scholarly journals Comprehensive Lifestyle Modification Influences Medium-Term and Artificially Induced Stress in Ulcerative Colitis—A Sub-Study within a Randomized Controlled Trial Using the Trier Social Stress Test

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (21) ◽  
pp. 5070
Author(s):  
Anna K. Koch ◽  
Margarita Schöls ◽  
Heidemarie Haller ◽  
Dennis Anheyer ◽  
Zehra Cinar ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Ulcerative Colitis ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Lifestyle Modification ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Group Differences ◽  
Medium Term

Objective: The present study presents long-term results of stress-related outcomes of a prospective RCT that evaluated effects of a ten-week comprehensive lifestyle-modification program (LSM) in patients with inactive ulcerative colitis (UC). In addition, exploratory results of a sub-study applying a laboratory stress protocol (Trier Social Stress Test; TSST) conducted within the RCT are reported. Methods: Ninety-seven patients with inactive UC were randomized to LSM (n = 47; 50.28 ± 11.90 years; 72.3% female) or self-care (n = 50; 45.54 ± 12.49 years; 70% female). Patients’ perceived stress, anxiety, flourishing and depression were assessed at week 0, 12, 24 and 48. After the respective intervention, 16 female patients (LSM: n = 8; 44.6 ± 14.3 years; Self-care: n = 8; 49.25 ± 4.30 years) additionally underwent the TSST. State anxiety, blood pressure, pulse, complete blood counts, adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH), cortisol, adrenalin and noradrenalin were measured at baseline (−15 min), stress (+10 min), recovery1 (+20 min) and recovery2 (+55 min). Statistical significance was set at p < 0.05; for the exploratory sub-study using the TSST, p-values < 0.10 were considered significant. Results: Patients’ perceived stress declined significantly after the LSM (p < 0.001) compared with control. This lasted until week 24 (p = 0.023) but did not persist until week 48 (p = 0.060). After 48 weeks, patients’ flourishing was significantly increased compared with control (p = 0.006). In response to the TSST, significant group differences were evident for pulse (p = 0.015), adrenaline (p = 0.037) and anxiety (p = 0.066). After 55 min, group differences were found for ACTH (p = 0.067) and systolic blood pressure (p = 0.050). Conclusions: LSM has a medium-term positive effect on perceived stress. First indications show that it is promising to investigate these effects further under laboratory conditions. It is also desirable to find out how the effects of LSM can be maintained in the long term.

Stress system dysfunction revealed by integrating reactivity of stress pathways to psychological stress in lean and overweight/obese men

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sisitha Udara Jayasinghe ◽  
Sarah Janet Hall ◽  
Susan Jane Torres ◽  
Anne Isabella Turner
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Systolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Diastolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Psychological Stress ◽  
Hpa Axis ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Blood Pressure Response ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Stress System

While the patterns of response within the sympatho-adrenal medullary (SAM) system and hypothalamo-pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis are interesting and important in their own accord, the overall response to acute psychological stress involves reactivity of both pathways We tested the hypothesis that consideration of the integrated response of these pathways may reveal dysregulation of the stress systems that is not evident when considering either system alone. Age matched lean and overweight/obese men were subjected to a Trier Social Stress Test and reactivity of the SAM system (salivary alpha amylase, systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure and heart rate) and the HPA axis (salivary cortisol) were measured. Relative reactivity of SAM system and HPA axis was calculated as the ratio between the measures from each pathway. While analysis of reactivity of individual stress pathways showed no evidence of dysfunction in overweight/obese compared with lean men, analysis of HPA/SAM reactivity revealed significantly lower cortisol over systolic blood pressure (CoSBP) and cortisol over diastolic blood pressure (CoDBP) reactivity in overweight/obese compared with lean men. Other measures of HPA/SAM reactivity and all measures of SAM/HPA reactivity were unaltered in overweight/obese compared with lean men. These findings suggest that the cortisol response per unit of blood pressure response is blunted in men with elevated adiposity. Further, these findings support a notion of a coordinated overall approach to activation of the stress pathways with the degree of activation in one pathway being related to the degree of activation of the other.

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 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 Trier Social Stress Test Elevates Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, and Anxiety, But a Singing Test or Unsolvable Anagrams Only Elevates Heart Rate, among Healthy Young Adults

Psych ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 3 (2) ◽  
pp. 171-183
Author(s):  
Isabelle K. Sequeira ◽  
Addie S. Longmire ◽  
Naomi J. McKay
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Stress Response ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Psychological Stressors ◽  
Elevated Systolic Blood Pressure ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
Elevated Heart Rate

The Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) is a psychosocial stressor that effectively stimulates the stress response but is labor and time intensive. Although other psychological stressors are often used experimentally, none are known to comparably elevate stress. Two stressors that may potentially elevate stress are a singing task (ST) and unsolvable anagrams, but there are not enough data to support their effectiveness. In the current experiment, 53 undergraduate males and females (mean age = 21.9 years) were brought into the laboratory, and baseline blood pressure, heart rate, self-rated anxiety, and salivary cortisol were recorded. Then, participants were randomly assigned to one of three stress conditions: TSST (n = 24), ST (n = 14), or an unsolvable anagram task (n = 15). Stress measures were taken again after the stressor and during recovery. The TSST significantly elevated systolic blood pressure, diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, and self-rated anxiety from pre-stress levels, replicating its stress-inducing properties. However, the ST and unsolvable anagrams only elevated heart rate, indicating that these methods are not as able to stimulate physiological or psychological stress. Overall, results indicate that out of these three laboratory stressors, the TSST clearly engages the stress response over the ST or unsolvable anagrams.

