Effect of Anxiolytics on Cognitive Flexibility in Problem Solving

Silver, Jennifer A; Hughes, John D.; Bornstein, Robert A.; Beversdorf, David Q.

doi:10.1097/01.wnn.0000119240.65522.d9

Cited by 51 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 29 publications

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“…However, this effect has not previously been investigated in individuals without known anxiety-induced impairments. Antianxiety agents that do not act on the NE system do not appear to have this effect on cognitive flexibility (Silver et al, 2004).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Anagram problem solving has been utilized previously as a method of assessing creativity (Shaw & Conway, 1990;Kumar & Kumari, 1988;Gavurin, 1975). Previous evidence suggests that performance on this task is modulated by the noradrenergic system (Silver, Hughes, Bornstein, & Beversdorf, 2004;Beversdorf et al, 1999Beversdorf et al, , 2002.…”

Section: Cognitive Flexibility Testsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Beta-adrenergic Modulation of Cognitive Flexibility during Stress

Alexander¹,

Hillier²,

Smith³

et al. 2007

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience

268

230

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Abstract& Stress-induced activation of the locus ceruleus-norepinephrine (LC-NE) system produces significant cognitive and behavioral effects, including enhanced arousal and attention. Improvements in discrimination task performance and memory have been attributed to this stress response. In contrast, for other cognitive functions that require cognitive flexibility, increased activity of the LC-NE system may produce deleterious effects. The aim of the present study was to determine the effect of pharmacological modulation of the LC-NE system on stress-induced impairments in cognitive flexibility performance in healthy individuals. Cognitive performance, plus psychological and physiological parameters for 16 adults without any history of anxiety disorders, was assessed during four test sessions: stress and no-stress, with each condition tested after administration of propranolol and placebo. The Trier Social Stress Test, a public-speaking and mental arithmetic stressor, was presented to participants for the stress sessions, whereas a similar, but nonstressful, control task (reading, counting) was utilized for the no-stress sessions. Tests of cognitive flexibility included lexical-semantic and associative problem-solving tasks (anagrams, Compound Remote Associates Test). Visuospatial memory and motor processing speed tests served as control tasks. Results indicate that (1) stress impaired performance on cognitive flexibility tasks, but not control tasks; (2) compared to placebo, cognitive flexibility improved during stress with propranolol. Therefore, psychological stress, such as public speaking, negatively impacts performance on tasks requiring cognitive flexibility in normal individuals, and this effect is reversed by beta-adrenergic antagonism. This may provide support for the hypothesis that stress-related impairments in cognitive flexibility are related to the noradrenergic system. &

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Cognitive Flexibility Testsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Beta-adrenergic Modulation of Cognitive Flexibility during Stress

Alexander¹,

Hillier²,

Smith³

et al. 2007

Journal of Cognitive Neuroscience

268

230

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Understanding the effects of pharmacological manipulation on semantic networks may have implications ranging from language perception (Angwin et al, 2004;Kischka et al, 1996) to problem solving (Beversdorf et al, 1999;Beversdorf et al, 2002;Silver et al, 2004). This may also reveal insight into the impairments exhibited by some patient populations (Arnott et al, 2001).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Functional connectivity in an fMRI study of semantic and phonological processes and the effect of l-Dopa

Tivarus¹,

Hillier²,

Schmalbrock³

et al. 2008

Brain and Language

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We describe an fMRI experiment examining the functional connectivity (FC) between regions of the brain associated with semantic and phonological processing. We wished to explore whether L-Dopa administration affects the interaction between language network components in semantic and phonological categorization tasks, as revealed by FC. We hypothesized that L-Dopa would decrease FC due to restriction of the semantic network. During two test sessions (placebo and L-Dopa) each participant performed two fMRI runs, involving phonological and semantic processing. A number of brain regions commonly activated by the two tasks were chosen: left inferior frontal, left posterior temporal and left fusiform gyri, and left parietal cortex. FC was calculated and further analyzed for effects of either the drug or task. No drug effect was found. A significant main effect for task was found, with a greater average correlation for the phonological task than for the semantic task. These findings suggest that language areas are activated in a more synchronous manner for phonological tasks than for semantic tasks. This may relate to the fact that phonological tasks are mediated to a greater extent within language areas, whereas semantic tasks likely require greater interaction outside of the language areas. Alternatively, this may be due to differences in the attentional requirements of the two tasks.

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“…Noradrenergic dysregulation is believed to be a major contributor to panic disorder, 15-17 and the noradrenergic system is known to have a modulatory effect on certain types of cognitive flexibility tasks in normal individuals through a central mechanism. 2,18,19 This raises the possibility that either increased overall adrenergic tone or increased sensitivity to the ''normal'' levels of adrenergic tone may be present early in cocaine withdrawal, providing a potential mechanism for impaired cognitive flexibility. Our hypothesis is therefore that individuals acutely withdrawing from cocaine would be impaired on performance on the anagram task, which is known to be modulated by the noradrenergic system.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Cognitive Impairment in Acute Cocaine Withdrawal

Kelley¹,

Yeager²,

Pepper³

et al. 2005

Cognitive and Behavioral Neurology

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Objective-To perform a pilot study to examine a range of cognitive flexibility tasks early in cocaine withdrawal.Background-Previous neuropsychological investigations of cocaine withdrawal have conflicted regarding whether impaired cognitive flexibility occurs. However, most studies have examined patients later in withdrawal. Anxiety and yohimbine-induced panic are greatest early in withdrawal, and both anxiety and increased noradrenergic tone can impair cognitive flexibility.

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Effect of Anxiolytics on Cognitive Flexibility in Problem Solving

Abstract: Objective: Our purpose is to examine the effect of different classes of anxiolytics on cognitive flexibility.

Cited by 51 publications

References 29 publications

Beta-adrenergic Modulation of Cognitive Flexibility during Stress

Beta-adrenergic Modulation of Cognitive Flexibility during Stress

Functional connectivity in an fMRI study of semantic and phonological processes and the effect of l-Dopa

Cognitive Impairment in Acute Cocaine Withdrawal

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