scholarly journals Improvement of Stress-Induced Changes Related To Mood and Cognitive Function in Healthy Young Adults Following Supplementation With Ajwa Dates

2019 ◽  
Vol 26 ◽  
pp. 1-8
Author(s):  
Nurlaily Abdullah ◽  
Rafidah Hanim Mokhtar ◽  
Abdul Aziz Marwan ◽  
Nor Azila Noh
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Reaction Time ◽  
Cognitive Functions ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Coronary Risk ◽  
Test Analysis ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Induced Changes

This study tested the effects of Ajwa dates supplementation on stress-induced changes to mood and cognitive functions in healthy young adults. 20 young adults were selected to receive seven dates per day for six weeks. Subjects completed measures of mood (POMS and DASS-21 questionnaires), and cognitive functions (simple reaction time, Stroop, n-back tests) before and after six weeks of supplementation: following an acute stressor task (Trier Social Stress test). Analysis of coronary risk and renal profiles were also done before and after six weeks of supplementation. Parameters related to mood including tension subscale in POMS, and stress subscale in DASS-21 significantly improved from baseline to week six. Significant improvements were also observed in the mean reaction time of Stroop, 1-back and 2-back tests after week six. There were no changes in coronary risk and renal profile after six weeks of supplementation. Our findings indicate that Ajwa dates supplementation has the potential to alleviate stress-induced changes in mood and cognitive functions in healthy young adults without adverse effect on renal functions.

scholarly journals Working Memory Performance Under Stress

2020 ◽  
Vol 67 (2) ◽  
pp. 132-139
Author(s):  
Petra Luers ◽  
Malgorzata Schloeffel ◽  
Jens C. Prüssner
Keyword(s):  
Working Memory ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Memory Performance ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Before And After ◽  
The Individual ◽  
And Function

Abstract. Acute stress and chronic stress change the physiology and function of the individual. As one facet, stress and its neuroendocrine correlates – with glucocorticoids in particular – modulate memory in a concerted action. With respect to working memory, impairing effects of acute stress and increased levels of glucocorticoids could be expected, but empirical evidence on moderating effects of cortisol on working memory is ambiguous in human studies. In the current study, we thus aimed to investigate cortisol stress responses and memory performance. Older men and women (32 men, 43 women, aged 61–67 years) underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) and performed the 2-back task before and after exposure to acute stress. In line with theoretical assumptions, we found that higher cortisol stress responses led to a decline of working memory performance in men. However, the opposite was evident for women, who appeared to benefit from higher stress responses. This effect was evident for accuracy, but not for reaction time. In conclusion, cortisol might mediate working memory alterations with stress in a sex-specific manner in older people. Possible mechanisms and causes for these sex differences put a focus on endocrine changes in the aging population that might lead to differential effects across the lifespan.

scholarly journals The Relationship Between Perceived Control and Hypothalamic–Pituitary–Adrenal Axis Reactivity to the Trier Social Stress Test in Healthy Young Adults

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 ◽  
Author(s):  
Qian Liu ◽  
Jianhui Wu ◽  
Liang Zhang ◽  
Xiaofang Sun ◽  
Qing Guan ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Perceived Control ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Control Level ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Hypothalamic Pituitary Adrenal

Psychological factors can modulate the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis activity toward stressors. Animal studies demonstrated that uncontrollability was one critical factor associated with HPA axis stress response, but the results in human studies were inconsistent. The current study adopted a standardized laboratory stress induction procedure, the Trier Social Stress Test (the TSST), as the stressor to regulate the objective controllability level, and young adult participants were asked to rate their subjectively perceived control level toward the stressor and measured their cortisol stress responses (N=54; 19 females and 35 males) to address this concern. Results showed that participants’ perceived control on the TSST was related to the cortisol stress response. In other words, under the stress of a certain objective controllability level, the lower the subjectively perceived control level, the greater the HPA axis response. This finding suggested that, in addition to objective controllability, subjectively perceived control is a psychological factor that regulates activation of the HPA axis in young adults.

scholarly journals The effects of acute psychosocial stress on executive functioning in young and older adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leen Nasser
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Effects Of Stress

It has been evidenced that, with aging, older adults exhibit increased behavioral and physiological responses to stress. Older adults also often experience declines in executive functioning performance. The acute psychological stress induced through the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) has been evidenced to negatively impact executive functioning in young adults. This relationship, however, has yet to be examined in older adults. In the current thesis, two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of stress on executive functioning (Experiment 1), as well as age related differences in stress responsivity and in the effect of stress on executive functioning (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, acute stress exhibited a negative effect on executive functioning. In Experiment 2, there were no age differences in stress responses, and a positive effect of acute stress on executive functioning in young adults only. The contradictory findings encourage further research on the effects of stress on executive functioning, and how they may differ between young and older adults.

scholarly journals The Role of Endocrine Stress Systems and Sex Hormones in the Enhancing Effects of Stress on Mental Rotation Capabilities

2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (11) ◽  
pp. 791
Author(s):  
Ami Cohen ◽  
Or Chen Zemel ◽  
Raul Colodner ◽  
Randa Abu-Shkara ◽  
Refaat Masalha ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Rotation ◽  
Sex Hormones ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Mental Rotation Task ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Cortisol Reactivity ◽  
Visuospatial Abilities ◽  
Effects Of Stress ◽  
Induced Changes

