Influence of Regular Physical Activity and Fitness on Stress Reactivity as Measured with the Trier Social Stress Test Protocol: A Systematic Review

2018 ◽  
Vol 48 (11) ◽  
pp. 2607-2622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Mücke ◽  
Sebastian Ludyga ◽  
Flora Colledge ◽  
Markus Gerber
Keyword(s):  
Physical Activity ◽  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Regular Physical Activity ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Test Protocol

scholarly journals Twenty-five years later: How consistent are studies using the Trier Social Stress Test protocol - A Systematic Review of its methodology

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicolás Francisco Narvaez Linares ◽  
Valérie Charron ◽  
Allison Ouimet ◽  
Patrick R. Labelle ◽  
Hélène Plamondon
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Test Protocol ◽  
Arithmetic Task ◽  
Social Stressors ◽  
Testing Procedures ◽  
Related Data

Since its development in 1993, the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) has been used widely as a psychosocial stress paradigm to activate the sympathetic nervous system and hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis (HPAA) stress systems, stimulating physiological functions (e.g. heart rate) and cortisol secretion. Several methodological variations introduced over the years have led the scientific community to question replication between studies. In this systematic review, we used the Preferred Reporting Items of Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) to synthesize procedure-related data available about the TSST protocol to highlight commonalities and differences across studies. We noted significant discrepancies across studies in how researchers applied the TSST protocol. In particular, we highlight variations in testing procedures (e.g., number of judges, initial number in the arithmetic task, time of the collected saliva samples for cortisol) and discuss possible misinterpretation in comparing findings from studies failing to control for variables or using a modified version from the original protocol. Further, we recommend that researchers use a standardized background questionnaire when using the TSST to identify factors that may influence physiological measurements in tandem with a summary of this review as a protocol guide. More systematic implementation and detailed reporting of TSST methodology will promote study replication, optimize comparison of findings, and foster an informed understanding of factors affecting responses to social stressors in healthy people and those with pathological conditions. Keywords: Trier Social Stress Test, Stress paradigm, Protocol, Systematic Review, Standardization

scholarly journals Acceptance lowers stress reactivity: Dismantling mindfulness training in a randomized controlled trial

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily K Lindsay ◽  
Shinzen Young ◽  
Joshua M Smyth ◽  
Kirk Warren Brown ◽  
J. David Creswell
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Mindfulness Training ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Present Moment ◽  
Regulation Mechanism

Objective: Mindfulness interventions, which train practitioners to monitor their present-moment experience with a lens of acceptance, are known to buffer stress reactivity. Little is known about the active mechanisms driving these effects. We theorize that acceptance is a critical emotion regulation mechanism underlying mindfulness stress reduction effects. Method: In this three-arm parallel trial, mindfulness components were dismantled into three structurally equivalent 15-lesson smartphone-based interventions: (1) training in both monitoring and acceptance (Monitor+Accept), (2) training in monitoring only (Monitor Only), or (3) active control training (Coping control). 153 stressed adults (mean age = 32 years; 67% female; 53% white, 21.5% black, 21.5% Asian, 4% other race) were randomly assigned to complete one of three interventions. After the intervention, cortisol, blood pressure, and subjective stress reactivity were assessed using a modified Trier Social Stress Test. Results: As predicted, Monitor+Accept training reduced cortisol and systolic blood pressure reactivity compared to Monitor Only and control trainings. Participants in all three conditions reported moderate levels of subjective stress.Conclusions: This study provides the first experimental evidence that brief smartphone mindfulness training can impact stress biology, and that acceptance training drives these effects. We discuss implications for basic and applied research in contemplative science, emotion regulation, stress and coping, health, and clinical interventions.

scholarly journals Acceptance lowers stress reactivity: Dismantling mindfulness training in a randomized controlled trial

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily K Lindsay ◽  
Shinzen Young ◽  
Joshua M Smyth ◽  
Kirk Warren Brown ◽  
J. David Creswell
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Emotion Regulation ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Mindfulness Training ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Present Moment ◽  
Regulation Mechanism

