Abstract
Exposure to acute stress can impact performance on numerous cognitive abilities, but little is known about how acute stress affects real-world decision-making ability. In the present study, we induced acute stress with a standard laboratory task involving uncontrollable socio-evaluative stress and subsequently assessed decision-making ability using the Adult Decision Making Competence index. In addition, we took baseline and post-test saliva samples from participants to examine associations between decision-making competence and adrenal hormones. Participants in the stress induction group showed enhanced decision-making competence, relative to controls. Further, although both cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) reactivity predicted decision-making competence when considered in isolation, DHEA was a significantly better predictor than cortisol when both hormones were considered simultaneously. Thus, our results show that exposure to acute stress can have beneficial effects on the cognitive ability underpinning real-world decision-making and that this effect relates to DHEA reactivity more than cortisol.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 51-60 |
| Number of pages | 10 |
| Journal | Psychoneuroendocrinology |
| Volume | 67 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - May 1 2016 |
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Keywords
- Acute stress
- Cortisol
- Decision-making
- Decision-making competence
- DHEA
- Stress
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
- Endocrinology
- Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
- Psychiatry and Mental health
- Biological Psychiatry
Cite this
Exposure to acute stress enhances decision-making competence : Evidence for the role of DHEA. / Shields, Grant S.; Lam, Jovian C W; Trainor, Brian C.; Yonelinas, Andrew P.
In: Psychoneuroendocrinology, Vol. 67, 01.05.2016, p. 51-60.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Exposure to acute stress enhances decision-making competence
T2 - Evidence for the role of DHEA
AU - Shields, Grant S.
AU - Lam, Jovian C W
AU - Trainor, Brian C.
AU - Yonelinas, Andrew P.
PY - 2016/5/1
Y1 - 2016/5/1
N2 - Exposure to acute stress can impact performance on numerous cognitive abilities, but little is known about how acute stress affects real-world decision-making ability. In the present study, we induced acute stress with a standard laboratory task involving uncontrollable socio-evaluative stress and subsequently assessed decision-making ability using the Adult Decision Making Competence index. In addition, we took baseline and post-test saliva samples from participants to examine associations between decision-making competence and adrenal hormones. Participants in the stress induction group showed enhanced decision-making competence, relative to controls. Further, although both cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) reactivity predicted decision-making competence when considered in isolation, DHEA was a significantly better predictor than cortisol when both hormones were considered simultaneously. Thus, our results show that exposure to acute stress can have beneficial effects on the cognitive ability underpinning real-world decision-making and that this effect relates to DHEA reactivity more than cortisol.
AB - Exposure to acute stress can impact performance on numerous cognitive abilities, but little is known about how acute stress affects real-world decision-making ability. In the present study, we induced acute stress with a standard laboratory task involving uncontrollable socio-evaluative stress and subsequently assessed decision-making ability using the Adult Decision Making Competence index. In addition, we took baseline and post-test saliva samples from participants to examine associations between decision-making competence and adrenal hormones. Participants in the stress induction group showed enhanced decision-making competence, relative to controls. Further, although both cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) reactivity predicted decision-making competence when considered in isolation, DHEA was a significantly better predictor than cortisol when both hormones were considered simultaneously. Thus, our results show that exposure to acute stress can have beneficial effects on the cognitive ability underpinning real-world decision-making and that this effect relates to DHEA reactivity more than cortisol.
KW - Acute stress
KW - Cortisol
KW - Decision-making
KW - Decision-making competence
KW - DHEA
KW - Stress
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=84962566037&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.01.031
DO - 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2016.01.031
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:84962566037
VL - 67
SP - 51
EP - 60
JO - Psychoneuroendocrinology
JF - Psychoneuroendocrinology
SN - 0306-4530
ER -