The effects of acute stress on core executive functions: A meta-analysis and comparison with cortisol

The effects of stress on working-memory-related prefrontal processing: an fNIRS study

Acute stress causes a shift from executive to automated behavior. A key executive function suffering from this shift is working memory. Working memory is mainly negatively affected in the first 10 and more than 25 minutes after acute stress. These phases coincide with increased central levels of noradrenaline and cortisol. Increased levels of both hormones can cause a relative deactivation in prefrontal areas related to working memory processing. However, so far, there is little research that investigates the complete relationship between acute stress and resulting changes in stress hormones, neural activation, and working memory processing, over time. In this study, we used functional near-infrared spectroscopy to measure prefrontal activity during an nback task in a stress (28 subjects, 7 female/21 male) and a control group (28 subjects, 10 female/18 male) once (20 minutes) before and twice (4 and 24 minutes) after a socially evaluated cold pressor test or a warm water control condition. Additionally, we regularly measured changes in salivary cortisol and α-amylase (a correlate of central noradrenaline) during the experiment. While salivary cortisol was increased starting 14 minutes after acute stress, no effect of stress on salivary α-amylase or working memory performance was found. On a neural level, we found a marginally stronger decline in 3-back-related prefrontal activity from the first to the third measurement point in the stress than in the control group. These results present tentative evidence for a negative effect of acute stress on working-memory-related prefrontal processing mediated by central cortisol levels.

Patterns of Respiration Rate Reactivity in Response to a Cognitive Stressor Associate With Self-Reported Mental Health Outcomes

Many studies have examined physiological responses to acute stress in healthy and clinical populations. Some have documented exaggerated physiological stress reactivity in response to acute stress, while others have reported blunted physiological stress reactivity. Although the literature is conflicted, the relationship between abnormal physiological stress reactivity and negative outcomes is well-established. However, past research has neglected a critical aspect of physiological stress response - respiration - and it is unclear whether differences in respiration rate responses to acute stress are related to health outcomes. This secondary cross-sectional analysis explored differences in outcomes between three subgroups: blunted, moderate, and exaggerated respiration rate reactivity to an acute stress task. In a sample of at least mildly-stressed older adults (n = 55), we found that perceived stress (b = -7.63; p = .004) and depression (b = -9.13; p = .007) were significantly lower in the moderate reactivity group compared to the high reactivity group, and that self-reported mindfulness (b = 10.96; p = .008) was significantly lower in the moderate reactivity group as compared to the low reactivity group. Across outcomes, participants in the moderate range of physiological reactivity showed less negative and more positive psychological attributes and better health outcomes, while the blunted subgroup demonstrated more negative and less positive psychological attributes and worse health outcomes overall, when compared to the exaggerated and moderate groups. This study extends the literature by adding respiration to markers of acute physiological stress reactivity and demonstrating the effects of blunted respiration reactivity on negative psychological attributes and health outcomes.

The impact of different task contexts on emergency responders' trust and usage intention of artificial intelligence

Proper use of artificial intelligence (AI) can significantly enhance emergency responders' performance. However, they do not always trust or appropriately use AI. This study examined emergency responders' trust in AI and usage intention under different rescue pressures and uncertainty from the perspective of perceived capability. This study was conducted in two phases: first, questionnaire data were collected from 99 firefighters; second, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 participants. Results revealed that rescue pressure affected perceived AI capability, whereas uncertainty influenced perceived self-capability. Rescue pressure affected perceived AI capability, which subsequently impacted trust, and ultimately, usage intention. These findings explain the process through which rescue pressure impacts willingness to use AI. This study also explores the psychological mechanisms of trust and usage and provides valuable recommendations for designers to develop AI systems suitable for emergency responders.

Physical capacity is associated with attention but not with general executive function in middle aged adults

Associations between Physical Capacity (PC) and various aspects of executive function, including attention, have been identified in older and younger cohorts. Yet, the relationship among middle-aged individuals at the gateway of aging is largely understudied. The primary objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between physical capacity indicators and attention, a key component of executive functions, in middle-aged Muslims in Israel, a minority group experiencing chronic health disparities. This cross-sectional study included 255 participants (159 women, 96 men), aged 51.29 ± 4.26 (45-60 years). PC was assessed using the six-minute walk test (6MWT) and the 30-second sit-to-stand test (30 STS). Attention and executive function were assessed with the Stroop C Test and Trail Making Test (TMT) respectively. We found a statistical trend suggesting a positive correlation between the 30 STS and Stroop C scores, when controlling for age, sex, education level, and hemoglobin A1c, indicating that higher physical capacity is associated with better selective attention and response inhibition (β = 0.132, P = 0.057). In contrast, no correlation was found between the 30 STS and the TMT-B (β = -0.107, P = 0.107), suggesting that alternating attention and overall executive function are not associated with physical capacity in this cohort. Interestingly, neither functional assessment was associated with the 6MWT, suggesting that among healthy, free living, middle-aged individuals, a more challenging assessment, like the 30 STS may be most relevant when examining associations between physical capacity and executive function. Our findings highlight the nuances of the relationship between physical capacity and aspects of executive function in this demographic. These results add to the body of literature associating physical capacity to selective attention but not executive function in middle-aged, minority populations. Further extension of these findings can support healthy aging, ultimately enhancing quality of life and reducing morbidity in older age.

Identifying the most effective acute stress induction methods for producing SAM- and HPA-related physiological responses: a meta-analysis

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

Laboratory-based stress inductions are commonly used to elicit acute stress but vary widely in their procedures and effectiveness. We compared the effects of stress induction techniques on measures of two major biological stress systems: the early sympathetic-adrenal-medullary (SAM) and the delayed hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis response.

DESIGN

A review and meta-analysis to examine the relationship between stress induction techniques on cardiorespiratory and salivary measures of SAM and HPA system activity.

METHODS

A systematic literature search identified 245 reports and 700 effects.

RESULTS

The overall effect of stress induction techniques on the stress response was moderate (Fisher's zr = 0.44), inducing stronger SAM-related (zr = 0.48) versus HPA-related (zr = 0.37) responses. Three factors moderated these associations: the stress system examined (SAM vs HPA), the specific stress induction technique employed (e.g., Cold Pressor), the physiological sampling time relative to the stress induction, and participant sex. Loud music elicited the most robust SAM-related effects, whereas combined stress inductions elicited the most robust HPA-related effects. Men showed stronger stress responses than women.

CONCLUSIONS

Stress induction techniques variably elicit SAM - and HPA-related responses. Results recommend specific induction techniques for targeting stress systems, highlighting the importance of carefully selecting methodologies in laboratory contexts.

Quadratic associations between cardiovascular stress reactivity and development of cool and hot executive functions in adolescents

Stress affects executive functions and exploring the association between stress-induced physiological reactivity and executive functions could highlight the potential mechanism of the stress-cognitive function link. Our study examined the linear and nonlinear associations between cardiovascular stress reactivity and cool and hot executive functions among adolescents. In November 2021 (T1), 273 Chinese adolescents between 11 and 14 (Mage = 12.93, SDage = 0.79) underwent a speech task during which their cardiovascular data were recorded, and they completed a Flanker task and an Emotional Stroop task. In May 2023 (T2), 253 adolescents again completed the Flanker and Emotional Stroop tasks. Cool and hot executive functions were assessed using the intra-individual reaction time variability of the Flanker task and Emotional Stroop task, respectively. Results showed that cardiovascular stress reactivity was positively linearly associated with cool executive functions at T1 and quadratically (inverted U-shaped) associated with cool executive functions at T1 and hot executive functions at T1 and T2. These findings suggest that compared to very high and very low cardiovascular reactivity, moderate to high cardiovascular reactivity to a structured social challenge is associated with better cool and hot executive functions.

