblocked stress trials, participants were less likely to take a shortcut and consequently navigated less efficiently compared to control trials. Participants with more trait spatial anxiety reported more stress and navigated less efficiently. Overall, our results suggest that navigational abilities change considerably under high-stress conditions.
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Affiliation(s)
- Apurv Varshney
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Mitchell E Munns
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA.
| | - Justin Kasowski
- Interdepartmental Graduate Program in Dynamical Neuroscience, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Mantong Zhou
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Chuanxiuyue He
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Scott T Grafton
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Barry Giesbrecht
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Mary Hegarty
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
| | - Michael Beyeler
- Department of Computer Science, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
- Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences, University of California, Santa Barbara, CA, USA
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3
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Nan Y, Mehta P, Liao J, Zheng Y, Han C, Wu Y. Testosterone administration decreases sensitivity to angry facial expressions in healthy males: A computational modeling approach. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2024; 161:106948. [PMID: 38211451 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106948] [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: 08/09/2023] [Revised: 11/10/2023] [Accepted: 12/23/2023] [Indexed: 01/13/2024]
Abstract
Previous research indicates that higher testosterone levels are related to increased aggressive and dominant behaviors, particularly in males. One possible mechanism for these hormone-behavior associations could involve threat perception. However, the causal influence of testosterone on men's recognition of threatening facial expressions remains unknown. Here, we tested the causal effect of exogenous testosterone on men's sensitivity to facial threat by combining a psychophysical task with computational modeling. We administered a single dose (150 mg) of testosterone or placebo gel to healthy young men (n = 120) in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-participant design. Participants were presented with morphed emotional faces mixing anger/fear and neutral expressions and made judgments about the emotional expression. Across typical regression analysis, signal detection analysis, and drift diffusion modeling, our results consistently showed that individuals who received testosterone (versus placebo) exhibited a lower perceived sensitivity to angry facial expressions. But we observed no significant effects of testosterone administration on fearful facial expressions. The findings indicate that testosterone attenuates sensitivity to facial threat, especially angry facial expressions, which could lead to a misestimation of others' dominance and an increase in one's own aggressive and dominant behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Yu Nan
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China; School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China
| | - Pranjal Mehta
- Department of Experimental Psychology, University College London, London, United Kingdom
| | - Jiajun Liao
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Yueyuan Zheng
- Department of Psychology, University of Hong Kong, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China
| | - Chengyang Han
- Department of Psychology, Hangzhou Normal University, Hangzhou, China
| | - Yin Wu
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China; Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong Special Administrative Region of China.
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4
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Liao J, Ou J, Hu Y, Tobler PN, Wu Y. Testosterone administration modulates inequality aversion in healthy males: evidence from computational modeling. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2023; 155:106321. [PMID: 37385090 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2023.106321] [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: 04/29/2023] [Revised: 06/02/2023] [Accepted: 06/10/2023] [Indexed: 07/01/2023]
Abstract
Fairness concerns play a prominent role in promoting cooperation in human societies. Social preferences involving fairness concern have been associated with individual testosterone levels. However, the causal effects of testosterone administration on fairness-related decision making remain to be elucidated. Here, we used a randomized, double-blind, between-participant design and administered testosterone or placebo gel to 120 healthy young men. Three hours after administration, participants performed a modified Dictator Game from behavioral economics, in which they were asked to choose one of two monetary allocations between themselves and anonymous partners. Participants were either in a position of advantageous inequality (i.e., endowed with more than others) or disadvantageous inequality (i.e., endowed with less than others). Computational modeling showed that inequality-related preferences explained behavior better than competing models. Importantly, compared with the placebo group, the testosterone group showed significantly reduced aversion to advantageous inequality but enhanced aversion to disadvantageous inequality. These findings suggest that testosterone facilitates decisions that prioritize selfish economic motives over fairness concerns, which in turn may boost status-enhancing behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jiajun Liao
- School of Psychology, South China Normal University, Guangzhou, China
| | - Jianxin Ou
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong
| | - Yang Hu
- Shanghai Key Laboratory of Mental Health and Psychological Crisis Intervention, School of Psychology and Cognitive Science, East China Normal University, Shanghai, China.
| | - Philippe N Tobler
- Zurich Center for Neuroeconomics, Department of Economics, University of Zurich, Switzerland
| | - Yin Wu
- Department of Applied Social Sciences, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong; Research Institute for Sports Science and Technology, Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Hong Kong.
