scholarly journals Influence of stress on physiological synchrony in a stressful versus non-stressful group setting

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadette Denk ◽  
Stephanie J. Dimitroff ◽  
Maria Meier ◽  
Annika B. E. Benz ◽  
Ulrike U. Bentele ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Stress ◽  
Physiological Activity ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Alpha Amylase ◽  
Group Setting ◽  
Group Settings ◽  
Physiological Synchrony ◽  
Group Members

AbstractPhysiological synchrony (PS) is defined as the co-occurrence and interdependence of physiological activity between interaction partners. Previous research has uncovered numerous influences on the extent of PS, such as relationship type or individual characteristics. Here, we investigate the influence of acute stress on PS. We do so in a setting in which PS was not promoted, but contact between group members was explicitly minimized. We reanalyzed cortisol, alpha-amylase, and subjective stress data from 138 participants (mean age = $$23.48 \pm 3.99$$ 23.48 ± 3.99 , 47.1% female) who previously underwent the Trier Social Stress Test for groups (TSST-G) or a non-stressful control task together, collected as part of a larger project by Popovic et al. (Sci Rep 10: 7845, 2020). Using a stability and influence model, an established method to test for synchrony, we tested whether individuals’ cortisol and alpha-amylase concentrations could be predicted by group members’ levels. We found cortisol PS in participants who were in the same group, the extent of which was stronger in the non-stressful control condition. For alpha-amylase, participants were synchronized as well; furthermore, there was an interaction between previous stress levels and PS. This suggests that while synchrony of both stress markers can occur in group settings even with spurious interaction, stressor exposure might attenuate its extent. We argue that if PS occurs in a sample where interaction was minimal, the phenomenon might be more widespread than previously thought. Furthermore, stressor exposure might influence whether a situation allows for PS. We conclude that PS should be investigated within group settings with various degrees of social interaction to further expose mechanisms of and influence on PS.

scholarly journals Measuring stress reactivity in the home: Preliminary findings from a version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST-H) appropriate for field-based research

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Meriah Lee DeJoseph ◽  
Eric D. Finegood ◽  
Cybele Raver ◽  
Clancy B. Blair
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
High Stress ◽  
Preliminary Evidence ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Alpha Amylase ◽  
Autonomic Response ◽  
Initial Assessment

Stress induction paradigms are essential tools for studies investigating psychobiological mechanisms linking stress reactivity with mental and physical health outcomes, especially among youth growing up in high-stress contexts such as poverty. However, standardized stress paradigms aimed at measuring stress reactivity are limited to laboratory settings and have mostly been conducted in small samples of convenience. The aim of the current study is to present a version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) adapted for administration in participants’ homes appropriate for administration in large-scale, population-based samples. We address issues related to the feasibility of administration and present preliminary evidence of the validity of the home-based TSST (TSST-H) in a subsample (n = 100) of adolescents (12-13 years) participating in the Family Life Project (N = 1,292). Measures of stress physiology included salivary cortisol, alpha amylase, and blood pressure, assessed at baseline, 5 minutes post, 20 minutes post, and 40 minutes post task. Importantly, administration of the TSST-H procedure was successful among 93% of our sample after accounting for participant refusals and significant distractions in the home. We also found preliminary evidence that the TSST-H elicited an autonomic response, reflected by statistically significant increases in salivary alpha amylase and diastolic blood pressure post task. Our initial assessment indicates that the TSST-H can be effectively implemented in field based settings with hard to reach populations.

scholarly journals Physiological responses to psychological stress: importance of adiposity in men aged 50–70 years

2014 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 110-119 ◽  
Author(s):  
S U Jayasinghe ◽  
S J Torres ◽  
C A Nowson ◽  
A J Tilbrook ◽  
A I Turner
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Stress ◽  
Salivary Cortisol ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Area Under The Curve ◽  
Peak Height ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Alpha Amylase ◽  
Percentage Body Fat ◽  
Salivary Alpha Amylase