Physiological stress responses to digital single- and multitasking demands in younger and older adults

Differences in multitasking (MT) performance have been found across the lifespan. Little is known about physiological stress responses to MT demands in older people. In our study, 106 younger (22.8 ± 3.9 years, 75.5 % female) and 113 older adults (70.9 ± 5.1 years, 70.8 % female) participated and were assigned to either a single-tasking (ST) or an MT condition. Physiological stress responses of the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), and the hypothalamic-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis were assessed. Task 1 was a sentence verification task, which was interrupted by push notifications (task 2) in the MT condition. Participants answered questions that assessed their comprehension of the notification content afterwards. Performance was lower in the MT condition in the older participants in task 1. All participants perceived stress during both tasks. Autonomic responses (i.e., for heart rate) were found for the MT condition in the older participants. No differences in physiological stress responses were found for the further autonomic measures. Cortisol levels decreased throughout the session for all participants. Our results confirm that MT performance decreases in older age. This may be associated with stronger ANS responses during MT in older than in younger people. Our findings partially support the specificity hypothesis, i.e., that cognitive stressors specifically initiate responses of the ANS, but no responses of the HPA axis. More research with more demanding tasks and the inclusion of further factors such as experience with MT and educational level is needed.

Modulating prefrontal cortex activity to alleviate stress-induced working memory deficits: A transcranial direct current (tDCS) study

This study explores the impact of stress on working memory (WM) performance, and the potential mitigating effects of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (dlPFC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC). The study had a mixed, randomized, single-blind, sham-controlled design, with stress induction as within-subject and stimulation condition as between-subject factors. We assessed stress-induced WM deficits using aversive video clips to induce stress and a verbal n-back task to assess WM performance. We analyzed physiological (cortisol and heart rate), behavioral, and electroencephalographic (EEG) changes due to stress before, during, and after WM task performance and their modulation by tDCS. Stress impaired WM performance in the sham stimulation condition for the 3-back load, but not for 2-back or 4-back loads in the WM task and was associated with elevated physiological stress markers. tDCS over the vmPFC led to better WM task performance while stimulation over the dlPFC did not. Active tDCS with both dlPFC and vmPFC stimulation blunted cortisol release in stress conditions compared to sham. The EEG analysis revealed potential mechanisms explaining the behavioral effects of vmPFC stimulation. vmPFC stimulation led to a decreased P200 event-related potential (ERP) component compared to the sham stimulation condition and resulted in higher task-related alpha desynchronization, indicating reduced distractions and better focus during task performance. This study thus shows that the vmPFC might be a potential target for mitigating the effects of stress on WM performance and contributes to the development of targeted interventions for stress-related cognitive impairments.

Do emotionally negative events impair working memory as a result of intrusive thoughts?

Individuals exposed to highly stressful negative events show alterations in working memory (WM) function. The correlational nature of these studies makes it impossible to determine whether exposure to negative events itself decreases WM. Such events elicit intrusive thoughts which may cause interference in WM. The main objective of this study was to verify the causal impact of a recent negative event on WM, and to examine the role of intrusive thoughts. One hundred and twenty participants completed a WM task (n-Back). Then, 90 of these participants watched an emotionally negative video and 30 watched a neutral video. The emotional impact of the video was assessed, and the frequency of intrusive thoughts were measured. WM was measured a second time (n-Back) while recording EEG (P300). Contrary to our hypothesis, the negative video did not impair behavioural WM performance compared to the neutral video. However, it disrupted WM neurocognitive processes (lower P300 amplitude) under low WM load. In the high load condition, greater emotional reaction was linked to poorer accuracy and more intrusive thoughts, which in turn slowed response times. Our results suggest that the impact of negative emotions on WM depends on both individual sensitivity and cognitive load.

Effects of acute stress on cue reactivity and implicit cognitions in online compulsive buying-shopping disorder

Background and aims

There is a lack of research on the impact of acute stress on the interaction of affective and cognitive processes in online compulsive buying-shopping disorder (CBSD). Therefore, this project addressed stress response, cue reactivity, attentional bias, and implicit associations in individuals with online CBSD.

Methods

Women with CBSD (n = 63) and women with non-problematic online buying-shopping (n = 64) were randomly assigned to the Trier Social Stress Test or a non-stress condition. After the stress/non-stress induction, participants performed a cue-reactivity paradigm, a dot-probe paradigm, and an implicit association task, each with addiction-related (online buying-shopping) and control (social networks) cues.

Results

Individuals with CBSD showed stronger affective responses towards the addiction-related and control cues than the control group and rated the addiction-related pictures with higher 'arousal' and 'urge' than the control images. No group differences emerged in the dot-probe paradigm and implicit association task. Acute stress showed no effect on performance in the behavioural tasks. Regression models investigating the impact of craving on the relationship between stress response and implicit cognitions within the group with CBSD were not significant.

Discussion

The findings demonstrate the involvement and generalization of cue reactivity in online CBSD, but do not provide support for effects of acute stress on cue reactivity, attentional bias and implicit associations.

Conclusions

Future studies should not be restricted to women and combine laboratory and naturalistic study designs to investigate the complex psychological mechanisms in online CBSD.

Validity and effectiveness of interrogation techniques: A meta-analytic review

The gathering of information through the use of interrogation techniques in the context of human intelligence (HUMINT) has a long and elusive history within applied settings of law enforcement and the military and civilian intelligence/counterterrorism community. However, psychological research has yet to catch up to systematically address pressing matters regarding the validity and effectiveness of common interrogation methods and a conceptual framework for relevant psychological factors. A promising, comprehensive contribution is the Taxonomy of Interrogation Methods (ToIM), which aims to integrate multiple approaches within the field of interrogation. In this paper, we utilized the ToIM model as a foundation for a meta-analytic review on the validity and effectiveness of interrogation techniques. We systematically integrated the existing evidence from 60 studies in order to determine which techniques from six domains of the ToIM produce valuable information. The results indicate that Rapport and Relationship Building, Presentation of Evidence and Cognitive Facilitation (an additional domain beyond the ToIM) are valid approaches to optimize both the amount of information gathered as well as its accuracy. The evidence is insufficient to conclude the effectiveness of techniques from the other four domains. Overall, the results are in line with the general notion in the field that a positive relationship with a suspect/source is the key to gather valuable information.

Chronic stress, social support, and Alzheimer's blood-based biomarkers in the HABS-HD study

INTRODUCTION

High levels of chronic stress and low social support have been associated with worse cognition among older adults, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear.

METHODS

We included 2117 older adults (mean age 65.5 years) enrolled in the Health and Aging Brain Study - Health Disparities (HABS-HD). Linear regression models evaluated the associations between social support or chronic stress and Alzheimer's-related blood-based biomarkers (BBMs), including amyloid beta (Aβ) 42/40 ratio, neurofilament light chain (NfL), phosphorylated tau (p-tau)181, and total tau (t-tau). Interactions between chronic stress or social support and gender or race/ethnicity in relation to BBMs were assessed.

RESULTS

Higher chronic stress was associated with higher levels of t-tau. Higher social support was associated with lower levels of NfL. Neither gender nor race/ethnicity modified the associations between chronic stress or social support and BBM levels.

DISCUSSION

Chronic stress and social support are associated with BBMs of neurodegeneration.

HIGHLIGHTS

Higher chronic stress was associated with higher levels of plasma total tau. Higher social support was associated with lower levels of plasma neurofilament light chain. Neither gender nor race/ethnicity modified the associations between chronic stress or social support and levels of blood-based biomarkers. Chronic stress and social support affect pathways related to neurodegeneration.