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Kutlikova HH, Zhang L, Eisenegger C, van Honk J, Lamm C. Testosterone eliminates strategic prosocial behavior through impacting choice consistency in healthy males. Neuropsychopharmacology 2023; 48:1541-1550. [PMID: 37012404 PMCID: PMC10425362 DOI: 10.1038/s41386-023-01570-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/22/2022] [Revised: 02/24/2023] [Accepted: 03/13/2023] [Indexed: 04/05/2023]
Abstract
Humans are strategically more prosocial when their actions are being watched by others than when they act alone. Using a psychopharmacogenetic approach, we investigated the endocrinological and computational mechanisms of such audience-driven prosociality. One hundred and ninety-two male participants received either a single dose of testosterone (150 mg) or a placebo and performed a prosocial and self-benefitting reinforcement learning task. Crucially, the task was performed either in private or when being watched. Rival theories suggest that the hormone might either diminish or strengthen audience-dependent prosociality. We show that exogenous testosterone fully eliminated strategic, i.e., feigned, prosociality and thus decreased submission to audience expectations. We next performed reinforcement-learning drift-diffusion computational modeling to elucidate which latent aspects of decision-making testosterone acted on. The modeling revealed that testosterone compared to placebo did not deteriorate reinforcement learning per se. Rather, when being watched, the hormone altered the degree to which the learned information on choice value translated to action selection. Taken together, our study provides novel evidence of testosterone's effects on implicit reward processing, through which it counteracts conformity and deceptive reputation strategies.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana H Kutlikova
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria.
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands.
| | - Lei Zhang
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Centre for Human Brain Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
- Institute for Mental Health, School of Psychology, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK
| | - Christoph Eisenegger
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
| | - Jack van Honk
- Department of Experimental Psychology, Helmholtz Institute, Utrecht University, Utrecht, the Netherlands
- Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health, University of Cape Town, Cape Town, South Africa
| | - Claus Lamm
- Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
- Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria
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Tuena C, Maestri S, Serino S, Pedroli E, Stramba-Badiale M, Riva G. Prognostic relevance of gait-related cognitive functions for dementia conversion in amnestic mild cognitive impairment. BMC Geriatr 2023; 23:462. [PMID: 37525134 PMCID: PMC10388514 DOI: 10.1186/s12877-023-04175-8] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/21/2022] [Accepted: 07/15/2023] [Indexed: 08/02/2023] Open
Abstract
BACKGROUND Increasing research suggests that gait abnormalities can be a risk factor for Alzheimer's Disease (AD). Notably, there is growing evidence highlighting this risk factor in individuals with amnestic Mild Cognitive Impairment (aMCI), however further studies are needed. The aim of this study is to analyze cognitive tests results and brain-related measures over time in aMCI and examine how the presence of gait abnormalities (neurological or orthopedic) or normal gait affects these trends. Additionally, we sought to assess the significance of gait and gait-related measures as prognostic indicators for the progression from aMCI to AD dementia, comparing those who converted to AD with those who remained with a stable aMCI diagnosis during the follow-up. METHODS Four hundred two individuals with aMCI from the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI) database were included. Robust linear mixed-effects models were used to study the impact of gait abnormalities on a comprehensive neuropsychological battery over 36 months while controlling for relevant medical variables at baseline. The impact of gait on brain measures was also investigated. Lastly, the Cox proportional-hazards model was used to explore the prognostic relevance of abnormal gait and neuropsychological associated tests. RESULTS While controlling for relevant covariates, we found that gait abnormalities led to a greater decline over time in attention (DSST) and global cognition (MMSE). Intriguingly, psychomotor speed (TMT-A) and divided attention (TMT-B) declined uniquely in the abnormal gait group. Conversely, specific AD global cognition tests (ADAS-13) and auditory-verbal memory (RAVLT immediate recall) declined over time independently of gait profile. All the other cognitive tests were not significantly affected by time or by gait profile. In addition, we found that ventricles size increased faster in the abnormal gait group compared to the normal gait group. In terms of prognosis, abnormal gait (HR = 1.7), MMSE (HR = 1.09), and DSST (HR = 1.03) covariates showed a higher impact on AD dementia conversion. CONCLUSIONS The importance of the link between gait and related cognitive functions in terms of diagnosis, prognosis, and rehabilitation in aMCI is critical. We showed that in aMCI gait abnormalities lead to executive functions/attention deterioration and conversion to AD dementia.