We tested the hypothesis that overweight/obese men aged 50–70 years will have a greater salivary cortisol, salivary alpha amylase and heart rate (HR) responses to psychological stress compared with age matched lean men. Lean (BMI=20–25 kg/m2; n=19) and overweight/obese (BMI=27–35 kg/m2; n=17) men (50–70 years) were subjected to a well-characterised psychological stress (Trier Social Stress Test, TSST) at 1500 h. Concentrations of cortisol and alpha amylase were measured in saliva samples collected every 7–15 min from 1400 to 1700 h. HR was recorded using electrocardiogram. Body weight, BMI, percentage body fat, resting systolic and diastolic blood pressure and mean arterial pressure were significantly higher (P<0.05) in overweight/obese men compared with lean men. Both groups responded to the TSST with a substantial elevation in salivary cortisol (372%), salivary alpha amylase (123%) and HR (22%). These responses did not differ significantly between the groups (time×treatment interaction for salivary cortisol, salivary alpha amylase and HR; P=0.187, P=0.288, P=0.550, respectively). There were no significant differences between the groups for pretreatment values, peak height, difference between pretreatment values and peak height (reactivity) or area under the curve for salivary cortisol, salivary alpha amylase or HR (P>0.05 for all). The results showed that, for men with a moderate level of overweight/obesity who were otherwise healthy, the response of salivary cortisol, salivary alpha amylase and HR to acute psychological stress was not impaired.

scholarly journals Acute Psychosocial Stress Modulates the Detection Sensitivity for Facial Emotions

2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 140-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernadette von Dawans ◽  
Ines Spenthof ◽  
Patrick Zimmer ◽  
Gregor Domes
Keyword(s):  
Facial Expressions ◽  
Social Perception ◽  
Psychosocial Stress ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Detection Sensitivity ◽  
Alpha Amylase ◽  
Facial Emotions ◽  
Free Cortisol

Abstract. Psychosocial stress has been shown to alter social perception and behavior. In the present study, we investigated whether a standardized psychosocial stressor modulates the perceptual sensitivity for positive and negative facial emotions and the tendency to allocate attention to facial expressions. Fifty-four male participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G) or a nonstressful control condition before they performed a facial emotions detection task and a facial dot-probe task to assess attention for positive and negative facial expressions. Saliva samples were collected over the course of the experiment to measure free cortisol and alpha amylase. In response to the TSST-G, participants showed marked increases in subjective stress, salivary cortisol, and alpha amylase compared to the control condition. In the control condition, detection performance was higher for angry compared to happy facial expressions, while in the stressful condition this difference was reversed. Here, participants were more sensitive to happy compared to angry facial expressions. Attention was unaffected by psychosocial stress. The results suggest that psychosocial stress shifts social perception in terms of detection sensitivity for facial expressions toward positive social cues, a pattern that is consistent with the tendency to seek social support for coping with stress.

scholarly journals Which Contextual Features Predict Physiological Stress Reactivity in Midlife to Late Life?

2020 ◽  
Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽  
pp. 573-573
Author(s):  
Viktoryia Kalesnikava
Keyword(s):  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Individual Characteristics ◽  
Self Report ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Targeted Interventions ◽  
Contextual Features

Abstract Chronic stress creates vulnerability to adverse mental and physical health outcomes in later life. While claims about the negative effects of stress on health are primarily based on self-report, it is unclear how subjective stress measures (chronic or perceived stress) and other environmental or individual characteristics (neighborhood, social and health behaviors) relate to physiological stress response. This study examines which contextual features contribute to differences in physiological stress reactivity among adults at risk of type II diabetes (Richmond Stress and Sugar Study, n=125, aged 40-70). Psycho-social stress was induced via Trier Social Stress Test. Using advanced selection methods, we simultaneously explore multiple predictors and illustrate how different sets of risk and protective factors contribute to normal or abnormal stress reactivity profiles. Preliminary results suggest that the top five important predictors are education, contact with friends, perceived stress, ruminative coping, and sedentary behavior. Implications for research and targeted interventions are discussed.

scholarly journals Changes Occurring on the Activity of Salivary Alpha-Amylase Proteoforms in Two Naturalistic Situations Using a Spectrophotometric Assay