The effects of stress hormones on cognitive emotion regulation: A systematic review and integrative model

The experience of stress and the need to regulate emotions are pervasive in everyday life. Emotion regulation (ER) is particularly required under stress to facilitate successful adaptation and recovery. Importantly, a growing body of work has identified stress and ER deficits as transdiagnostic risk factors for psychopathology. This highlights the relevance of understanding how stress impacts ER to elucidate individual vulnerability to mental disorders. Stress alters cognitive and emotional functioning via stress hormones secreted by the two major stress systems: sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamus-pituitary adrenocortical axis. This review aims to compile and synthesize empirical studies in humans investigating the effects of acute stress and stress hormones on ER. A systematic literature search yielded 14 relevant studies, 11 investigating acute stress effects and 3 examining the influence of pharmacological cortisol elevations on ER. The results of the stress studies are mixed revealing either impairing, beneficial or no effects at all. Cortisol administration mostly facilitated ER attempts. Notably, we detected timing differences in measuring ER performance relative to stress exposure that potentially reconcile divergent findings. Here, we propose the PRESSURE model (Predominant Stress System Underpins Regulation of Emotions) postulating that the direction and magnitude of stress effects on ER depends on the relative predominance of one stress system over the other. Additionally, sex-stress hormone interactions, stimulus intensity and ER strategy are discussed as possible moderators. Finally, we highlight limitations in current research and provide recommendations for future studies that will further advance our understanding of the intricate relationship between stress and ER.

Effects of startle on cognitive performance and physiological activity revealed by fNIRS and thermal imaging

Sudden and threatening stimuli can trigger a startle reflex, a stereotyped physiological response that may lead to a brief cognitive incapacitation. Better understanding this reaction would be beneficial to safety-critical occupational domains. We characterized some physiological correlates of the startle response while participants completed a difficult task (Toulouse N-back task) tapping executive functions. During the task, loud and threatening sounds were presented unpredictably to trigger a startle reflex. Brain activity and facial skin temperature were measured in 34 participants using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) and functional infrared thermal imaging (fITI), respectively. In the high difficulty condition, participants were generally less efficient, but their performance improved slightly following startle in the high difficulty condition. Brain activity in the right prefrontal cortex was also higher following startle, potentially reflecting a compensatory overactivation to sustain performance. Interestingly, higher trait-anxiety was associated with lower task performance, still following startle in the high difficulty condition. Finally, we found a decrease in temperature of the right eye and right cheek as well as an increase in the nose temperature following startle. These results underscore the complexity of startle-induced cognitive and physiological dynamics, which may have implications for occupational settings where managing sudden stressors is crucial.

Recent advances in understanding how compulsivity is related to behavioural addictions over their timecourse

Purpose of Review

Behavioural addictions involve loss of control over initially rewarding behaviours, which continue despite adverse consequences. Theoretical models suggest that these patterns of behaviour evolve over time, with compulsive and habitual behaviours held to reflect a loss of behavioural control. Compulsivity can be broadly described as a propensity for (or engagement in) repetitive behaviours that are not aligned with overall goals. Here, we consider whether compulsivity is associated with behavioural addictions at different stages of their development, based on self-report and neurocognitive measures.

Recent Findings

This review found that there is initial evidence that compulsive traits might predispose individuals to engage in problematic behaviours, and that self-report and neurocognitive measures of compulsivity are associated with severity of problematic behaviours even in the early stages of behavioural addictions. In the later stages of behavioural addiction, there is strong evidence for an association of gambling disorder with cognitive inflexibility, but less evidence for an association between compulsivity and other types of behavioural addiction.

Summary

Moving forwards, well-powered longitudinal studies, including studies using ecological momentary assessment (EMA), will be important in robustly developing our understanding of how compulsivity is related to behavioural addictions over their timecourse.

Architecturally Mediated Allostasis and Neurosustainability: A Proposed Theoretical Framework for the Impact of the Built Environment on Neurocognitive Health

The global rise in mental health-related disorders represents a significant health and wellbeing challenge, imposing a substantial social and economic burden on individuals, communities, and healthcare systems. According to the World Health Organization, one in four people globally will be affected by mental or neurological disorders at some point in their lives, highlighting a significant global health concern that warrants carefully considered and innovative responses. While mental health challenges arise from complex, multifaceted factors, emerging research indicates that the built environment-the architecture of our homes, workplaces, and public spaces-may exert a critical but underappreciated influence on mental health outcomes. This paper outlines a novel theoretical framework for how visual stressors in the built environment might trigger neurophysiological stress responses via the HPA and SAM axes, potentially contributing over time to allostatic load. In this paper, it is proposed that chronic physiological strain can alter neuroplastic processes and neurogenesis in key brain regions-such as the hippocampus, prefrontal cortex (PFC), anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and amygdala-thereby affecting cognitive health, emotional regulation, and overall mental wellbeing. Drawing on the principle of neurosustainability, this paper suggests that long-term exposure to stress-inducing environments may create feedback loops, particularly involving the amygdala, that have downstream effects on other brain areas and may be linked to adverse mental health outcomes such as depression. By presenting this framework, this paper aims to inspire further inquiry and applied experimental research into the intersection of neurophysiology, mental health, and the built environment, with a particular emphasis on rigorous testing and validation of the proposed mechanisms, that may then be translated into practical architectural design strategies for supporting health and wellbeing. In doing so, it is hoped that this work may contribute to a more holistic approach to improving mental health that integrates the creation of nurturing, resilient spaces into the broader public health agenda.

Divergent thinking in groups during cold-water immersion is impaired by cold stress not the cold shock response

Introduction

A primary hazard of working in cold maritime environments is the potential for a substantial man overboard situation in freezing waters. Sudden cold-water immersion (CWI) triggers the cold shock response (CSR), which consists of cardiorespiratory responses that increase the chance of drowning. If cold shock response severity can be mitigated, life-saving actions must be taken within the first 10 min, as after this time frame drowning occurs due to cold incapacitation. To date, research shows that executive functioning is generally impaired by intense, acute stress, which implies the ability to think through potential actions to maximize survival would also be impaired by the cold shock response.

Methods

To examine whether the severity of cold shock response impairs higher-level thinking in a group, 29 active duty service members completed a group format Divergent Association Task (DAT; 4-5 per group) prior to and during a 13-min cold-water immersion (water temperature: 1.3°C, air temperature: -2.7°C).

Results

Results showed no relationship between cold shock response magnitude, indexed by peak heart rate, and DAT performance. However, results indicated that those with lower skin temperatures performed worse on the DAT.

Discussion

Results suggest that the ability to engage in divergent thinking is relatively preserved in the critical ~10-min window although skin cooling may bias attention toward the cold stress impacting task performance. Furthermore, subjective reports of the severity of the initial gasp tracked with peak heart rate demonstrating potential utility of subjective responses in the absence of respiratory measurements.

Effects of stress on cognitive performance

Stress remains a pervasive challenge in modern life, exerting significant impacts on cognitive performance and overall well-being by triggering release of stress hormones like adrenaline and cortisol. It has profound implications for education, work performance, and everyday life, impacting cognitive performance, health outcomes, and social relationships. It does this by impacting memory, attention and focus, informed decision-making, developmental and cognitive performance, work and educational performance, genetic and epigenetic influence, and public health. When a stressor is perceived, the hypothalamus in the brain signals the pituitary gland to release adrenocorticotropic hormone, hence adrenaline is quickly released into the bloodstream, causing immediate physiological changes and thus releasing cortisol gradually to help maintain the body's response to stress over a longer period through the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal and sympathetic-adrenomedullar axis. The impacts can be short-term or long-term focusing on the working memory, pre-frontal cortex, amygdala, and hippocampus. By recognizing these implications and implementing targeted interventions, we can foster environments that support resilience, optimize performance, and enhance overall well-being across diverse contexts. This chapter also highlighted some mitigation strategies to reduce stress-related activities and improve cognitive performance, such as cognitive-behavioral therapy, mindfulness-based stress reduction, healthy lifestyle adoption, pet therapy, time management and prioritization, and workplace interventions.

(State) empathy: how context matters

Empathy is a pivotal capacity that is essential for human interaction. It encompasses cognitive empathy, which is the ability to understand another individual's emotional state, and affective empathy, which is to express an appropriate affective response to another person's emotional state. Recent advancements in empathy research have highlighted the contextual nature of both cognitive and affective empathy, signifying their susceptibility to modulation by situational factors. Despite this progress, a comprehensive mechanistic understanding of empathy as a form of situated cognition that integrates both state and trait dimensions remains scarce. This review outlines the interplay of trait and state empathy and how state empathy emerges from a dynamic interplay between bottom-up processes and top-down control mechanisms. It further covers which situational factors increase versus decrease state empathy. In addition, to assist in selecting appropriate measurement tools for measuring trait and/or state empathy, the review categorizes existing empathy measurement instruments. Taken together, this review provides a roadmap for enhancing the efficacy of future empathy studies by: (1) outlining the current theoretical and methodological considerations for disentangling trait and state empathy; (2) organizing existing empathy measurement tools to aid researchers in selecting appropriate tools for future studies; (3) describing the interplay between bottom-up processes and top-down control mechanisms for state and trait empathy; and (4) reviewing factors that increase or decrease state empathy to prevent their potential interference and enable a more accurate assessment of empathy.