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Affiliation(s)
- Cosimo Tuena
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy.
| | - Sara Maestri
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Silvia Serino
- Department of Psychology, Università degli Studi Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
| | - Elisa Pedroli
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
- Faculty of Psychology, Università eCampus, Novedrate, Italy
| | - Marco Stramba-Badiale
- Department of Geriatrics and Cardiovascular Medicine, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
| | - Giuseppe Riva
- Applied Technology for Neuro-Psychology Lab, IRCCS Istituto Auxologico Italiano, Milan, Italy
- Humane Technology Lab, Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy
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7
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Employees’ privacy perceptions: exploring the dimensionality and antecedents of personal data sensitivity and willingness to disclose. PROCEEDINGS ON PRIVACY ENHANCING TECHNOLOGIES 2022. [DOI: 10.2478/popets-2022-0036] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/20/2022]
Abstract
Abstract
The processing of employees’ personal data is dramatically increasing, yet there is a lack of tools that allow employees to manage their privacy. In order to develop these tools, one needs to understand what sensitive personal data are and what factors influence employees’ willingness to disclose. Current privacy research, however, lacks such insights, as it has focused on other contexts in recent decades. To fill this research gap, we conducted a cross-sectional survey with 553 employees from Germany. Our survey provides multiple insights into the relationships between perceived data sensitivity and willingness to disclose in the employment context. Among other things, we show that the perceived sensitivity of certain types of data differs substantially from existing studies in other contexts. Moreover, currently used legal and contextual distinctions between different types of data do not accurately reflect the subtleties of employees’ perceptions. Instead, using 62 different data elements, we identified four groups of personal data that better reflect the multi-dimensionality of perceptions. However, previously found common disclosure antecedents in the context of online privacy do not seem to affect them. We further identified three groups of employees that differ in their perceived data sensitivity and willingness to disclose, but neither in their privacy beliefs nor in their demographics. Our findings thus provide employers, policy makers, and researchers with a better understanding of employees’ privacy perceptions and serve as a basis for future targeted research on specific types of personal data and employees.
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8
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Politakis VA, Slana Ozimič A, Repovš G. Cognitive Control Challenge Task Across the Lifespan. Front Psychol 2022; 12:789816. [PMID: 35222153 PMCID: PMC8864288 DOI: 10.3389/fpsyg.2021.789816] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/05/2021] [Accepted: 12/23/2021] [Indexed: 01/30/2023] Open
Abstract
Meeting everyday challenges and responding in a goal-directed manner requires both the ability to maintain the current task set in face of distractors-stable cognitive control, and the ability to flexibly generate or switch to a new task set when environmental requirements change-flexible cognitive control. While studies show that the development varies across individual component processes supporting cognitive control, little is known about changes in complex stable and flexible cognitive control across the lifespan. In the present study, we used the newly developed Cognitive Control Challenge Task (C3T) to examine the development of complex stable and flexible cognitive control across the lifespan and to gain insight into their interdependence. A total of 340 participants (229 women, age range 8-84 years) from two samples participated in the study, in which they were asked to complete the C3T along with a series of standard tests of individual components of cognitive control. The results showed that the development of both stable and flexible complex cognitive control follows the expected inverted U-curve. In contrast, the indeces of task set formation and task set switching cost increase linearly across the lifespan, suggesting that stable and flexible complex cognitive control are subserved by separable cognitive systems with different developmental trajectories. Correlations with standard cognitive tests indicate that complex cognitive control captured by the C3T engages a broad range of cognitive abilities, such as working memory and planning, and reflects global processing speed, jointly suggesting that the C3T is an effective test of complex cognitive control that has both research and diagnostic potential.
