scholarly journals Regularity extraction under stress: boosted statistical learning but unaffected sequence learning

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eszter Tóth-Fáber ◽  
Karolina Janacsek ◽  
Ágnes Szőllősi ◽  
Szabolcs Kéri ◽  
Dezső Németh
Keyword(s):  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Serial Order ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Predictive Processing ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Affective States ◽  
Stress Induction ◽  
Statistical Regularities

AbstractAcute stress can crucially influence learning and memory processes. One of the key processes underlying human learning and memory is the ability of our brain to rapidly detect and extract regularities from sensory input across time and space leading to effective predictive processing. Here, we aimed to get an in-depth look into the effect of stress on the acquisition of two aspects of regularity extraction. We examined whether and how stress affects (1) processes and learning of probability-based, statistical regularities and (2) serial order-based, sequential regularities in the same experimental design, and (3) explicit access to the acquired information. Considering that the acquisition of statistical regularities is a rapid process, we primarily focused on the early phases of the task. We induced stress with the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test in 27 young adults, while 26 participants were enrolled in the control group. Salivary cortisol levels and subjective ratings of affective states showed successful stress induction. After the stress induction, we measured regularity extraction with the cued Alternating Serial Reaction Time task. We found that stress promoted the acquisition of statistical regularities and did not alter the learning of sequential regularities. Post-block reports showed weaker explicit access to the sequential regularities in the stress group. Our results give a process-level understanding on how stress alters learning and memory functions related to predictive processes.

scholarly journals Regularity detection under stress: Faster extraction of probability-based regularities

PLoS ONE ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (6) ◽  
pp. e0253123
Author(s):  
Eszter Tóth-Fáber ◽  
Karolina Janacsek ◽  
Ágnes Szőllősi ◽  
Szabolcs Kéri ◽  
Dezso Nemeth
Keyword(s):  
Learning And Memory ◽  
Early Phase ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Serial Order ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Learning Performance ◽  
Predictive Processing ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Stress Induction

Acute stress can crucially influence learning and memory processes. One of the key processes underlying human learning and memory is the ability of our brain to rapidly detect and extract regularities from sensory input across time and space leading to effective predictive processing. Here, we aimed to get an in-depth look into the effect of stress on the acquisition of two aspects of regularity extraction. We examined whether and how stress affects the learning (1) of probability-based regularities and (2) of serial order-based regularities in the same experimental design, and (3) the explicit access to the acquired information. Considering that the acquisition of probability-based regularities is a relatively rapid process, we primarily focused on the early phase of the task. We induced stress with the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test in 27 young adults, while 26 participants were enrolled in the control group. Salivary cortisol levels and subjective ratings of affective states showed successful stress induction. After the stress induction, we measured regularity extraction with the cued Alternating Serial Reaction Time task. We found that stress promoted the extraction of probability-based regularities measured by the learning performance in the early phase of the task and did not alter the learning of serial order-based regularities. Post-block reports showed weaker explicit access to the serial order-based regularities in the stress group. Our results can contribute to a process-level understanding on how stress alters learning and memory functions related to predictive processes.

scholarly journals Effects of stress on human mating preferences: stressed individuals prefer dissimilar mates

2010 ◽  
Vol 277 (1691) ◽  
pp. 2175-2183 ◽  
Author(s):  
Johanna Lass-Hennemann ◽  
Christian E. Deuter ◽  
Linn K. Kuehl ◽  
André Schulz ◽  
Terry D. Blumenthal ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Control Procedure ◽  
Approach Motivation ◽  
Presentation Of Self ◽  
Mating Preferences ◽  
Startle Magnitude ◽  
Effects Of Stress ◽  
Human Mating

Although humans usually prefer mates that resemble themselves, mating preferences can vary with context. Stress has been shown to alter mating preferences in animals, but the effects of stress on human mating preferences are unknown. Here, we investigated whether stress alters men's preference for self-resembling mates. Participants first underwent a cold-pressor test (stress induction) or a control procedure. Then, participants viewed either neutral pictures or pictures of erotic female nudes whose facial characteristics were computer-modified to resemble either the participant or another participant, or were not modified, while startle eyeblink responses were elicited by noise probes. Erotic pictures were rated as being pleasant, and reduced startle magnitude compared with neutral pictures. In the control group, startle magnitude was smaller during foreground presentation of photographs of self-resembling female nudes compared with other-resembling female nudes and non-manipulated female nudes, indicating a higher approach motivation to self-resembling mates. In the stress group, startle magnitude was larger during foreground presentation of self-resembling female nudes compared with other-resembling female nudes and non-manipulated female nudes, indicating a higher approach motivation to dissimilar mates. Our findings show that stress affects human mating preferences: unstressed individuals showed the expected preference for similar mates, but stressed individuals seem to prefer dissimilar mates.

