Anxiety mediates the effect of acute stress on working memory performance when cortisol levels are high: a moderated mediation analysis

Hood, Anna; Pulvers, Kim; Spady, Thomas J.; Kliebenstein, Alexa; Bachand, Jennifer

doi:10.1080/10615806.2014.1000880

Cited by 37 publications

(28 citation statements)

References 73 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Unclassified

Order By: Relevance

“…That is, in terms of performance on the cognitive tasks, we were unable to replicate previous findings showing that anxiety and cortisol were related to performance (A. Hood et al, 2015;Merz & Wolf, 2015;ó Hartaigh et al, 2012). One reason for this lack of significant findings could be that we used a composite mean for the test performance outcome, whereas previous studies have looked at response to individual tests.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 91%

State Anxiety Is Related to Cortisol Response During Cognitive Testing for Older Adults

Pearman

Neupert

Hughes

2020

Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Cognitive testing situations can be stressful for both younger and older adults, but threats of cognitive evaluation may be particularly salient among anxious older individuals as they tend to be more concerned than younger adults about their cognitive abilities and age-related cognitive decline. We examined age-related differences in the effect of anxiety on cortisol responses during cognitive testing in a sample of 27 younger ( M = 19.8) and 29 older ( M = 71.2) adults. Older adults with higher anxiety also had higher during-task cortisol (suggesting higher reactivity to testing) than older adults with lower anxiety and young adults. There was no effect of anxiety on cortisol for younger adults. Simultaneously examining subjective (state anxiety) and physiological (cortisol response) indicators of threat during cognitive testing appears to be especially important for older adults with higher state anxiety. The results are important for understanding cortisol reactivity, particularly in older adults. Researchers who administer cognitive tests to older adults and clinicians who work with older adults with cognitive concerns and/or anxiety may want to consider how they present their material.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 91%

State Anxiety Is Related to Cortisol Response During Cognitive Testing for Older Adults

Pearman

Neupert

Hughes

2020

Gerontology and Geriatric Medicine

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Additionally, these results indicate that melee combat, characterized by performance in absence of resting periods, was perceived as more stressful than urban combat, characterized by performance with periods of inactivity. Surprisingly, the RPE was lower than the physiological response measurements in both manoeuvres, fact that could be related with the large sympathetic activation measured in high‐stress situations that negatively affect superior cognitive processes such as executive functions, attention, perception, and memory (Hood, Pulvers, Spady, Kliebenstein, & Bachand, ). This underestimation of RPE is an important factor that officers need to take in account to improve tactics, especially in sustained operations and combat training systems.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 82%

“…P1 = approximation to the building; P2 = physical and psychological activation; P3 = Redman; P4 = finalization of the manoeuvre CNS fatigue, the RPE value was 15.6 ± 2.5. This value did not correspond to any of the above parameters commented, because this RPE corresponded to values of blood lactate concentration between 2.5 and 4 mmol/l (Billat, 1996;Fernández, Chirosa, & Chirosa, 2005;Weltman, 1995 (Hood, Pulvers, Spady, Kliebenstein, & Bachand, 2015).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 94%

Psychophysiological response to acute‐high‐stress combat situations in professional soldiers

2017

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The study of psychophysiological responses of soldiers in combat situations remains a challenge, especially in melee combat-a close proximity unarmed fight-defined by high unpredictability. Gaining knowledge about psychophysiological changes in high-stress situations is required to optimise training. This study aimed to analyse modifications in autonomic modulation, cortical arousal, heart rate, muscle strength, blood lactate concentration, and rating of perceived exertion of veteran soldiers in a melee combat simulation. Twenty veteran soldiers were analysed before and after a melee combat simulation in accordance with realistic situations that occur in actual operations areas. The simulation consisted of actions performed by a binomial unit in a security and protection mission in an operations area. The melee combat caused an increase in sympathetic modulation, blood lactate concentration, heart rate, muscle strength, a decreased tendency in cortical arousal, and a lower rating of perceived exertion than the organic response measured. An intense fight-flight response was observed in soldiers by the limbic system activation, causing a misinterpretation of perceived exertion. Finally, implications for the design of simulation environments for tactics training in high-stress professions are discussed.

show abstract

“…The project described in this case study found working memory impairments for healthy individuals with high levels of anxiety only when cortisol levels are high (Hood, Pulvers, Spady, Kliebenstein, & Bachand, 2015). This project provided new information into the underlying physiological mechanisms at play during stress.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 62%

Methodological and Statistical Challenges in the Study of How Anxiety and Stress Impair Working Memory Performance

Hood¹,

Pulvers²

2018

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

in 2012. She is a former NIGMS MARC scholar and was the recipient of the Outstanding Graduate Dean's Award. Anna is currently a Chancellor's and Edward A. Bouchet fellow and is a 6-year PhD student in the Psychological and Brain Sciences department at Washington University in St. Louis. During her sixth year, she will be completing her clinical child psychology internship at Children's Hospital and Clinics in Minneapolis. Her graduate work investigates how biological interventions, such as blood transfusions, can improve executive abilities in children with sickle cell disease.

show abstract

Anxiety mediates the effect of acute stress on working memory performance when cortisol levels are high: a moderated mediation analysis

Cited by 37 publications

References 73 publications

State Anxiety Is Related to Cortisol Response During Cognitive Testing for Older Adults

State Anxiety Is Related to Cortisol Response During Cognitive Testing for Older Adults

Psychophysiological response to acute‐high‐stress combat situations in professional soldiers

Methodological and Statistical Challenges in the Study of How Anxiety and Stress Impair Working Memory Performance

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About