Left ventromedial prefrontal cortex inhibitory rTMS as an anti-stress intervention in opioid use disorder: Trial design

Background

In people with substance use disorders (SUDs), stress-exposure can impair executive function, and increase craving and likelihood of drug-use recurrence. Research shows that acute stressors increase drug-seeking behavior; however, mechanisms underlying this effect are incompletely understood. The Competing Neurobehavioral Decisions System theory posits that persons with SUDs may have hyperactive limbic reward circuitry and hypoactive executive control circuitry.

Objective

To investigate how inhibitory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) targeting the left ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC) may alter stress-induced executive dysfunction, emotion dysregulation, and drug-seeking in people with opioid use disorder.

Methods

We will examine effects of a psychological stressor combined with inhibitory (1Hz) left vmPFC rTMS in participants (N = 24) receiving opioid agonist treatment. Participants undergo guided imagery of autobiographical stressors paired with 10 sessions of active vmPFC rTMS vs. sham (within-subject randomized crossover). Stress-induced dysfunction will be indexed with cognitive (e.g., executive function), affective (e.g., emotional arousal), and behavioral (e.g., opioid-seeking) measures pre- and post-rTMS. To confirm changes are associated with altered neural activity in targeted regions, we will measure event-related potentials during key tasks using EEG. We hypothesize that stressors will increase executive dysfunction, emotion dysregulation, and drug-seeking, and that left vmPFC inhibitory rTMS will decrease limbic activation, which could translate to reduced craving and drug-seeking.

Conclusion

Our findings should offer insights into how neural networks modulate drug-seeking and associated dysfunctions in people with SUDs. The results of this and similar studies can advance theory and neuromodulation interventions for people with SUDs.

Acute stress differentially influences risky decision-making processes by sex: A hierarchical bayesian analysis

How does stress influence our decision-making? Although numerous studies have attempted to answer this question, their results have been inconsistent-presumably due to methodological heterogeneity. Drawing on cumulative prospect theory, we examined how acute stress influenced risky decision-making. To this end, we randomly assigned 147 participants to an acute stress induction or control condition and subsequently assessed participants' risky decision-making. We found that stress increased risky decision-making overall, but more importantly, that stress exerted multiple effects on risky decision-making processes that differed between male and female participants. For female participants, relative to the control condition, stress produced a pattern of decision-making characterized by risk seeking with respect to gains, slightly reduced loss aversion, accurate outcome probability assessment, and greater choice stochasticity. For male participants, stress, relative to the control condition, produced to a pattern of decision-making characterized by very low loss aversion and poorer outcome probability assessment. These results suggest that some of the heterogeneity in existing literature may be explainable by task differences in risk type, risk amount, and outcome certainties, and further that these effects will differ by sex. In short, stress changes how we make decisions, and it does so differently by sex.

Stay social, stay young: a bioanthropological outlook on the processes linking sociality and ageing

In modern human societies, social interactions and pro-social behaviours are associated with better individual and collective health, reduced mortality, and increased longevity. Conversely, social isolation is a predictor of shorter lifespan. The biological processes through which sociality affects the ageing process, as well as healthspan and lifespan, are still poorly understood. Unveiling the physiological, neurological, genomic, epigenomic, and evolutionary mechanisms underlying the association between sociality and longevity may open new perspectives to understand how lifespan is determined in a broader socio/evolutionary outlook. Here we summarize evidence showing how social dynamics can shape the evolution of life history traits through physiological and genetic processes directly or indirectly related to ageing and lifespan. We start by reviewing theories of ageing that incorporate social interactions into their model. Then, we address the link between sociality and lifespan from two separate points of view: (i) considering evidences from comparative evolutionary biology and bioanthropology that demonstrates how sociality contributes to natural variation in lifespan over the course of human evolution and among different human groups in both pre-industrial and post-industrial society, and (ii) discussing the main physiological, neurological, genetic, and epigenetic molecular processes at the interface between sociality and ageing. We highlight that the exposure to chronic social stressors deregulates neurophysiological and immunological pathways and promotes accelerated ageing and thereby reducing lifespan. In conclusion, we describe how sociality and social dynamics are intimately embedded in human biology, influencing healthy ageing and lifespan, and we highlight the need to foster interdisciplinary approaches including social sciences, biological anthropology, human ecology, physiology, and genetics.

The effects of acute operational stress and passive heat stress on physiological and subjective stress responses in military personnel

Military personnel often encounter situations that can trigger acute stress, which may affect operational performance. Therefore, it is important to examine stress responses in controlled environments to obtain more insights in performance-influencing effects of acute stress. This study investigated the impact of passive heat exposure combined with virtual combat scenarios on cardiovascular and psychophysiological parameters in a controlled setting. Sixty-eight healthy servicemembers were randomized into a low-stress or high-stress condition. Both groups engaged in two virtual combat scenarios. The low-stress group, however, underwent testing under thermoneutral conditions (MTemp = 22.4°C, MRelativeHumidity = 41.4%) whereas the high-stress group was exposed to passive heat exposure (MTemp = 35.9°C, MRelativeHumidity = 66.4%) using a portable environmental facility. While virtual combat scenarios alone led to a decrease in heart rate variability (HRV) without affecting heart rate (HR), the addition of passive heat exposure elicited a more pronounced physiological stress response, characterized by significantly higher HR and lower HRV in the high-stress condition. However, no significant changes were observed in respiratory rate, salivary cortisol, or alpha-amylase levels across the conditions, suggesting that there was no activation of either the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal or the sympathetic-adrenal-medullary axis. Furthermore, subjective stress and anxiety scores did not differ between conditions, underscoring the physiological nature of the observed changes. Resultantly, the physiological response was likely a thermal reaction rather than an acute stress response. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating environmental stressors into military training protocols to enhance realism and prepare personnel for operational stressors. However, the mild response observed suggests that higher ambient temperatures and longer exposure times may be necessary to evoke a more robust stress response for effective stress inoculation training.

Memory under pressure: The impact of acute stress across different memory tasks

In the present study, we aimed to investigate how acute stress exerts its heterogeneous effects. Based on biophysical network models, we hypothesized that acute stress would improve occipital-mediated ultra-short-term and to a lesser degree affect occipital- and frontal-mediated short-term and working, and impairs hippocampal-mediated long-term memory processes and their respective behavioral measures. To test this, 111 healthy individuals (57 female) underwent both the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and a control test. Immediately afterward, participants' performance was measured in four memory tasks (Rapid Serial Visual Presentation, RSVP, Match-to-Sample, MTS, N-Back, NB and Free-Recall, FR tasks). TSST exposure seems to impair long-term memory (ACFR; β = -1.50 ± 0.62; when free recall was tested approx. 80 minutes after initial encoding, immediately after the TSST), and working memory (ACNB; β= -0.42 ± 0.20 %) but did not affect ultra-short-term (ACRSVP; β = -0.03 ± 0.31 %) and short-term (ACMTS; β=-0.18 ± 0.31 %) memory accuracies (ACs). Interestingly, TSST exposure increased the exploratory included measure of response times in MTS (RTMTS; β =16.42 ± 7.18 msec) and impaired T1 detection in the RSVP (ACT1; β=-0.48 ± 0.22 %) tasks. Contrary to the hypothesis, TSST exposure did not have the hypothesized effects on the memory processes. Instead, TSST exposure appeared to affect secondary behavioral indicators of motivation or task instruction adherence.