Endothelin Receptor Blockade Blunts the Pressor Response to Acute Stress in Obese Men and Women

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Cassandra C. Derella ◽  
Anson M. Blanks ◽  
Xiaoling Wang ◽  
Matthew A. Tucker ◽  
Chase Horsager ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Acute Stress ◽  
Pressor Response ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Endothelin Receptor ◽  
Treatment Results ◽  
Endothelin 1 ◽  
Endothelin System ◽  
The Impact

Obesity is associated with dysregulation of the endothelin system. In obese individuals, an exaggerated pressor response to acute stress is accompanied by increased circulating endothelin-1. The impact of combined endothelin A/B receptor (ETA/B) antagonism on the stress-induced pressor response in overweight/obese individuals is unknown. Objective: To test the hypothesis that treatment with an ETA/B antagonist (bosentan) would reduce the stress-induced pressor response and arterial stiffness in overweight/obese compared to normal weight individuals. Methods: 40 participants [Normal weight (NW): n=20, BMI: 21.7 ± 2.4 kg/m2 & Overweight/obese (OB): n=20, BMI: 33.8 ± 8.2 kg/m2] were randomized to placebo or 125 mg of bosentan twice a day (250 mg total) for 3 days. Hemodynamics were assessed before, during, and after a cold pressor test (CPT). Endothelin-1 was assessed at baseline and immediately after CPT. Following a washout period, the same protocol was repeated with the opposite treatment. Results: The change from baseline in mean arterial pressure (MAP) during CPT following bosentan was significantly lower (p=0.039) in the OB group, compared to the NW group (OB: 28±12 vs LN: 34±15 mm Hg). Conclusions: These results suggest that ETA/B antagonism favorably blunts the pressor response to acute stress in overweight/obese individuals.

scholarly journals Impaired Modulation of Pain in Patients with Postherpetic Neuralgia

2014 ◽  
Vol 19 (1) ◽  
pp. e19-e23 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gisèle Pickering ◽  
Bruno Pereira ◽  
Elodie Dufour ◽  
Sylvie Soule ◽  
Claude Dubray
Keyword(s):  
Postherpetic Neuralgia ◽  
Rating Scale ◽  
Numerical Rating Scale ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Pain Modulation ◽  
Cognitive Test ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Pressor Test ◽  
Clinical Pain

BACKGROUND: The efficiency of inhibitory pain descending pathways (evaluated using conditioned pain modulation [CPM]) has not been studied in postherpetic neuralgia (PHN).OBJECTIVE: To compare CPM in PHN patients with healthy controls.METHODS: Nine PHN patients and nine control individuals were matched according to age and sex. Amplitudes of cortical thermal-evoked potentials were recorded on the surface of the scalp; clinical pain and thermal pain were evaluated on a 0 to 10 numerical rating scale, at baseline and at intervals during the 6 min after CPM (elicited by a cold pressor test, 8°C). A battery of cognitive tests was performed. Amplitude differences, percentages and related areas under the curve (AUCCPM) were calculated and all data were compared between both groups; P<0.05 was considered to be statistically significant.RESULTS: AUCCPM0–6 minwas significantly lower in PHN patients compared with controls (−39±51 μV/min versus −144±66 μV/min; P=0.0012) and correlated (P=0.04) with clinical pain intensity. Pain ratings before CPM were similar in both groups but were significantly lower in the control group 3 min after the cold pressor test. Cognitive test results were not significantly different.CONCLUSION: Psychophysical and electrophysiological approaches have shown that patients with PHN exhibit a deficiency of pain inhibition modulation, which could signal a predisposing factor to developing chronic pain. This deficiency was not linked to the cognitive performance but rather to subtle in situ cognitivoemotional adaptations, which remain to be investigated.

Personality traits and sensitivity to pain in male chronic opioid addicts

2007 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 225 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elon Eisenberg, MD ◽  
Doron Cohen, MA ◽  
Eli Lawental, PhD ◽  
Dorit Pud, PhD
Keyword(s):  
Personality Traits ◽  
Pain Perception ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Significant Negative Correlation ◽  
Pain Tolerance ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Healthy Population ◽  
Novelty Seeking ◽  
Pain Mechanisms