Biology ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 227
Author(s):  
María D. Contreras-Aguilar ◽  
Sandra V. Mateo ◽  
Fernando Tecles ◽  
Christophe Hirtz ◽  
Damián Escribano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Psychological Stress ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Spectrophotometric Assay ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Alpha Amylase ◽  
Salivary Alpha Amylase ◽  
Additional Information ◽  
Set Up ◽  
Stress Models

This study aimed to evaluate the changes in the activity of total salivary alpha-amylase (TsAA) and both the non-glycosylated and glycosylated salivary alpha-amylase proteoforms (NGsAA and GsAA, respectively) in physical and psychological stress models, estimated using a simple and easily set-up method. The method used was a spectrophotometric assay with 2-chloro-4-nitrophenyl-α-D-maltotriose (CNPG3) as a substrate, incubated with Concanavalin A (ConA) to remove most of the glycosylated protein from the sample. This method allowed the measurement of TsAA and estimation of NGsAA and GsAA activities with imprecision lower than 10%. When this method was applied to two different stress models, differences in the responses of the proteoforms were observed, with the NGsAA activity showing changes of higher magnitude after stress induction than the GsAA activity, and the highest correlation with the State–Trait Anxiety Inventory Scale in the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). In conclusion, the activity of the two main sAA proteoforms can be easily estimated in saliva, and their measurement can provide additional information on TsAA activity in physical or psychological stress situations.

Messung der Stimmfrequenz im Paargespräch – Chancen für Diagnostik und Intervention in der Paartherapie

2020 ◽  
Vol 68 (4) ◽  
pp. 217-227 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lisanne J. Bulling ◽  
Isabella C. Bertschi ◽  
Céline C. Stadelmann ◽  
Tina Niederer ◽  
Guy Bodenmann
Keyword(s):  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test

Zusammenfassung. Die vorliegende Arbeit stellt die bisherigen empirischen Befunde zur Sprachgrundfrequenz (f0) in Paargesprächen vor und untersucht, wie sich die f0 nach einer experimentellen Stressinduktion im anschließenden spontanen Gespräch zwischen den Partner_innen verändert, wie die f0 mit der verbalen Stressäußerung zusammenhängt und wie sie zwischen den beiden Partner_innen kovariiert. Von 128 heterosexuellen Paaren nahm jeweils eine Person pro Paar am Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) teil. Die dem TSST vorangehende und anschließende naturalistische Interaktion zwischen den Partner_innen wurde gefilmt und nach Gesprächsthema und Art der Stressäußerung kodiert. Wie vorherige Studien zur f0 im Paargespräch zeigte auch die vorliegende Studie, dass die f0 wichtige Informationen über die Partnerschaft enthält. Während eine Erhöhung der f0 in Gesprächen über einen paarinternen Stressor (d.h. bei Konfliktgesprächen) mit negativen Kommunikationsmustern einherging, zeigte die vorliegende Studie, dass die f0 bei Gesprächen über einen paarexternen Stressor (d.h. beim TSST) mit emotionsorientierten Stressäußerungen einherging, also einer für den Stressbewältigungsprozess förderlichen Art der Kommunikation. Die Oszillatorenmodelle zeigen darüber hinaus, dass eine Kopplung der f0 zwischen den Partner_innen besteht, was darauf hindeutet, dass die nicht gestressten Partner_innen auf die paraverbalen Stressäußerungen der gestressten Partner_innen mit ihren eigenen paraverbalen Stressäußerungen reagieren.

Immunoassay or LC-MS/MS for the measurement of salivary cortisol in children?