The effects of a single bout of high intensity exercise on stress reactivity, mind wandering, and lecture comprehension in young adults

Post-secondary students experience acute stressors daily. Acute stress has been associated with poor cognitive and learning outcomes. Prior work has demonstrated a single bout of exercise can attenuate acute stress responses. The present study examined the effects of a single 30-minute bout of high intensity aerobic exercise on multidimensional stress reactivity and learning-related outcomes. Forty participants were randomized to either engaging in an exercise bout or seated rest. Participants were then exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test followed by a 20-minute video lecture. The video lecture contained embedded mind wandering probes. Acute exercise did not attenuate stress responses, however promoted greater on-task behaviour (i.e., less mind wandering) and improved lecture comprehension scores. Notably, state anxiety was positively associated with mind wandering and mind wandering was negatively associated with lecture comprehension. Collectively, examining the role of acute interventions that reduce state anxiety may promote favourable learning outcomes in young adults.

Small pieces make the big picture: the etiology of the relationship between executive functions and personality traits

BACKGROUND

This study primarily aimed to explore the etiology of the phenotypic relationships between personality traits and executive functions. We assessed common genetic and environmental sources of variance in these phenomena by examining different dimensions of the Five Factor Model (FFM) and executive function factors. An additional research question focused on whether specific facets within the FFM share a greater genetic overlap with executive functions compared to broader personality dimensions.

METHODS

The NEO-PI-R, the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test, the Trail Making Test, and verbal fluency tests were applied to a sample of 468 twins from the Serbian Twin Advanced Registry (153 monozygotic twin pairs).

RESULTS

Several facets from all domains had significant genetic associations with executive functions, with Ideas and Values showing the highest positive correlations, and Order and Vulnerability showing the highest negative genetic correlations. Most phenotypic associations between the two domains of individual differences were almost entirely explained by shared genetic influences.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings underscore the importance of examining personality traits at the facet level, as facet-level analysis provides more detailed insights into the relationship between personality and executive functions than broader personality dimensions. The results emphasize the role of shared genetic influences in shaping both personality and executive abilities, suggesting that future research should investigate the underlying neural mechanisms driving these associations.

The Memory and Affective Flexibility Task: a new behavioral tool to assess neurocognitive processes implicated in emotion-related impulsivity and internalizing symptoms

Background

Cognitive rigidity and working memory impairment are established features of internalizing syndromes. Growing evidence suggests that deficits in affective control -cognitive control in the context of emotion - may underpin elevated emotion-related impulsivity in various psychiatric disorders.

Objective

This study examines two components of affective control (affective flexibility and emotional working memory) as potential neurocognitive processes linking emotion-related impulsivity to internalizing psychopathology.

Method

Undergraduate participants (analysis n = 120) completed the Memory and Affective Flexibility Task (MAFT), a novel behavioral assessment designed to assess hot cognition in affective flexibility and emotional working memory performance, alongside self-report measures of impulsivity and symptoms of internalizing disorders.

Results

Structural equation modeling suggested that less accurate working memory during neutral trials (cool cognition) was associated with more symptoms of internalizing psychopathology. However, effects of hot working memory and affective flexibility were not significantly related to emotion-related impulsivity or psychopathology scores.

Conclusions

Although findings provide no support for the validity of MAFT indices of hot cognition, these results replicate and extend work on the importance of cool working memory and emotion-related impulsivity as correlates of psychopathology.

Relationship Between Stressful Life Events and Depression Among Adolescents: The Mediating Roles of Subcomponents of Executive Function

Stressful life events are important risk factors in the development of adolescent depression. Executive function is significant in the stress-depression link. However, it is not clear whether there is a specific effect for subcomponents of executive function (working memory, inhibition, and shifting). Therefore, the present study recruited 213 adolescents (mean age (Mage) = 15.19 years, SD = 1.27, range = 12.00-18.00 years, and 53.00% girls) and measured their perceived stress using the questionnaire of the Adolescent Self-Rating Life Events Checklist, working memory ability by two-back tasks, inhibition ability by Stroop tasks, and shifting ability by Wisconsin Card-Sorting tasks. Results showed that stressful life events positively correlated with adolescents' depression, while stressful life events negatively linked with working memory and inhibition. Depression was negatively associated with working memory and inhibition. No significant correlation was found between shifting and either stressful life events or depression. Mediation analyses revealed that working memory and inhibition mediated the link between stressful life events and adolescent depression, while shifting did not show a mediating effect. Our findings provide further evidence for the precise effect of executive function in the stress-depression link, implicating that different subcomponents should be considered to provide targeted intervention to alleviate adolescents' depressive symptoms.

Development of a checklist for cognitive assessment requirements (CARE) based on a Delphi consensus study

Situational factors can influence cognitive performance and should be considered for conducting cognitive assessments. The objective of this project was to develop a checklist for Cognitive Assessment Requirements (CARE) to identify these situational factors before conducting cognitive assessments and account for them. This study employed a four-round Delphi approach involving 22 experts to identify situational factors that can impact cognitive assessment results. The development of a robust and well-balanced checklist was guided by a consensus-driven approach, which considered metrics such as Interquartile Deviation (IQD) (> 1.00), Percentage of Positive Responses (PPR, above 60%), and mean importance ratings (< 3 on a 5-point Likert scale) to assess both degree of agreement and item importance. Consensus was reached, leading to a 14-item checklist to evaluate cognitive assessment requirements. These items were categorized into six groups: Acute Illness or Physical Discomfort, Medication Effects and Substance Use, Sleep Quality and Fatigue, Emotional State, Language factors, and Environmental factors. The CARE can be employed prior to cognitive assessments to identify situational factors of relevance to the individual client, thereby creating a more favorable environment for cognitive evaluation, and enhancing the reliability of the assessment findings. Furthermore, the CARE can help determine the level of confidence in the results by assessing whether the conditions are conducive to testing or if situational factors may undermine the validity of the evaluation.

Assessment of Changes in Executive Functions and Attention of Cadets as a Result of Military Parachute Jumping

OBJECTIVES

This study analyzed the effects of parachute jump stress on the executive functions and attention of cadets. Executive functions, which includes processes such as attentional control and cognitive flexibility, are crucial for soldiers, especially in situations requiring rapid decision-making. Parachute jumping, as an intense stressor, mobilizes cognitive resources, which can lead to short-term improvements in executive functions.

METHODS

A total of 64 cadets divided into control (N = 32) and experimental (N = 32) groups participated in the study. The experimental group performed a parachute jump and then took the Color Trails Test, assessed both before and after the jump.

RESULTS

The results showed significant improvements in executive functions, in particular, sustained and alternating attention, sequential information processing, and monitoring one's own behavior, suggesting a positive effect of stress on selected executive functions.

CONCLUSIONS

The results indicate that intense, short-term stress can positively affect executive functions, although this effect may depend on the type of task and the participants' experience of exposure to intense stressful stimuli. The study makes an important contribution to the design of future military training, considering the importance of mobilizing cognitive resources in response to short-term stress.

Acute immune system activation exerts time-dependent effects on inhibitory control: Results of both a randomized controlled experiment of influenza vaccination and a systematic review and meta-analysis - ISPNE 2024 Dirk Hellhammer Award

Although coming down with an illness or receiving a vaccine are both common experiences, the influence of such acute immune system activations on cognitive processes, such as inhibitory control, has received relatively little attention. We addressed that issue by assessing the effects of acute immune system activation on inhibitory control in a randomized controlled experiment, and by conducting a meta-analysis of similar studies in humans. In our experiment, we found-somewhat surprisingly-that influenza vaccination improved performance on both of our inhibitory control outcomes (i.e., stop-signal reaction times and flanker interference effects). At the meta-analytic level, we found that at a short delay (1.5-4 hours post-injection) between immune activation and inhibitory control assessment, such activation impaired multiple forms of inhibitory control, whereas after a longer delay (e.g., > 18 hours post-injection), such activation improved inhibitory control-consistent with our experiment. Moreover, proinflammatory cytokine activity predicted poorer interference control but better response inhibition, even with a long delay between injection and testing. Together, these results highlight nuanced, time-dependent, and-perhaps-multiple-mechanism-driven effects of acute immune system activity on inhibitory control.