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Affiliation(s)
- Vida Ana Politakis
- Faculty of Medicine, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Anka Slana Ozimič
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
| | - Grega Repovš
- Department of Psychology, Faculty of Arts, University of Ljubljana, Ljubljana, Slovenia
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9
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Mendes SB, Timóteo S, Loureiro J, Castro S. The impact of habitat loss on pollination services for a threatened dune endemic plant. Oecologia 2021; 198:279-293. [PMID: 34775515 DOI: 10.1007/s00442-021-05070-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/23/2020] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/28/2022]
Abstract
Habitat loss is currently a major threat to biodiversity, affecting species interactions, such as plant-pollinator interactions. This is particularly important in self-incompatible plants relying on pollinators to reproduce and sustain their populations. Here, we evaluated how habitat loss affects the pollination system, plant individual-pollinator species interaction network, and plant reproductive fitness of the self-incompatible Jasione maritima var. sabularia, a threatened taxon from dune systems. This plant is a pollinator generalist, visited by 108 species from distinct taxonomic groups. Results suggest that increasing habitat loss led to a significant decline in pollinator richness, increased pollen limitation, and a decrease in reproductive fitness of J. maritima var. sabularia. Visitation rate per individual did not significantly change with available area, indicating that the quality of pollen differed across populations. The topology of the network between J. maritima var. sabularia individuals and its pollinator species did not change, which may be attributed to the stability in the core of pollinator species. This suggests that the lower fitness of plants with increasing habitat degradation may be explained not only by the lower richness of peripheral pollinators but also by the genetic structure of the plant populations, as there is a possible higher transference of less quality pollen by pollinators, ultimately compromising the persistence of plant populations. Our study highlights the need of future studies to integrate the fine details provided by individual-level networks, which will increase our understanding of the pattern of species interactions and its consequences for the fitness of threatened plant populations.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sara Beatriz Mendes
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sérgio Timóteo
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
| | - João Loureiro
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
| | - Sílvia Castro
- Centre for Functional Ecology, Department of Life Sciences, University of Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal
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Kutlikova HH, Geniole SN, Eisenegger C, Lamm C, Jocham G, Studer B. Not giving up: Testosterone promotes persistence against a stronger opponent. Psychoneuroendocrinology 2021; 128:105214. [PMID: 33836382 DOI: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2021.105214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 3] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/18/2020] [Revised: 03/21/2021] [Accepted: 03/26/2021] [Indexed: 01/10/2023]
Abstract
Recent research suggests that when we lack a sense of control, we are prone to motivational failures and early quitting in competitions. Testosterone, on the other hand, is thought to boost competitiveness. Here we investigate the interaction between these factors, testing the testosterone's potential to enhance persistence in a competition against a stronger opponent, depending on experimentally manipulated perceived control. Healthy participants were administered a single dose of testosterone or placebo. They first underwent a task designed to either induce low or high perceived control and then entered a costly competition against a progressively stronger opponent that they could quit at any time. In the placebo group, men with low perceived control quitted twice as early as those with high perceived control. Testosterone countered this effect, making individuals with low control persist in the competition for as long as those with high perceived control, and did so also despite raising participants' explicit awareness of the opponents' advantage. This psychoendocrinological effect was not modulated by basal cortisol levels, CAG repeat polymorphism of the androgen receptor gene, or trait dominance. Our results provide the first causal evidence that testosterone promotes competitive persistence in humans and demonstrate that this effect depends on the psychological state elicited prior to the competition, broadening our understanding of the complex relationships between testosterone and social behaviors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Hana H Kutlikova
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Biopsychology Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; Department of Behavioural Neuroscience, Institute of Normal and Pathological Physiology, Centre of Experimental Medicine, Slovak Academy of Sciences, Sienkiewiczova 1, 813 71 Bratislava, Slovakia.