Objective: Previous evidences concerning pain mechanisms, long-term opioids use, and personality traits evolve the possibility that pain perception and opioid abuse are two related phenomena and there is a need to take into account the specific personality traits as well, in examining the relationships among them. Opioid addicts (OAs) have been shown to exhibit different personality traits and pain perception as compared with healthy subjects. The aim of the present study was to examine the relations between personality traits and pain perception among in-treatment OAs in comparison with controls.Design: Participants (54 OAs, 59 controls), all males, were exposed to the cold pressor test and were evaluated for latency of pain onset (seconds); pain intensity (0-100 visual analogue scale [VAS)]); and pain tolerance (time for hand withdrawal). Personality traits were evaluated using Cloninger’s Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire, TPQ; harm avoidance, HA; reward dependence, RD; novelty seeking, NS.Results: In comparison with controls, OAs exhibited longer latencies, lower VAS scores, and shorter tolerance, and significantly higher NS, higher HA, and lower RD. Control group, but not OAs, showed a significant positive correlation between HA and VAS (r = 0.31, p = 0.02) and significant negative correlation between HA and tolerance (r = −0.29, p = 0.03).Conclusions: It is concluded that in contrast to healthy population, personality traits, as measured by the TPQ, do not predict pain perception in OAs.

scholarly journals Muscle stretching – the potential role of endogenous pain inhibitory modulation on stretch tolerance

2019 ◽  
Vol 19 (2) ◽  
pp. 415-422 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morten Pallisgaard Støve ◽  
Rogerio Pessoto Hirata ◽  
Thorvaldur Skuli Palsson
Keyword(s):  
Range Of Motion ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Experimental Pain ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Knee Extension ◽  
Painful Stimulus ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Inhibitory System ◽  
Pain Group ◽  
Resistive Torque

Abstract Background and aims The effect of stretching on joint range of motion is well documented and is primarily related to changes in the tolerance to stretch, but the mechanisms underlying this change are still largely unknown. The aim of this study was to investigate the influence of a remote, painful stimulus on stretch tolerance. Methods Thirty-four healthy male subjects were recruited and randomly assigned to an experimental pain group (n=17) or a control group (n=17). Passive knee extension range of motion, the activity of hamstring muscles and passive resistive torque were measured with subjects in a seated position. Three consecutive measures were performed with a 5-min interval between. A static stretch protocol was utilized in both groups to examine the effect of stretching and differences in stretch tolerance between groups. Following this, the pain-group performed a cold pressor test which is known to engage the endogenous pain inhibitory system after which measurements were repeated. Results A significant increase in knee extension range of motion was found in the pain group compared with controls (ANCOVA: p<0.05). No difference was found in muscle activity or passive resistive torque between groups (ANCOVA p>0.091). Conclusions Passive knee extension range of motion following stretching increased when following a distant, painful stimulus, potentially engaging the endogenous pain inhibitory systems. Current findings indicate a link between increased tolerance to stretch and endogenous pain inhibition. Implications The current findings may have implications for clinical practice as they indicate that a distant painful stimulus can influence range of motion in healthy individuals. This implies that the modulation of pain has significance for the efficacy of stretching which is important knowledge when prescribing stretching as part of rehabilitation.

Stress Elevates Frontal Midline Theta in Feedback-based Category Learning of Exceptions

2018 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 799-813 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcus Paul ◽  
Marie-Christin Fellner ◽  
Gerd T. Waldhauser ◽  
John Paul Minda ◽  
Nikolai Axmacher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Learning Strategies ◽  
Category Learning ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Control Procedure ◽  
Feedback Processing ◽  
Theta Power ◽  
Frontal Midline Theta ◽  
Category Knowledge

Adapting behavior based on category knowledge is a fundamental cognitive function, which can be achieved via different learning strategies relying on different systems in the brain. Whereas the learning of typical category members has been linked to implicit, prototype abstraction learning, which relies predominantly on prefrontal areas, the learning of exceptions is associated with explicit, exemplar-based learning, which has been linked to the hippocampus. Stress is known to foster implicit learning strategies at the expense of explicit learning. Procedural, prefrontal learning and cognitive control processes are reflected in frontal midline theta (4–8 Hz) oscillations during feedback processing. In the current study, we examined the effect of acute stress on feedback-based category learning of typical category members and exceptions and the oscillatory correlates of feedback processing in the EEG. A computational modeling procedure was applied to estimate the use of abstraction and exemplar strategies during category learning. We tested healthy, male participants who underwent either the socially evaluated cold pressor test or a nonstressful control procedure before they learned to categorize typical members and exceptions based on feedback. The groups did not differ significantly in their categorization accuracy or use of categorization strategies. In the EEG, however, stressed participants revealed elevated theta power specifically during the learning of exceptions, whereas the theta power during the learning of typical members did not differ between the groups. Elevated frontal theta power may reflect an increased involvement of medial prefrontal areas in the learning of exceptions under stress.

scholarly journals Financial Decision Making Under Stress

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Narek Bejanyan
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Treatment Group ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Group Versus ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Financial Decisions ◽  
Financial Decision Making ◽  
Safe Level ◽  
Financial Decision

The aim of this paper is to examine the link between individuals' financial decisions and stress. In a laboratory experiment, Holt and Laury lottery was used to elicit participants risk preferences. The Cold Pressor Test was used to induce a safe level of stress. In the treatment group, 62% of participants are risk averse; versus 76% in the control group. Additionally, inconsistent financial decision making was observed in both groups: 55% of participants in the treatment group versus 30% in the control.

