1
|
Molins F, Ben Hassen N, Serrano MÁ. Late Acute Stress Effects on Decision-Making: The Magnified Attraction to Immediate Gains in the Iowa Gambling Task. Behav Brain Res 2024; 476:115279. [PMID: 39366556 DOI: 10.1016/j.bbr.2024.115279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/22/2024] [Revised: 09/20/2024] [Accepted: 09/30/2024] [Indexed: 10/06/2024]
Abstract
Previous literature indicates that the later phases of the acute stress response may promote poor decision-making, characterized by riskier choices and a likely inclination towards immediate reward-seeking. However, all studies addressing the effect of this phase have treated decisional capacity as a singular dimension, without analyzing the underlying processes under decision making. Employing the Value-Plus-Perseveration (VPP) RL model, based on Bayesian logic, this study aims to gain specific insights into how late phase of acute stress impacts the cognitive processes underpinning decision-making in the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT), deciphering whether, as expected, gains are processed in a magnified manner. Seventy-three participants were randomly assigned to two groups, stress (N = 35) and control (N = 38). A virtual version of The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-VR) was employed as a laboratory stressor. Decision-making was evaluated 35minutes after the stressor onset, by means of the IGT. Results showed that stressed participants, in comparison to control group, displayed more perseverant and consistent decision-making, enhanced memory, and reinforcement learning capabilities, yet were guided by a greater attraction to decks offering immediate high gains. These results are analyzed with the understanding that in the IGT, short-term decisions focused on instant rewards are seen as counterproductive. This suggests that stress could limit the ability to switch to strategies that are more cautious and offer greater long-term benefits.
Collapse
|
2
|
Dou K, Ye WY. The Ending Effect in the Domain of Gambling: The Effect of Gain-Loss Status on Economic Decision-Making. J Gambl Stud 2024; 40:1-18. [PMID: 38592613 DOI: 10.1007/s10899-024-10298-3] [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] [Accepted: 03/16/2024] [Indexed: 04/10/2024]
Abstract
Previous studies have shown that people prefer risk-taking at the end of gambles, a phenomenon called the ending effect. By using the Guess Gambling Game, we investigated the impact of gain-loss status on the ending effect (Experiment 1) and whether and how this effect may be affected by time reference (Experiment 2) and gender (Experiment 1&2). In Experiment 1, we observed the ending effect only in the gain group. Furthermore, gender differences exist in the loss group behavior, females were more risk-averse than males, and males tend to investment more initially and then reduce their investment in a U-shaped pattern (Experiment 1&2). Next, in Experiment 2, the findings indicated that participants in the gain group made riskier decisions and were willing to allocate more money for additional decision opportunities, irrespective of the time conditions. Additionally, under time-limited condition, participants tended to make more decisions in the final round, aiming to maximize their choices times within the limited time. These results contribute to a better understanding of the boundary conditions surrounding the ending effect in risky decision-making and may offer a scientific basis for mitigating and intervening in irrational decision-making.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Kai Dou
- Department of Psychology and Research Center of Adolescent Psychology and Behavior, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, 230, Waihuan Road West, Panyu District, Guangzhou, PR China.
| | - Wan-Yu Ye
- Department of Psychology and Research Center of Adolescent Psychology and Behavior, School of Education, Guangzhou University, Guangzhou Higher Education Mega Center, 230, Waihuan Road West, Panyu District, Guangzhou, PR China
| |
Collapse
|
3
|
Ben Hassen N, Molins F, Paz M, Serrano MÁ. Later stages of acute stress impair reinforcement-learning and feedback sensitivity in decision making. Biol Psychol 2023; 180:108585. [PMID: 37178755 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108585] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/15/2022] [Revised: 05/10/2023] [Accepted: 05/10/2023] [Indexed: 05/15/2023]
Abstract
Whereas the effects of the early stages of acute stress seem to improve learning and increase loss aversion in decision making, in later stages, the opposite has been found, an impairment in decision making probably due to higher reward-attraction, as the STARS approach suggests. This study aims to investigate the effects of the later stages of acute stress on decision making and its underlying processes using a computational model. We hypothesized that stress would affect underlying cognitive strategies during decision making. Ninety-five participants were randomly distributed into two groups, experimental (N = 46) and control (N = 49). A virtual version of The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was used as a laboratory stressor. After 20minutes, decision making was assessed by using the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). The Value-Plus-Preservation (VPP) RL computational model was used to extract decision-making components. As expected, the stressed participants showed deficits in IGT performance on reinforcement-learning and feedback sensitivity. However, there was no gains attraction. These results are discussed by considering that decision making in later stages of acute stress could be based on impairments in prefrontal cortex functioning.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | - Mónica Paz
- Department of Psychobiology, Universitat de València, Spain
| | | |
Collapse
|
4
|
Khan SU, Jannat S, Shaukat H, Unab S, Tanzeela, Akram M, Khan Khattak MN, Soto MV, Khan MF, Ali A, Rizvi SSR. Stress Induced Cortisol Release Depresses The Secretion of Testosterone in Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus. Clin Med Insights Endocrinol Diabetes 2023; 16:11795514221145841. [PMID: 36636127 PMCID: PMC9830570 DOI: 10.1177/11795514221145841] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 08/28/2022] [Accepted: 11/29/2022] [Indexed: 01/05/2023] Open