The possible effects of stress and neurobiological stress mechanisms on visuospatial abilities remain largely unknown. In the current study, we examined the combined effect of sex hormones and both the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis (HPA-A) and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) on stress-induced changes in visuospatial performance. A total of 107 participants completed a mental rotation task and were subsequently exposed to either to the Trier social stress test (TSST) or to a control condition before completing the mental rotation task again. HPA-A and SNS reactivity of the participants were evaluated by measuring salivary alpha amylase (sAA; an SNS activation marker) and cortisol in four saliva samples. Pre-stress levels of sex hormones (progesterone, estradiol, and testosterone) were also measured. The TSST enhanced mental rotation performance, and this enhancement was negatively correlated with baseline estradiol levels and positively correlated with the level of cortisol reactivity among men. In addition, controlling for baseline levels of testosterone, estradiol, and progesterone diminished this effect of stress. These results imply that the stress-induced facilitation of mental rotation performance is modulated by baseline sex hormones and provide preliminary support to the notion that a complex interaction between sex hormones and neuroendocrine stress mechanisms mediates the influence of stress on visuospatial performance.

scholarly journals The effects of acute psychosocial stress on executive functioning in young and older adults

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leen Nasser
Keyword(s):  
Older Adults ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Executive Functioning ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Age Related ◽  
Effects Of Stress

It has been evidenced that, with aging, older adults exhibit increased behavioral and physiological responses to stress. Older adults also often experience declines in executive functioning performance. The acute psychological stress induced through the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) has been evidenced to negatively impact executive functioning in young adults. This relationship, however, has yet to be examined in older adults. In the current thesis, two experiments were conducted to investigate the effects of stress on executive functioning (Experiment 1), as well as age related differences in stress responsivity and in the effect of stress on executive functioning (Experiment 2). In Experiment 1, acute stress exhibited a negative effect on executive functioning. In Experiment 2, there were no age differences in stress responses, and a positive effect of acute stress on executive functioning in young adults only. The contradictory findings encourage further research on the effects of stress on executive functioning, and how they may differ between young and older adults.

scholarly journals Validation of VR-based Immersive High-altitude Scene in Inducing Stress Response

2019 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 2257-2261
Author(s):  
Juan Liu ◽  
Yulin Zhang ◽  
Zhubin Wang ◽  
Guozhen Zhao
Keyword(s):  
Stress Response ◽  
High Altitude ◽  
Salivary Cortisol ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Cognitive Task ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Salivary Cortisol Level ◽  
Back Task

Cognitive impairment under stress is a topic of concern in the field of human factors. Compared to traditional stress-inducing paradigms, the current study aimed to establish a repeatable and easy-to-operate stress-inducing paradigm and verify its effectiveness in inducing an individual’s stress response. A VR-based immersive high-altitude scene and a corresponding simulated long prop was created and three stress-inducing tasks (“experiencing the high-altitude”, “rescuing the cat”, and “avoiding flying birds”) were designed. A cognitive task (n-back) was nested into the VR scene as well to assess the effects of stress on the cognitive performance. Participants were asked to accomplish the three stress-inducing tasks on the long board and the same n-back task before and after the stress. Both reported stress level and salivary cortisol level were collected. Results showed that the current VR-based immersive high-altitude scene was able to induce an individual’s stress response according to both subjective and objective indices, which could reach the similar level as that of the previous VR-based Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) paradigm.

scholarly journals Ghrelin as a Biomarker of Stress: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Nutrients ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (3) ◽  
pp. 784
Author(s):  
Jean-Baptiste Bouillon-Minois ◽  
Marion Trousselard ◽  
David Thivel ◽  
Brett Ashley Gordon ◽  
Jeannot Schmidt ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Cochrane Library ◽  
Stress Intervention ◽  
Before And After ◽  
Seeking Behavior

Introduction: Ghrelin is an orexigenic hormone which favors food-seeking behavior and has been postulated to be a biomarker of stress. We conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis on the evolution of ghrelin levels following acute stress. Methods: The PubMed, Cochrane Library, Embase, and ScienceDirect databases were searched for studies reporting ghrelin levels before and after acute stress in humans. Results: We included ten studies for a total of 348 patients. Acute stress (intervention) was always in a laboratory. Acute stress was psychological (Trier Social Stress Test), physical, or mixed (cold pressure test). The overall meta-analysis demonstrated an increase in ghrelin after the stress intervention (ES = 0.21, 95CI 0.09 to 0.34) compared with baseline levels. Stratification by time demonstrated an acute increase in ghrelin levels in the five minutes immediately following the initiation of stress (0.29, 0.10 to 0.48) but without any difference after. Obese individuals had a more significant (ES = 0.51, 95CI 0.18 to 0.84) and prolonged increase in ghrelin levels for up to 45 min compared with non-obese individuals who had a significant increase only five minutes after stress. Moreover, the ghrelin levels increased in response to stress with BMI (coefficient 0.028, 0.01 to 0.49; p = 0.013) and decreased with the time after the stress intervention (coefficient -0.007, −0.014 to −0.001; p = 0.025). Conclusion: Ghrelin is a biomarker of stress, with a short-term increase following acute stress. Obese individuals have both a higher and prolonged response, emphasizing the link between obesity and stress.

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.

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