Aldosterone impairs baroreflex sensitivity in healthy adults

2007 ◽  
Vol 292 (1) ◽  
pp. H190-H197 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin D. Monahan ◽  
Urs A. Leuenberger ◽  
Chester A. Ray
Keyword(s):  
Baroreflex Sensitivity ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Cardiovascular Responses ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Isometric Handgrip ◽  
Baroreflex Control ◽  
Bolus Infusion ◽  
Baroreflex Function

Animal studies suggest that acute and chronic aldosterone administration impairs baroreceptor/baroreflex responses. We tested the hypothesis that aldosterone impairs baroreflex control of cardiac period [cardiovagal baroreflex sensitivity (BRS)] and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA, sympathetic BRS) in humans. Twenty-six young (25 ± 1 yr old, mean ± SE) adults were examined in this study. BRS was determined by using the modified Oxford technique (bolus infusion of nitroprusside, followed 60 s later by bolus infusion of phenylephrine) in triplicate before (Pre) and 30-min after (Post) beginning aldosterone (experimental, 12 pmol·kg−1·min−1; n = 10 subjects) or saline infusion (control; n = 10). BRS was quantified from the R-R interval-systolic blood pressure (BP) (cardiovagal BRS) and MSNA-diastolic BP (sympathetic BRS) relations. Aldosterone infusion increased serum aldosterone levels approximately fourfold ( P < 0.05) and decreased ( P < 0.05) cardiovagal (19.0 ± 2.3 vs. 15.6 ± 1.7 ms/mmHg Pre and Post, respectively) and sympathetic BRS [−4.4 ± 0.4 vs. −3.0 ± 0.4 arbitrary units (AU)·beat−1·mmHg−1]. In contrast, neither cardiovagal (19.3 ± 3.3 vs. 20.2 ± 3.3 ms/mmHg) nor sympathetic BRS (−3.8 ± 0.5 vs. −3.6 ± 0.5 AU·beat−1·mmHg−1) were altered (Pre vs. Post) in the control group. BP, heart rate, and MSNA at rest were similar in experimental and control subjects before and after the intervention. Additionally, neural and cardiovascular responses to a cold pressor test and isometric handgrip to fatigue were unaffected by aldosterone infusion ( n = 6 subjects). These data provide direct experimental support for the concept that aldosterone impairs baroreflex function (cardiovagal and sympathetic BRS) in humans. Therefore, aldosterone may be an important determinant/modulator of baroreflex function in humans.

Stress Sensitizes the Brain: Increased Processing of Unpleasant Pictures after Exposure to Acute Stress

2012 ◽  
Vol 24 (7) ◽  
pp. 1511-1518 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mathias Weymar ◽  
Lars Schwabe ◽  
Andreas Löw ◽  
Alfons O. Hamm
Keyword(s):  
Stress Responses ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Recall Performance ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Long Term Memory ◽  
Control Procedure ◽  
Water Control ◽  
The Brain

A key component of acute stress is a surge in vigilance that enables a prioritized processing of highly salient information to promote the organism's survival. In this study, we investigated the neural effects of acute stress on emotional picture processing. ERPs were measured during a deep encoding task, in which 40 male participants categorized 50 unpleasant and 50 neutral pictures according to arousal and valence. Before picture encoding, participants were subjected either to the Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test (SECPT) or to a warm water control procedure. The exposure to the SECPT resulted in increased subjective and autonomic (heart rate and blood pressure) stress responses relative to the control condition. Viewing of unpleasant relative to neutral pictures evoked enhanced late positive potentials (LPPs) over centro-parietal scalp sites around 400 msec after picture onset. Prior exposure to acute stress selectively increased the LPPs for unpleasant pictures. Moreover, the LPP magnitude for unpleasant pictures following the SECPT was positively associated with incidental free recall performance 24 hr later. The present results suggest that acute stress sensitizes the brain for increased processing of cues in the environment, particularly priming the processing of unpleasant cues. This increased processing is related to later long-term memory performance.

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