| | - Shawn N Geniole
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Biopsychology Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; Department of Psychology, University of the Fraser Valley, 33844 King Road, Abbotsford V2S 7M8, Canada.
| | - Christoph Eisenegger
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Biopsychology Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria
| | - Claus Lamm
- Neuropsychopharmacology and Biopsychology Unit, Department of Cognition, Emotion, and Methods in Psychology, Faculty of Psychology, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria; Vienna Cognitive Science Hub, University of Vienna, Liebiggasse 5, 1010 Vienna, Austria.
| | - Gerhard Jocham
- Biological Psychology of Decision Making, Institute of Experimental Psychology, Heinrich Heine University Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany.
| | - Bettina Studer
- Institute of Clinical Neuroscience and Medical Psychology, Medical Faculty, Heinrich Heine University of Düsseldorf, Universitätsstraße 1, 140225 Düsseldorf, Germany; Mauritius Hospital Meerbusch, Strümper Straße 111, 40670 Meerbusch, Germany.
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Yiotis C, McElwain JC, Osborne BA. Enhancing the productivity of ryegrass at elevated CO2 is dependent on tillering and leaf area development rather than leaf-level photosynthesis. JOURNAL OF EXPERIMENTAL BOTANY 2021; 72:1962-1977. [PMID: 33315099 PMCID: PMC7921301 DOI: 10.1093/jxb/eraa584] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/13/2020] [Accepted: 12/10/2020] [Indexed: 05/29/2023]
Abstract
Whilst a range of strategies have been proposed for enhancing crop productivity, many recent studies have focused primarily on enhancing leaf photosynthesis under current atmospheric CO2 concentrations. Given that the atmospheric CO2 concentration is likely to increase significantly in the foreseeable future, an alternative/complementary strategy might be to exploit any variability in the enhancement of growth/yield and photosynthesis at higher CO2 concentrations. To explore this, we investigated the responses of a diverse range of wild and cultivated ryegrass genotypes, with contrasting geographical origins, to ambient and elevated CO2 concentrations and examined what genetically tractable plant trait(s) might be targeted by plant breeders for future yield enhancements. We found substantial ~7-fold intraspecific variations in biomass productivity among the different genotypes at both CO2 levels, which were related primarily to differences in tillering/leaf area, with only small differences due to leaf photosynthesis. Interestingly, the ranking of genotypes in terms of their response to both CO2 concentrations was similar. However, as expected, estimates of whole-plant photosynthesis were strongly correlated with plant productivity. Our results suggest that greater yield gains under elevated CO2 are likely through the exploitation of genetic differences in tillering and leaf area rather than focusing solely on improving leaf photosynthesis.