Objective: Mindfulness interventions, which train practitioners to monitor their present-moment experience with a lens of acceptance, are known to buffer stress reactivity. Little is known about the active mechanisms driving these effects. We theorize that acceptance is a critical emotion regulation mechanism underlying mindfulness stress reduction effects. Method: In this three-arm parallel trial, mindfulness components were dismantled into three structurally equivalent 15-lesson smartphone-based interventions: (1) training in both monitoring and acceptance (Monitor+Accept), (2) training in monitoring only (Monitor Only), or (3) active control training (Coping control). 153 stressed adults (mean age = 32 years; 67% female; 53% white, 21.5% black, 21.5% Asian, 4% other race) were randomly assigned to complete one of three interventions. After the intervention, cortisol, blood pressure, and subjective stress reactivity were assessed using a modified Trier Social Stress Test. Results: As predicted, Monitor+Accept training reduced cortisol and systolic blood pressure reactivity compared to Monitor Only and control trainings. Participants in all three conditions reported moderate levels of subjective stress.Conclusions: This study provides the first experimental evidence that brief smartphone mindfulness training can impact stress biology, and that acceptance training drives these effects. We discuss implications for basic and applied research in contemplative science, emotion regulation, stress and coping, health, and clinical interventions.

scholarly journals Sex Differences in Stress Reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Test in Virtual Reality

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qing Liu ◽  
Wenjuan Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Virtual Reality ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Electrodermal Activity ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Young Male ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Stress Group

Abstract Background: The aim of the present study is to investigate the sex differences in stress reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in a virtual reality(TSST-VR). Methods: Healthy young male (n = 30) and female (n = 30) undergraduates were randomly assigned to a psychosocial stress protocol (TSST) condition or to a non-stressful control condition (Placebo-TSST) under VR. Electrodermal activity (EDA), heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured throughout the study. The subjective scales of stress and emotion were also conducted. Results: The results showed that after VR, the stress group reported higher stress perceptions than the non-stress group. Compared with females, the males stronger EDA and higher HRV before the VR, and lower HR during VR as well as higher HRV after VR. The correlation between subjective and objective reactivity demonstrated that HRV during VR was negatively correlated to depression and negative affect. The HRV after VR was negatively correlated to the positive coping but was positively correlated to the depression. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the TSST-VR could be used as an available tool for testing gender differences to social stress induction in experimental settings. Compared with females, males were more sensitive to stress.

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.

Is the Trier Social Stress Test used similarly across studies: A systematic review of the methodology

2019 ◽  
Vol 100 ◽  
pp. S14
Author(s):  
Nicolas Francisco Narvaez Linares ◽  
Valérie Charron ◽  
Ewalefo Paulette ◽  
Berr Matilda ◽  
Ranger Valérie ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test

scholarly journals Developmental changes in hypothalamus–pituitary–adrenal activity over the transition to adolescence: Normative changes and associations with puberty

2009 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 69-85 ◽  
Author(s):  
Megan R. Gunnar ◽  
Sandi Wewerka ◽  
Kristin Frenn ◽  
Jeffrey D. Long ◽  
Christopher Griggs
Keyword(s):  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Pubertal Development ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Cortisol Reactivity ◽  
Sympathetic Modulation ◽  
Pituitary Adrenal Axis ◽  
Depressed Symptoms ◽  
Child Depressive Symptoms

AbstractHome baseline and laboratory stressor (Trier Social Stress Test for Children) measures of salivary cortisol were obtained from 82 participants (40 girls) aged 9, 11, 13, and 15 years. Measures of pubertal development, self-reported stress, parent reports of child depressive symptoms and fearful temperament, and cardiac measures of sympathetic and parasympathetic activity were also obtained. Significant increases in the home cortisol baselines were found with age and pubertal development. Cortisol stress reactivity differed by age group with 11-year-olds and 13-year-old boys showing blunted reactivity and 9-year-olds, 13-year-old girls, and 15-year-olds showing significant cortisol reactions. Cortisol reactivity correlated marginally with sexual maturation. Measures of sympathetic activity revealed increased sympathetic modulation with age. Higher sympathetic tone was associated with more fearful temperament, whereas greater cortisol reactivity was associated with more anxious and depressed symptoms for girls. The importance of these findings for the hypothesis that puberty-associated increases in hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis activity heightens the risk of psychopathology is discussed.

scholarly journals The late positive potentials evoked by negative emotional pictures predict autonomic responses to an acute psychosocial stressor in healthy adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongxia Duan ◽  
Zhuxi Yao ◽  
Liang Zhang ◽  
Nils Kohn ◽  
Jianhui Wu
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Healthy Adults ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Psychosocial Stressor ◽  
Autonomic Responses ◽  
Increased Risk ◽  
Negative Stimuli