2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Yoon Ju Bae ◽  
Alexander Gaudl ◽  
Sonia Jaeger ◽  
Stephanie Stadelmann ◽  
Andreas Hiemisch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Salivary Cortisol ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Statistical Power ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Externalizing Disorders ◽  
Cross Reactivity ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Healthy Children ◽  
Kinetic Assay ◽  
The Difference

AbstractBackground:Dysregulation of the adrenal cortex has been assessed with measurement of salivary cortisol. So far salivary cortisol is routinely measured with immunoassay (IA). However, liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (MS) is known to offer better specificity. We compared the concentrations of salivary cortisol measured by MS and IA at basal and stress induced conditions and evaluated reasons for the difference in method-dependent cortisol results.Methods:Saliva samples (n=2703) were collected from 169 children (age range: 8–14 years; 81 healthy children; 55 with internalizing and 33 with externalizing disorders) under circadian conditions and during the Trier Social Stress Test for Children (TSST-C). Biochemical analyses were performed with MS for cortisol and cortisone, IA (IBL, RE62011) for cortisol, and enzyme kinetic assay for α-amylase.Results:MS and IA showed mostly comparable results for circadian activity and TSST-C response with similar statistical power. However, IA measured cortisol concentrations about 2.39-fold higher than MS. We found that this difference in measured values between MS and IA was mainly due to different standardization of IA compared to MS. In addition, at cortisol IA concentration below 5 nmol/L, cross-reactivity with cortisone was found to contribute to the lower concordance between MS and IA.Conclusions:Immunoassay and LC-MS/MS were largely comparable in the interpretation of salivary cortisol dynamics in stress research. But the IA method revealed a restricted accuracy in the measuring range below 5 nmol/L.

scholarly journals Childhood Adversities and Salivary Cortisol Responses to the Trier Social Stress Test: A Systematic Review of Studies Using the Children Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ)

2020 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 29
Author(s):  
Chuk Ling Julian Lai ◽  
Daryl Yu Heng Lee ◽  
Monique On Yee Leung
Keyword(s):  
Salivary Cortisol ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Future Research ◽  
Cortisol Response ◽  
Childhood Adversities ◽  
Social Stressors ◽  
Childhood Trauma Questionnaire ◽  
Cortisol Responses

Alteration in cortisol response to acute social stressors has been hypothesized to mediate childhood adversities (CA) and increased morbidity in adulthood. However, the evidence supporting an association between CA and cortisol response to social stressors is inconclusive. The present review addressed this issue by reviewing the literature on CA and cortisol response to acute social stressors, with a focus on studies with adolescents or adults, using the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire (CTQ) to assess CA, and examining salivary cortisol response to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Systematic searches of relevant articles in PsycINFO, PubMed, Web of Science and ScienceDirect in February and March 2020 identified 12 articles including 1196 participants with mean ages ranging from 15.3 to 52.3 yrs. across studies. CTQ scores were significantly associated with cortisol response in 2 studies. In addition, the physical abuse and emotional neglect subscales were associated with cortisol response respectively in 2 separate studies. The lack of association between CA and cortisol response calls for more longitudinal studies, and the use of formal records of maltreatment or informant reports in future research to complement information collected by retrospective measures. In addition, increased attention to biological mechanisms other than that associated with the regulation of cortisol in explaining the connection between CA and psychiatry morbidity is warranted.

scholarly journals Influence of a Suggestive Placebo Intervention on Psychobiological Responses to Social Stress

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank Zimmermann-Viehoff ◽  
Nico Steckhan ◽  
Karin Meissner ◽  
Hans-Christian Deter ◽  
Clemens Kirschbaum
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Salivary Cortisol ◽  
Psychosocial Stress ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Alpha Amylase ◽  
Subjective Stress ◽  
Psychological Variables ◽  
Placebo Intervention

We tested the hypothesis that a suggestive placebo intervention can reduce the subjective and neurobiological stress response to psychosocial stress. Fifty-four healthy male subjects with elevated levels of trait anxiety were randomly assigned in a 4:4:1 fashion to receive either no treatment (n = 24), a placebo pill (n = 24), or a herbal drug (n = 6) before undergoing a stress test. We repeatedly measured psychological variables as well as salivary cortisol, alpha-amylase, and heart rate variability prior to and following the stress test. The stressor increased subjective stress and anxiety, salivary cortisol, and alpha-amylase, and decreased heart rate variability (all P < .001). However, no significant differences between subjects receiving placebo or no treatment were found. Subjects receiving placebo showed increased wakefulness during the stress test compared with no-treatment controls ( P < .001). Thus, the suggestive placebo intervention increased alertness, but modulated neither subjective stress and anxiety nor the physiological response to psychosocial stress.

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