The “Pet Effect”

2015 ◽  
Vol 23 (5) ◽  
pp. 425-438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Evangeline A. Wheeler ◽  
Margaret E. Faulkner
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Trait Anxiety ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Clinical Sample ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Companion Animal ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Different Levels

The “pet effect,” whereby interaction with a companion animal reduces the physiological indices of stress, varies with respect to fear of animals, companion animal guardianship, type of companion animal, or types of stress. In this study, a non-clinical sample of 223 undergraduates underwent the Trier Social Stress Test (tsst) in order to investigate how interaction with a companion animal affected stress levels for people with different levels of trait anxiety, a variable not yet investigated in this paradigm. An index of trait anxiety was taken along with repeated measures of state anxiety, blood pressure, and heart rate. Overall results indicated that interaction with a companion dog reduced stress for all participants, with the effect being more pronounced for those high in trait anxiety.

scholarly journals Personal Growth and Psychobiological Stress Responsiveness to the Trier Social Stress Test in Students

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (11) ◽  
pp. 4497
Author(s):  
Kengo Mihara ◽  
Hisayoshi Okamura ◽  
Yoshihisa Shoji ◽  
Kyoko Tashiro ◽  
Yukie Kinoshita ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Perceived Stress ◽  
Personal Growth ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Parasympathetic Nervous System ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Recovery Period ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Significant Group

The current study aimed to examine the effects of personal growth (PG) on psychobiological responses at baseline and responsiveness to laboratory acute stress in students. Twenty-four healthy students were recruited as participants. Participants were screened from 203 candidates according to levels of PG using Ryff’s scale and classified into high and low PG groups. During the laboratory session, 13 high and 11 low PG participants underwent the Trier Social Stress Test. Heart rate and high-frequency (HF) heart rate variability were monitored throughout the experiment. Salivary free-3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylethyleneglycol (MHPG) and perceived stress were measured at baseline, immediately after tasks and after a recovery period. Baseline and recovery perceived stress (tense arousal) were significantly lower in the high PG group compared with the low PG group. Free-MHPG and HF component returned to baseline levels during recovery significantly more rapidly in the high PG group compared with the low PG group. There were no significant group differences in heart rate. The results showed that high PG students have lower noradrenaline and higher parasympathetic nervous system activity before and after acute stress. These findings suggest a protective psychobiological pathway linking PG with better psychosomatic health in students.

scholarly journals Association of Job Strain With Cortisol and Alpha-Amylase Among Shift-Working Health Care Professionals in Laboratory and Field

2015 ◽  
Vol 18 (1) ◽  
pp. 101-112 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kati Karhula ◽  
Mikko Härmä ◽  
Mikael Sallinen ◽  
Harri Lindholm ◽  
Ari Hirvonen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Health Care ◽  
Health Effects ◽  
Salivary Cortisol ◽  
Health Care Professionals ◽  
Social Stress ◽  
Job Strain ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Trier Social Stress Test ◽  
Stress Biomarkers

Although the prevalence of work-related stress has increased, knowledge on the contributions of that stress to long-term adverse health effects is still lacking. Stress biomarkers can reveal early signs of negative health effects, but no previous studies have measured both acute stress reactions and long-term exposure to job strain using both salivary cortisol and α-amylase (AA). The present study examines the association between job strain and these biomarkers among shift-working female health care professionals in the laboratory and the field. The 95 participants were recruited from hospital wards categorized in either the top (high job strain [HJS] group, n = 42) or the bottom quartile of job strain (low job strain [LJS] group, n = 53), as rated by survey responses. Participants’ self-perceived job strain was at least as high or low as the ward’s average estimation. Saliva samples were collected during the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST), preselected morning and night shifts, and a day off. There was a larger increase in the cortisol concentration of participants in the HJS than in the LJS group (2.27- vs. 1.48-fold, respectively, nonsignificant) during the TSST. Participants in the HJS group also had higher salivary AA levels 30 min after awakening on the morning-shift day than those in the LJS group ( p = .02), whereas the salivary cortisol awakening response on the day off was higher in the LJS group ( p = .05, education as a covariate). The remaining stress-biomarker results did not differ significantly between groups. These data suggest that HJS in shift-working health care professionals is weakly associated with changes in stress biomarkers.

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