Physical activity intensity and older adolescents' stress: The 'STress-Reactivity after Exercise in Senior Secondary EDucation' (STRESSED) 3-arm randomised controlled trial

OBJECTIVES

Late adolescence (15-19 years) is a period of heightened susceptibility to stress, but regular physical activity may attenuate reactivity to stressors. We aimed to explore the effects of physical activity intensity on older adolescents' stress-reactivity and self-reported mental health.

DESIGN AND METHODS

Three-arm randomised controlled trial in New South Wales, Australia (April-June 2021). Thirty-seven older adolescents (16.1 ± 0.2 years, 59.5 % female) were randomised to: i) non-active control (CON), ii) light-intensity physical activity (LPA), or iii) moderate-to-vigorous-intensity physical activity (MVPA). Physical activity groups participated in 2 x 20-min sessions/week for 6 weeks. Salivary cortisol (sCort) reactivity to induced stress was assessed using the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups and quantified as area under the curve (sCortAUC; Primary outcome). Secondary outcomes included peak cortisol (sCortPeak), subjective-reactivity, perceived stress, and non-specific psychological distress. Group differences were assessed using multiple linear regression and quantified using Cohen's d.

RESULTS

No statistically significant effects were observed for sCortAUC or sCortPeak and the pattern of effects for subjective-reactivity was inconsistent. Effects for self-reported mental health were also non-significant (p > .05 for all) but of meaningful magnitude, favouring LPA and MVPA over CON (d's = -0.38 to -0.54). Delivery fidelity was high, satisfaction was moderate-to-high, and there was no evidence of harm. However, recruitment, retention for sCort measures, and adherence were lower than expected.

CONCLUSION

Suboptimal recruitment, retention, and adherence limited our ability to conclude on the effect of physical activity intensity on older adolescents' sCort-reactivity to induced stress. We observed potentially meaningful effects on self-reported mental health for both physical activity conditions, which could be confirmed in a future powered trial.

Neural and behavioral dynamics of error processing under chronic stress in healthy young adults

Chronic stress has a negative impact on cognitive function and physical health, particularly impairing cognitive control function. This study aimed to investigate the effects of chronic stress on error processing, specifically error monitoring and post-error adjustment. We assessed 61 healthy college students (32 females, 29 males, age: 18.80 ± 0.68 years) using the Student-Life Stress Inventory (SLSI) and a four-choice Flanker task with response-stimulus intervals (RSIs) of 200 ms, 700 ms, and 1500 ms to investigate the temporal dynamics of error monitoring and characteristics of different phases of post-error processing under chronic stress. Results revealed that higher chronic stress levels were associated with smaller post-error slowing (PES) and larger post-error accuracy decrease (PEAD). Dividing participants into high-chronic stress (n = 30) and low-chronic stress (n = 31) groups, we found that the ΔPe amplitude at 200 ms RSI in the low-stress group was significantly larger than that in the high-stress group, indicating that chronic stress impairs the recognition of error responses. At 200 ms RSI, the PEAD in the high-stress group was significantly larger than in the low-stress group. This suggests that high levels of chronic stress impair early-stage post-error adjustment processing. The study highlights that chronic stress impairs error monitoring and early post-error processing, revealing features of continuous processing stages in behavioral monitoring under chronic stress.

Targeting Cognitive Resilience through Prebiotics: A Focused Perspective

This perspective article is a product of the work of an expert group within the Prebiotic Task Force convened by the International Life Sciences Institute Europe, a non-profit organization that brings together experts from academia, industry, and public service to catalyze nutrition science for public benefit. An expert group was conceived in October 2023 to discuss the evidence base on the use of prebiotics to promote cognitive functioning, with a focus on highlighting knowledge gaps and proposing a list of recommendations to guide this specific area of research forward. To address this, we evaluated existing systematic reviews and meta-analyses of human intervention studies that examine the effects of prebiotics on cognitive functioning. These are predominantly conducted in healthy participants under basal conditions and have, to date, revealed limited effects. In this perspective, we propose that prebiotics should be investigated as agents to promote cognitive resilience by testing their effects on cognitive performance under certain cognition-taxing factors that individuals encounter across their lifespan. These include stress, poor sleep outcomes, sedentary behavior, and unhealthy dietary patterns, all of which have been shown to be associated with altered microbiome and impact global cognition or specific cognitive domains. In addition, we recommend identifying vulnerable populations that are either subclinical or that struggle chronically or periodically with 1 or more cognition-taxing factors, to better uncover the boundary conditions for prebiotic effectiveness. By broadening the scope of research to include diverse populations and challenging conditions in daily life or experimental settings, we can expand our understanding of the role of prebiotics not only in cognitive health or impairment, but also as potential preventative agents that may promote cognitive resilience during aging and in response to various lifestyle-related challenges.

An FMRI meta-analysis of interoception in eating disorders

Eating Disorders (EDs) are associated with disturbed interoception - the sense of the internal condition of the body. Disturbances in interoception across senses have not yet been comprehensively examined in EDs. To do so, we employed an innovative Bayesian author-topic model approach to fMRI meta-analyses that pools together neural deficits across interoceptive senses and task types in participants with and recovered from EDs. Following PRISMA guidelines, our results combine activation patterns from 1,341 initially screened studies and data from 25 manuscripts that met study criteria that compare 463 patients with EDs (current or recovered) to 450 healthy control participants (HC). Altered brain activity was found within vision/sensory processing (precuneus), taste/self-referential processing (claustrum/posterior insula) and reward/set-shifting (global pallidus, medial frontal gyrus, anterior cingulate, precentral gyrus and parietal lobe) components in EDs compared to HC. Our results reveal separate components for bottom-up exteroceptive and interoceptive processing centering around the precuneus and claustrum/insula and also reward processing/set-shifting deficits. Thus, bottom-up sensory and reward processing are key deficits in EDs during ill and recovered states.

Representation of Anticipated Rewards and Punishments in the Human Brain

Subjective value is a core concept in neuroeconomics, serving as the basis for decision making. Despite the extensive literature on the neural encoding of subjective reward value in humans, the neural representation of punishment value remains relatively understudied. This review synthesizes current knowledge on the neural representation of reward value, including methodologies, involved brain regions, and the concept of a common currency representation of diverse reward types in decision-making and learning processes. We then critically examine existing research on the neural representation of punishment value, highlighting conceptual and methodological challenges in human studies and insights gained from animal research. Finally, we explore how individual differences in reward and punishment processing may be linked to various mental illnesses, with a focus on stress-related psychopathologies. This review advocates for the integration of both rewards and punishments within value-based decision-making and learning frameworks, leveraging insights from cross-species studies and utilizing ecological gamified paradigms to reflect real-life scenarios.

TSST-OL: Comparison between online and laboratory application and effects on empathy

Online test protocols are increasingly popular in psychological and neuroscientific research. Despite its relevance to the social functioning, the influence of acute stress on cognitive and affective state empathy is not clearly understood. Recently, a remote online version (TSST-OL) of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was established for use in research with both children and adults. In general, the TSST-OL offers the opportunity for context-independent application (e.g., at the participants' home or in field contexts). However, in order to exploit this opportunity, it seems crucial to validate the TSST-OL across different settings and contextual variables. We compared stress reactivity in response to the TSST-OL at home and in the laboratory. In a 2 ×2 factorial design, N=120 participants (n=60 women) underwent the TSST-OL and an online adaption of the friendly TSST (fTSST-OL) either at home (n=60) or at the laboratory (n=60). Stress induction was evaluated in terms of physiological (cortisol and salivary alpha-amylase, sAA) and subjective stress and affect measures. Participants also completed an empathy performance task after stress and control exposure. Results confirmed that the TSST-OL successfully induced stress both when conducted at participants' homes and in the laboratory. Still, cortisol levels were higher during laboratory participation compared to application at home, likely due to anticipatory stress. Consequently, the TSST-OL in a home-based application seems to buffer anticipatory stress thus making it an attractive tool to study experimentally induced stress reactivity. Concerning empathy, positive emotions were generally better identified (cognitive empathy) and empathized (affective empathy) than negative emotions. For the latter, this difference was absent after stress, indicated by decreased affective empathy for positive emotions. Overall, this study indicates that the TSST-OL induces stress and validates the tool using a rigorous study design with sufficient participants and relevant stress parameters. Thus, future studies may apply the TSST-OL in different contexts and diverse samples. The findings on empathy under stress align with mixed results in existing research, highlighting the necessity for further investigations into empathy, considering various measurements, stimulus valence, and sex of the participant.

