Acute Psychological Stress Reduces Working Memory-Related Activity in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex

Qin, Shaozheng; Hermans, Erno J.; Marle, Hein J. F. van; Luo, Jing; Fernández, Guillén

doi:10.1016/j.biopsych.2009.03.006

Cited by 554 publications

(506 citation statements)

References 43 publications

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“…The present stress induction method closely corresponds to the determinants of the human stress response as described by Mason (42) (i.e., unpredictability, novelty, and uncontrollability). Moreover, previous studies have shown that this method elicits a measurable physiological and psychological stress response (26)(27)(28).…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Acute stress was induced by showing short movie clips with highly aversive content and a self-reference instruction, which directly preceded and followed the task. This method of stress induction has been shown previously to elicit an acute stress response (26)(27)(28). To assess the effectiveness of this method in our study, subjective negative affect, salivary cortisol and α-amylase, and heart rate were measured.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Acute stress modulates genotype effects on amygdala processing in humans

Cousijn

Rijpkema

Qin

et al. 2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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104

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Probing gene-environment interactions that affect neural processing is crucial for understanding individual differences in behavior and disease vulnerability. Here, we tested whether the current environmental context, which affects the acute brain state, modulates genotype effects on brain function in humans. We manipulated the context by inducing acute psychological stress, which increases noradrenergic activity, and probed its effect on tonic activity and phasic responses in the amygdala using two MRI techniques: conventional blood oxygen level-dependent functional MRI and arterial spin labeling. We showed that only carriers of a common functional deletion in ADRA2B, the gene coding for the α2b-adrenoreceptor, displayed increased phasic amygdala responses under stress. Tonic activity, reflecting the perfusion of the amygdala, increased independently of genotype after stress induction. Thus, when tonic activity was heightened by stress, only deletion carriers showed increased amygdala responses. Our results demonstrate that genetic effects on brain operations can be state dependent, such that they only become apparent under specific, often environmentally controlled, conditions. ADRA2B | gene-environment interactions | fMRI | imaging genetics

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 96%

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Acute stress modulates genotype effects on amygdala processing in humans

Cousijn

Rijpkema

Qin

et al. 2010

Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A.

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104

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“…WM is critical for surviving and thriving in complex and challenging situations. Yet, as the anecdote above and a growing literature suggest, highly demanding and stressful circumstances compromise WM performance (see Arnsten 2009;Evans and Schamberg 2009;Oei et al 2006;Qin et al 2009). …”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…One emerging area of research involves offering mindfulness training (MT) as a form of cognitive resilience training by which to bolster cognitive control processes such as WM and attention (see Jha et al , 2015Jha et al , 2016Leonard et al 2013;Morrison et al 2014), which can be compromised due to high demand and stress (e.g., Arnsten 2009;Hofmann et al 2008Hofmann et al , 2012Oei et al 2006;Qin et al 2009). Mindfulness is described as Ba mental mode characterized by attention to present moment experience without judgment, elaboration, or emotional reactivity^ (Jha et al 2010, p. 54; see also Kabat-Zinn 2013).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Oei et al (2006) reported that task performance during high-but not low-load trials was worse in individuals induced to experience psychosocial stress via the Trier stress test versus those in a no-stress group. One interpretation for this pattern is that stress produces internal sources of distraction (e.g., physiological arousal, personal preoccupations, fears, and worry), which consume processing resources necessary for maintenance (see Qin et al 2009). When task demands are low, and there are ample resources to perform the task-athand, internal distraction may not compromise performance.…”

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confidence: 99%

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Short-Form Mindfulness Training Protects Against Working Memory Degradation over High-Demand Intervals

et al. 2017

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Periods of persistent and intensive demands may compromise working memory (WM) and increase susceptibility to distraction. We investigated if mindfulness training (MT) may mitigate these deleterious effects and promote cognitive resilience in military cohorts enduring a high-demand interval of military training. To better understand which aspects of MT programs are most beneficial, three military cohorts were examined. Two groups received 8-h variants of an MT course, Mindfulness-based Mind Fitness Training (MMFT)®, with one group emphasizing in-class training exercises (M8T, n = 40) and the other emphasizing didactic content (M8D, n = 40). A third group received no training (NTC, n = 46). Performance on a delayed-recognition WM task that varied mnemonic load (1 vs. 2 items) and delayspanning valenced distraction (negative vs. neutral images) was measured before (T1) and after (T2) an 8-week interval. Overall, task accuracy (% correct) was greater on low-vs. high-load trials, as well as trials with neutral vs. negative distraction. Task accuracy did not change over time in a civilian cohort (N = 22). Yet, it declined from T1 to T2 in the military cohorts, with the greatest degradation in NTC, followed by M8D, and near stable performance from T1 to T2 in M8T. This time by group effect significantly varied with load, but not with distracter valence. While NTC's performance degraded over time for both low-and high-load trials, M8D's performance degraded only for high load, and M8T did not show performance degradation for either load condition. These results suggest that MT may protect against WM degradation over high-demand intervals, with training-focused MT programs offering the greatest benefits for maintaining performance in high-load conditions.

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Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Activation During Emotional Anticipation and Neuropsychological Performance in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

Allard¹

2012

Arch Gen Psychiatry

167

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During emotional anticipation, women with PTSD show exaggerated activation in the anterior insula, a region important for monitoring internal bodily state. Greater dorsolateral PFC response in PTSD patients during emotional anticipation may reflect engagement of cognitive control networks that are beneficial for emotional and cognitive functioning. Novel treatments could be aimed at strengthening the balance between cognitive control (dorsolateral PFC) and affective processing (medial PFC and amygdala) networks to improve overall functioning for PTSD patients.

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Acute Psychological Stress Reduces Working Memory-Related Activity in the Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex

Cited by 554 publications

References 43 publications

Acute stress modulates genotype effects on amygdala processing in humans

Acute stress modulates genotype effects on amygdala processing in humans

Short-Form Mindfulness Training Protects Against Working Memory Degradation over High-Demand Intervals

Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex Activation During Emotional Anticipation and Neuropsychological Performance in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder

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