Individuals vary substantially in their response to an acute stressor. Identifying the factors contributing to these individual differences in stress reactivity is of particular interest but still remains largely unknown in the stress and resilience domain. The present study aimed to investigate whether and how brain reactivity to negative stimuli during a non-stressful state could predict autonomic and neuroendocrine stress responses to an acute psychosocial stressor in healthy adults. To address this issue, fifty-two healthy young adults were recruited to view negative or neutral pictures while their electroencephalogram was recorded during a non-stressful state on the first experimental day. On the second experimental day, their autonomic and neuroendocrine responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) were measured. Results showed that increased late positive potential (LPP) to negative relative to neutral pictures was significantly associated with higher heart rate response but not with the cortisol response to acute social stress. These results implicate greater neural reactivity to negative stimuli as a physiological marker of heightened acute autonomic responses. These findings may help identify individuals who are at increased risk of developing negative outcomes under stress.

scholarly journals Investigation of the Stress and Sleep Physiology Correlates of Next-Day Memory for Details of a Social Stressor Testing Environment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryan Bottary ◽  
Sarah M. Kark ◽  
Ryan T. Daley ◽  
Dan Denis ◽  
Tony J. Cunningham ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Nrem Sleep ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Stress Hormone ◽  
Testing Environment ◽  
Stressful Environment ◽  
Sleep Physiology ◽  
Testing Room

AbstractDespite evidence which demonstrates that psychosocial stress interacts with sleep to modulate memory, research that has examined next-day memory for the stressful environment itself has not accounted for post-stressor sleep. Here, participants completed the Trier Social Stress Test or a matched control task with psychophysiological monitoring and stress hormone assays. After a 24-hour delay that included overnight polysomnographically-recorded sleep, memory for objects in the testing room was assessed by having participants draw the testing room from the previous day from memory. As expected, stressed participants mounted greater psychophysiological and stress hormone responses to the stressor than participants in the control condition. However, there was only weak evidence that stress reactivity and post-encoding sleep interacted to modulate memory for testing room details. Instead, NREM sleep physiology on the night following testing room encoding was positively associated with memory for testing room details, though this association occurred in the control, but not stressed, participants.

Different contribution of interleukin-6 and cortisol activity to total plasma fibrin concentration and to acute mental stress-induced fibrin formation

2005 ◽  
Vol 109 (1) ◽  
pp. 61-67 ◽  
Author(s):  
Roland von KÄNEL ◽  
Brigitte M. KUDIELKA ◽  
Dirk HANEBUTH ◽  
Daniel PRECKEL ◽  
Joachim E. FISCHER
Keyword(s):  
Interleukin 6 ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Mental Stress ◽  
Stress Reactivity ◽  
Mental Arithmetic ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Protein Activity ◽  
Fibrin Formation ◽  
D Dimer

Acute mental stress may contribute to atherosclerosis by affecting inflammation and coagulation; however, the crosstalk between inflammation and coagulation during stress has not been studied. In the present study, we investigated the association of plasma fibrinogen, plasma IL-6 (interleukin-6) and free salivary cortisol with the procoagulant marker D-dimer reflecting fibrin formation both over a 2-h period and in response to acute mental stress. Twenty-one male volunteers (mean age, 47±8 years) underwent the Trier Social Stress Test combining a 3-min preparation phase, a 5-min job interview and 5-min mental arithmetic test before an audience. IL-6, fibrinogen, D-dimer and cortisol were measured immediately before and after stress, and after 45 min and 105 min of recovery from stress. Two distinct areas under the curve were computed to obtain integrated measures of total protein activity over the entire 2-h period and of stress reactivity of proteins. IL-6 (P<0.001), fibrinogen (P=0.001), D-dimer (P=0.021) and cortisol (P<0.001) had all significantly changed across the four time points assessed, as determined by ANOVA. For the entire 2-h period, total fibrinogen activity (R2=0.33, P=0.007) and total cortisol activity (ΔR2=0.17, P=0.034) explained 50% of the variance in total D-dimer activity. Stress-induced changes in fibrinogen (R2=0.47, P=0.001) and IL-6 (ΔR2=0.18, P=0.008) together explained 65% of the variance in D-dimer reactivity to stress. Total fibrin formation was independently predicted by fibrinogen and hypothalamo–pituitary–adrenal activity. Pro-inflammatory and procoagulant changes with stress were associated. Aside from fibrinogen reactivity, IL-6 reactivity was an independent predictor of stress-induced fibrin formation.

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