Within-subject reliability, occasion specificity, and validity of fluctuations of the Stroop and go/no-go tasks in ecological momentary assessment

Following the (revised) latent state-trait theory, the present study investigates the within-subject reliability, occasion specificity, common consistency, and construct validity of cognitive control measures in an intensive longitudinal design. These indices were calculated applying dynamic structural equation modeling while accounting for autoregressive effects and trait change. In two studies, participants completed two cognitive control tasks (Stroop and go/no-go) and answered questions about goal pursuit, self-control, executive functions, and situational aspects, multiple times per day. The sample (aged 18-30 years in both studies) consisted of 21 participants (14 female) in the pilot study and 70 participants (48 female) in the main study. Findings indicated poor within-subject reliability for the Stroop task error rate and reaction time difference between congruent and incongruent trials and moderate to good within-subject reliability for the go/no-go task error rate and reaction time. Occasion specificity-the systematic variance accounted for by state residuals-was at a modest level (between 1.4% and 11.1%) for the Stroop error rate and reaction time difference, and at a moderate level (between 16.1% and 37.2% for the go/no-go error rate and reaction time) in the two studies. Common consistency-the variance accounted for by latent trait variables-was at a moderate to high level for all of the investigated scores. Indicative of construct validity, the Stroop and go/no-go task error rates correlated positively with each other on the within- and between-subject level. Within-subject correlations between task scores and subjective self-control measures were very small and mostly nonsignificant.

Working Memory and Inhibition as Mediators in the Relationship Between Adverse Childhood Experiences and Emotional Eating

Objective: Previous studies have focused on the dual relationship among adverse childhood experiences (ACEs), cognitive abilities, and emotional eating. The current study aims to test the mediating role of executive functioning (working memory and inhibition) between ACEs and emotional eating. Methods: A total of 1105 community-based participants, aged 18-45 (Mean = 26.28, SD = 7.09), were included in the study. Among the participants, 698 (63.16%) were female, and 407 (36.84%) were male. Participants completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire; the Adult Executive Functioning Inventory; the Dutch Eating Behaviour Scale; the Life Events Checklist; and the Depression, Anxiety, Stress Scale Short Form. Multiple mediation analyses were employed using MPlus 8.3. Results: Multiple mediation analysis results showed that working memory and inhibition mediate the relationship between ACEs and emotional eating. Furthermore, working memory and inhibition were positively correlated with emotional eating. Discussion: Our findings indicate that difficulties in working memory and inhibition may increase the risk of emotional eating. Early intervention targeting executive functions may prevent emotional eating. Public Significance: Our findings highlight the relationship among ACEs, executive functioning, and emotional eating. Intervening in executive function may have clinical benefits for individuals with ACEs.

Cognitive Health Costs of Poor Housing for Women: Exploring Executive Function and Housing Stress in Urban Slums in India

An increasing body of literature has investigated the implications of housing quality on health, confirming the negative consequences of poor housing quality on physical and mental health. Despite this increased focus on the salutogenic impacts of housing, the relationship between housing quality and cognitive health remains understudied. This study examined how the housing quality in urban informal settlements, where living conditions are often substandard, affects women's cognitive functioning, with a specific focus on executive function (EF) skills. EF is a decision-making system that enables us to make decisions using working memory and attentional control. This study addressed two key questions: (1) Is housing quality associated with EF skills? (2) Does perceived housing stress experienced by women mediate the housing-EF relationship? A standardized observer-based tool assessed housing quality, psychometric instruments measured EF skills, and a 12-item questionnaire evaluated perceived housing stress. Results indicated that better housing quality is positively associated with higher EF skills, with housing stress acting as a mediating factor in this relationship. These findings have important implications for both health and housing policies. Investments in improving housing conditions can yield cognitive health benefits for women, and addressing stress-inducing housing factors could further enhance cognitive outcomes.

Cognitive benefits of sleep: a narrative review to explore the relevance of glucose regulation

Sleep is essential for maintaining optimal health. Both sleep duration and quality have been linked to various physiological functions and physical and mental health outcomes. Nutrition has been shown to impact sleep parameters, from the nutrient composition of foods, such as tryptophan levels, to the physiological response to foods, such as the glucose response. However, the relationship between glycemic control and sleep, and its impact on next-day benefits, particularly on cognitive performance, remains complex and is not fully understood. This narrative review aims to explore the relationship between glycemia and sleep, and how it may affect cognitive performance the following day. The review includes data from observational and interventional studies, discussing mechanisms of action that may explain the modulating effect of glycemia on sleep and cognition. The evidence suggests that lower postprandial glucose and low variation of nocturnal glucose are associated with better sleep quality and shorter sleep onset latency. Good sleep quality, in turn, is positively associated with cognitive processes such as sustained attention and memory consolidation measured the next day after sleep. Future research opportunities lie in investigating the effects of modulating the glycemic and insulinemic responses through evening meals on sleep quality and next-day cognitive performance. Well-designed clinical trials involving healthy individuals are necessary to establish the effects of these interventions. Controlling glycemic and insulinemic profiles through the evening meal may have significant implications for improving sleep quality and cognitive performance, with potential impact on individual mental health, productivity, and overall well-being.

The effect of acute stress response on conspiracy theory beliefs

The endorsement of conspiracy theories may be increased by subjectively perceived stress. Yet, it is not known whether this correlation is caused by the effects of the acute stress reaction on the brain or other psychological, social, or methodological factors. The effect of an experimentally induced acute stress reaction on conspiracy thinking was tested on a sample (n = 115) of students of medicine. Although the stress procedure caused a substantial increase in salivary cortisol, there was no significant effect on endorsing conspiracy theories or adopting conspiracy interpretations of novel information. The results confirmed no effect of the acute stress reaction on conspiracy thinking, suggesting it may be absent or weaker than expected. The study demonstrated the viability of psychophysiological experimental design in conspiracy research and may inspire further examination of the physiological mechanisms underlying susceptibility to conspiracy theories.

Inflammation and cognitive performance in elite athletes: A cross-sectional study

Functional cognition is relevant for athletic success and interdependent with physical exercise, yet despite repeatedly demonstrated inflammatory responses to physical training, there are no studies addressing the relationship between cognition and inflammation in athletes. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between cognitive performance and selected inflammatory, and further physiological biomarkers in elite athletes. Data from 350 elite athletes regarding cognitive performance (processing speed, selective attention, working memory, cognitive flexibility), systemic inflammatory markers, metabolic hormones, growth factors, tissue damage markers, and micronutrients (e.g., ferritin, 25-OH-vitamin D), as well as physiological, subjective ratings of recovery and stress were analysed by correlative and multiple regression analyses. Results show that across all athletes variance in processing speed, selective attention, and working memory, could be best explained through a combination of metabolic hormones with physiological and psychological indicators of stress, and in cognitive flexibility through vitamin D levels. Only for the subgroup of athletes from closed-skill sports, the ratio TNF-α:IL-10 significantly contributed to explanation of variance in working memory and cognitive flexibility. In general, found correlations point to the importance of inflammatory balance and sufficient long-term nutrient supply for unaffected cognitive performance.

Maternal perceived stress, household disorder, eating behaviors and adiposity of women and their children

BACKGROUND

Stress is associated with physiological and behavioral adaptations that increase the risk for obesity and related diseases in adults and children. Mechanisms linking stress to chronic disease are diverse and not fully elucidated, but research suggests stress may impact eating behaviors and increase food intake and thereby, risk for obesity.