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Affiliation(s)
- Charilaos Yiotis
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- Department of Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Jennifer C McElwain
- Department of Botany, School of Natural Sciences, Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin, Ireland
| | - Bruce A Osborne
- School of Biology and Environmental Science, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
- UCD Earth Institute, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin, Ireland
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12
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The conserved alternative splicing factor caper regulates neuromuscular phenotypes during development and aging. Dev Biol 2021; 473:15-32. [PMID: 33508255 DOI: 10.1016/j.ydbio.2021.01.011] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/23/2020] [Revised: 01/18/2021] [Accepted: 01/19/2021] [Indexed: 12/17/2022]
Abstract
RNA-binding proteins play an important role in the regulation of post-transcriptional gene expression throughout the nervous system. This is underscored by the prevalence of mutations in genes encoding RNA splicing factors and other RNA-binding proteins in a number of neurodegenerative and neurodevelopmental disorders. The highly conserved alternative splicing factor Caper is widely expressed throughout the developing embryo and functions in the development of various sensory neural subtypes in the Drosophila peripheral nervous system. Here we find that caper dysfunction leads to aberrant neuromuscular junction morphogenesis, as well as aberrant locomotor behavior during larval and adult stages. Despite its widespread expression, our results indicate that caper function is required to a greater extent within the nervous system, as opposed to muscle, for neuromuscular junction development and for the regulation of adult locomotor behavior. Moreover, we find that Caper interacts with the RNA-binding protein Fmrp to regulate adult locomotor behavior. Finally, we show that caper dysfunction leads to various phenotypes that have both a sex and age bias, both of which are commonly seen in neurodegenerative disorders in humans.
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Han C, Watkins CD, Nan Y, Ou J, Lei X, Li X, Wu Y. Exogenous testosterone decreases men's sensitivity to vocal cues of male dominance. Horm Behav 2021; 127:104871. [PMID: 33058835 DOI: 10.1016/j.yhbeh.2020.104871] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/01/2020] [Revised: 08/25/2020] [Accepted: 09/30/2020] [Indexed: 11/24/2022]
Abstract
Assessing dominance is important for effective social interactions, and prior research suggests that testosterone is associated with men's dominance perceptions. The present study tested for a causal effect of exogenous testosterone on men's sensitivity to vocal cues of other men's dominance, an important parameter in male-male competition across species. One hundred and thirty-nine Chinese men received a single dose (150 mg) of testosterone or placebo gel in a double-blind, placebo-controlled, between-participant design. Participants reported their own dominance and judged other men's dominance from voices. Men's dominance sensitivity was significantly weaker in the testosterone group compared to those in the placebo group. Moreover, men's dominance sensitivity was negatively associated with their self-reported dominance in our Chinese sample, consistent with findings from Western populations. These results indicate that exogenous testosterone has a causal effect in decreasing men's dominance sensitivity, consistent with the Challenge Hypothesis, suggesting that the fluctuation of testosterone concentration mediates individuals' behaviors. Additionally, the present study could motivate further work on vocal assessment in the context of competition in humans and other species.
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Affiliation(s)
- Chengyang Han
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Christopher D Watkins
- Division of Psychology, School of Applied Sciences, Abertay University, Dundee, United Kingdom
| | - Yu Nan
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Jianxin Ou
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China
| | - Xue Lei
- School of Business Administration, Zhejiang University of Finance and Economics, Hangzhou, China
| | - Xiangqian Li
- School of Psychology, Shanghai University of Sport, Shanghai, China
| | - Yin Wu
- Shenzhen Key Laboratory of Affective and Social Cognitive Science, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China; School of Psychology, Shenzhen University, Shenzhen, China.
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14
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Abstract
Experimental games model situations in which the future outcomes of individuals and groups depend on their own choices and on those of other (groups of) individuals. Games are a powerful tool to identify the neural and psychological mechanisms underlying interpersonal and group cooperation and coordination. Here we discuss recent developments in how experimental games are used and adapted, with an increased focus on repeated interactions, partner control through sanctioning, and partner (de)selection for future interactions. Important advances have been made in uncovering the neurobiological underpinnings of key factors involved in cooperation and coordination, including social preferences, cooperative beliefs, (emotion) signaling, and, in particular, reputations and (in)direct reciprocity. Emerging trends at the cross-sections of psychology, economics, and the neurosciences include an increased focus on group heterogeneities, intergroup polarization and conflict, cross-cultural differences in cooperation and norm enforcement, and neurocomputational modeling of the formation and updating of social preferences and beliefs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Eric van Dijk
- Department of Psychology, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands;
| | - Carsten K W De Dreu
- Department of Psychology, Leiden University, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands; .,Faculty of Economics and Business, University of Amsterdam, 1012 WX Amsterdam, The Netherlands
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