The effects of exposure to an acute naturalistic stressor on working memory, state anxiety and salivary cortisol concentrations.

Full Abstract

Exposure to an acute naturalistic stressor induces both psychological and physiological changes in humans. The two studies reported here explored the impact of exposure to an acute naturalistic stressor on state anxiety, working memory and HPA axis activation (salivary cortisol). In both experiments, ten healthy male participants were exposed to an acute naturalistic stressor, helicopter underwater evacuation training (HUET), and their physiological and behavioural responses before (first study) and after (second study) the stressor were compared to ten non-stressed controls. The results of both experiments showed that working memory performance was preserved during anticipation of an acute stressor, but impairments were observed immediately after stress exposure. Participants reported significantly higher state anxiety levels during anticipation and following stress exposure, whereas significant elevations in cortisol levels were only observed 25 min post exposure to stress, but not before or immediately after stress exposure. The results of both experiments demonstrated a dissociation between behavioural and biochemical measures and provided evidence for a dissociation of the effects of stress on cognitive and physiological measures depending on the time of testing, with cognitive impairments most evident following stress exposure.

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Author information

Author/s: Robinson, S J (SJ); Sünram-Lea, S I (SI); Leach, J (J); Owen-Lynch, P J (PJ);

Affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Central Lancashire, Preston, Lancashire, United Kingdom. sjrobinson1(-atsign-)uclan.ac.uk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: Stress (Amsterdam, Netherlands) (Stress), published in England. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2008-Jun; vol 11 (issue 2) : pp 115-24

Dates: Created 2008/03/03; Completed 2008/05/16;

PMID: 18311600, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Aircraft
Anxiety - physiopathology; psychology
Humans
Hydrocortisone - analysis
Hypothalamo-Hypophyseal System - physiopathology

Male
Memory, Short-Term - physiology
Middle Aged
Pituitary-Adrenal System - physiopathology
Saliva - metabolism
Stress, Psychological - physiopathology; psychology

Associated Chemicals: Hydrocortisone (50-23-7)

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