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to test the hypotheses that women's perceived stress and household disorder are associated with more uncontrolled and emotional eating among women, more food responsiveness and emotional overeating among their children, and greater adiposity in both women and their children.

METHODS

Women (n = 86) completed the Perceived Stress Scale, Confusion, Hubbub and Order Scale, Three Factor Eating Questionnaire, and Child Eating Behavior Questionnaire. Total body fat (%) was measured via dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. Linear regression models evaluated associations of perceived stress and household disorder with eating behaviors and adiposity of women and their children (4-10 years old).

RESULTS

In a sample of predominantly non-Hispanic Black women (84.9%, n = 73), more perceived stress and household disorder were associated with more uncontrolled and emotional eating (p < 0.05). Women's perceived stress was not associated with their children's eating behaviors; however, household disorder was positively associated with children's food responsiveness and emotional overeating (p < 0.05). Perceived stress and household disorder were not associated with adiposity of women or their children.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest household disorder may be a factor for home-based interventions to consider when addressing eating behaviors among families with children.

Emotional, physiological, biochemical, and behavioral responses to acute stress and uncertainty in military personnel

Stress carries diverse implications for perceptual, cognitive, and affective functions. One population particularly susceptible to acute stress-induced cognitive changes are individuals with high-stress jobs (e.g., military personnel). These individuals are often tasked with maintaining peak cognitive performance, including memory, spatial navigation, and decision-making under threatening and uncertain conditions. Previous research has separately examined decision-making under conditions of stress or uncertainty (i.e., ambiguous discrimination between friends and foes). However, questions remain about how operationally relevant stress impacts memory encoding and recall, or spatial learning, as well as how uncertainty may impact decision-making during stress. To address this gap, we examined the influence of a military-relevant emotional stressor on a series of cognitive tasks including recognition memory task (RMT), spatial orienting task (SOT), and shoot/don't shoot decision making (DMT). To examine the effects of uncertainty and stress we varied the stimulus clarity in the DMT. We utilized threat of shock (TOS) as a high-stakes outcome for decision errors. TOS increased sympathetic arousal but did not affect subjective emotional or HPA responses. TOS influenced decision times and confidence ratings in the DMT, but not response sensitivity or response bias. DMT performance varied by stimulus clarity (uncertainty) but did not differ between stress conditions. TOS did not influence recognition memory or spatial orienting. In sum, high levels of stress and uncertainty characterize military operations, yet stress experienced in military contexts can be difficult to induce in laboratory settings. We discuss several avenues for future research, including methodological considerations to better assess the magnitude and specificity of emotional stress-induction techniques in Soldiers.

Acute stress and blockade of mineralocorticoid or glucocorticoid receptors: Effects on working memory

Although early studies were able to demonstrate a negative impact of stress on working memory performance, present research findings are heterogeneous. Numerous further studies found no effects or even improved performance, with the direction of these stress effects likely depending on the underlying biological mechanisms. The aim of this study was to investigate receptor-specific effects, as part of the stress-induced cortisol response, on working memory performance. Healthy, male participants (N=318, mean age 25.4 ± 5.1y) were exposed to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), a social-evaluative stress manipulation, or a non-stress control condition after they had received either spironolactone (blockade of the mineralocorticoid receptor, MR) or mifepristone (blockade of the glucocorticoid receptor, GR) or a placebo. Both substances are potent antagonists with high affinity for the respective receptors. To assess working memory, we implemented the n-back task subsequent to stress exposure, number of correct responses and reaction times served as outcome measures. We did not find effects of stress on working memory for any outcome measure, i.e. correct responses and reaction times. Yet, post hoc tests revealed that the group that received mifepristone exhibited longer reaction times under medium load conditions when compared to the placebo group, which might be an indication of the GR's involvement in task performance. We conclude that working memory performance is not affected by acute stress, at least under these prevalent conditions.

Writing tips for psychoneuroimmunology trainees: Lessons learned from Dr. Kiecolt-Glaser

Psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) researchers can advance their careers and increase their scientific impact by prioritizing their writing skills. In addition to Dr. Kiecolt-Glaser's landmark research that inspired this special issue, her legacy is reflected in her prolific writing. Dr. Kiecolt-Glaser has the unique ability to convey her innovative research clearly and to diverse audiences. She also made writing mentorship a critical part of the training experience in her lab. In these ways, Dr. Kiecolt-Glaser's writing skills and mentorship have shaped both the PNI field and her trainees' careers. In this paper, I distill lessons learned about writing from Dr. Kiecolt-Glaser during my time as a graduate student in her Stress and Health Lab in the 2010s. I reflect on Dr. Kiecolt-Glaser's influence on her trainees' writing habits, summarize "writing pearls" inspired by her feedback/revisions, and provide observations on her writing mentorship habits. These tips are intended to help PNI trainees to clearly communicate their work and to help mentors reflect on ways they can prioritize and advance their trainees' writing skills. Finally, I reflect on how Dr. Kiecolt-Glaser's mentorship and scientific accomplishments had a tremendous impact on my own career development.

Transfer from goal-directed behavior to stimulus-response habits and its modulation by acute stress in individuals with risky gaming behavior

Habitual responses towards addiction-related cues play a relevant role in the development and maintenance of addictions. Such automatic responses may be more likely under stress, as stress has been shown to induce a shift from goal-directed to habitual behavior. The current study investigated these mechanisms in risky gaming behavior. Individuals with risky gaming behavior (n = 68), as established by a structured clinical interview, and a matched control group (n = 67) completed a Pavlovian-to-Instrumental Transfer (PIT) paradigm with gaming-related cues and rewards. After the Pavlovian training, participants underwent a stress (Trier Social Stress Test) or control condition before performing the instrumental training and the transfer phase of the PIT paradigm. To assess habitual behavior, the gaming-related rewards were devalued after half of the transfer phase. In both groups, gaming-related cues enhanced the choice of the gaming-related reward and this gaming PIT effect was reduced, however, not eliminated by the devaluation. Unexpectedly, stress did not significantly increase responding for the gaming-related reward in participants aware of the stimulus-outcome associations, however seemed to enhance habitual responding in unaware participants. Our findings underline the relevance of gaming-related cues in triggering habitual responses, which may undermine attempts to change a problematic gaming behavior.

A Novel Computerized Flexible Attention Test in Detecting Executive Dysfunction of Patients with Early-Onset Cognitive Impairment and Dementia

OBJECTIVE

The number of computer-based cognitive tests has increased in recent years, but there is a need for tests focusing on the assessment of executive function (EF), as it can be crucial for the identification of early-onset neurodegenerative disorders. This study aims to examine the ability of the Flexible Attention Test (FAT), a new computer-based test battery for detecting executive dysfunction of early-onset cognitive impairment and dementia patients.

METHOD

We analyzed the FAT subtask results in memory clinic patients with cognitive symptom onset at ≤65 years. The patients were divided into four groups: early onset dementia (EOD, n = 48), mild cognitive impairment due to neurological causes (MCI-n, n = 34), MCI due to other causes (MCI-o, n = 99), and subjective cognitive decline (SCD, n = 14). The test accuracy to distinguish EOD patients from other groups was examined, as well as correlations with pen-and-paper EF tests. We also reported the 12-months follow-up results.

RESULTS

The EOD and MCI-n patients performed significantly poorer (p ≤ .002) than those in the MCI-o and SCD groups in most of the FAT subtasks. The accuracies of the FAT subtasks to detect EOD from other causes were mainly moderate (0.34 ≤ area under the curve < 0.74). The FAT subtasks correlated logically with corresponding pen-and-paper EF tests (.15 ≤ r ≤ .75). No systematic learning effects were detected in the FAT performance at follow-up.

CONCLUSIONS

The FAT appears to be a promising method for the precise evaluation of EF and applicable distinguishing early-onset neurodegenerative disorders from patients with other causes of cognitive problems.