Abstract
Background Both hormonal and genetic data reveal that the stress hormone cortisol and its regulating genes may affect the level of testosterone in humans. It is uncertain whether type 2 diabetes mellitus would manifest similarly. Furthermore, a genetic strategy to screen out the stress system genes that may contribute to testosterone decline in humans is less understood. Objectives In this study, we aimed to elucidate the link between stress and testosterone levels, both hormonally and genetically. Method This study comprised 37 individuals with type 2 diabetes mellitus and 50 healthy individuals. For the analysis of hormones and the targeted genes, we used the RIA system and bioinformatics expertise. Results The patients had significantly elevated cortisol and lower testosterone readings, according to data from hormonal analyses. The bioinformatics approach reveals that SHBG was intracellularly suppressed by 2 defined stress system genes: FKB5 and CYP17. TCF4/TCF8, ATRX, and AR in skeletal muscle were inversely related to stress system genes. Furthermore, all testosterone regulated genes were positively linked with SHBG in the current study. A strong relationship between GNAS and PKA with CYP17 and FKBP5 reveals that the Gαs-cAMP/PKA signaling pathway may be one of the regulatory pathways through which the suppression of testosterone system genes happens. In conclusion, this study demonstrated that beyond stress, the key stress system genes might affect cortisol levels, which in turn affect testosterone figures via the Gαs-cAMP/PKA signaling pathway.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Safir Ullah Khan
- Department of Zoology, Wildlife and Fisheries, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
- Departments of Cell Biology Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the IPN, Mexico City, Mexico
- Departments of Biology Autonomous University of Madrid, Madrid, Spain
| | - Saba Jannat
- Department of Zoology, Women University Swabi, Swabi, Pakistan
| | - Hadia Shaukat
- Department of Zoology, Women University Swabi, Swabi, Pakistan
| | - Shiza Unab
- Department of Zoology, University of Mianwali, Mianwali, Pakistan
| | - Tanzeela
- Department of Zoology, Women University Swabi, Swabi, Pakistan
| | - Maleeha Akram
- Department of Zoology, Wildlife and Fisheries, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| | | | - Monica Vizcara Soto
- Departments of Cell Biology Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the IPN, Mexico City, Mexico
| | | | - Amir Ali
- Nanoscience and Nanotechnology Program, Center for Research and Advanced Studies of the IPN, Mexico City, Mexico
| | - Syed Shakeel Raza Rizvi
- Department of Zoology, Wildlife and Fisheries, Pir Mehr Ali Shah Arid Agriculture University Rawalpindi, Rawalpindi, Pakistan
| |
Collapse
|
5
|
Votinov M, Knyazeva I, Habel U, Konrad K, Puiu AA. A Bayesian Modeling Approach to Examine the Role of Testosterone Administration on the Endowment Effect and Risk-Taking. Front Neurosci 2022; 16:858168. [PMID: 35937873 PMCID: PMC9347223 DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.858168] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/20/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Financial risk-taking and loss aversion are multifaceted phenomena that are the focus of neuroscience, psychology, and economics research. A growing number of studies highlighted the role of hormones (particularly of testosterone) on socio-economic decision-making. However, the effects of testosterone on risk-taking under framing and consumer-based choices and preferences are inconclusive. We investigated the effects of 100 mg testosterone administration on aspects of decision-making within the Prospect Theory framework which is the most used descriptive model of decision-making under risk. We assessed risk-taking under framing and the endowment effect (effect of possession) using Bayesian modeling. Forty men participated in this double-blind placebo-controlled fully-randomized cross-over experiment and performed two tasks. One was a risk-taking task with binary choices under positive and negative framing associated with different probabilities. In the second task participants had to bid money for hedonic and utilitarian items. We observed a significant increase in serum testosterone concentrations after transdermal application. Compared to placebo, testosterone administration increased risk-taking under the positive framing (very large effect size) and decreased under the negative framing (moderate to small). The sensitivity to gain was positive in each framing. Our model showed that decision-making is jointly influenced by testosterone and the trade-off between gains and losses. However, while the endowment effect was more pronounced for hedonic than for utilitarian items, the effect was independent of testosterone. The findings provide novel information on the complex modulatory role of testosterone on risk-taking within the framework of prospect theory and shed light on mechanisms of behavioral economic biases. The proposed models of effects of individual differences in testosterone on risk-taking could be used as predictive models for reference-depended behavior under positive and negative framing with low and high probabilities.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Mikhail Votinov
- Research Center Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Julich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- *Correspondence: Mikhail Votinov
| | - Irina Knyazeva
- N.P. Bechtereva Institute of Human Brain, Russian Academy of Science, Saint Petersburg, Russia
- Saint Petersburg State University, Saint Petersburg, Russia
| | - Ute Habel
- Research Center Jülich, Institute of Neuroscience and Medicine, JARA-Institute Brain Structure Function Relationship (INM 10), Julich, Germany
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Kerstin Konrad
- Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Psychosomatics and Psychotherapy, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Andrei A. Puiu
- Department of Psychiatry, Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics, Faculty of Medicine, RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Andrei A. Puiu
| |
Collapse
|