Influence of acute stress on spatial tasks in humans

The effect of mental rotation on changes in plasma testosterone and cortisol levels

“…A significant gender difference was not seen, possibly due to low sample size. Increased cortisol levels associated with psychological stress can slow down the response and reaction time resulting in worse achievement in given task [26]. A similar relationship was not seen when postactivity testosterone and cortisol levels were correlated with game score; there is a significant difference when samples for hormone evaluation and correlation with mental rotation skills are collected before or after the activity.…”

Dispositional mindfulness and working memory in the context of acute stress.

“…Richardson and Vanderkaay Tomasulo (2011) found that participants who were presented with an acute stressor performed with slower response times in two novel spatial tasks than those participants in the control group. Participants in the stressed group also reported a prolonged negative affect state following the stressor, including higher levels of anger, frustration, and irritability.…”

“…As previously mentioned, both primary and secondary appraisals have resulted in the identification of both external and internal sources of stress, attentional resources have been directed away from the present moment and towards internal experiences (Richardson & VanderKaay Tomasulo, 2011), and activity in the DLPFC, the brain structure critical to WMC functioning (Curtis & D'Esposito, 2003;Jha & McCarthy, 2000;Leung et al, 2002), has been reduced Modinos, Ormel, & Aleman, 2009). It is predicted that for a low DM individual, the behavioral action which follows the acute stressor and both appraisal stages will be that of a reflexive reaction.…”

“…Typically, the experience of acute stress results in a cascade of physiological responses primarily originating in the activation of two biological systems, the sympathetic adrenal medulla (SAM) axis and the hypothalamic pituitary (HPA) adrenal axis (Richardson & VanderKaay Tomasulo, 2011). In the event of acute stress, the SAM axis responds with the release of neurotransmitters including epinephrine and norepinephrine, which subsequently influence heart rate and blood pressure, while the HPA axis releases cortisol (Richardson & VanderKaay Tomasulo, 2011). The time frame of the acute stress response is important in understanding the neurobiology of acute stress.…”

“…However, should elements of the event be appraised as indicative of an acute stressor, a rapid cascade of physiological responses begins. The SAM and HPA axes respond with the release of neurotransmitters and stress hormones (Richardson & VanderKaay Tomasulo, 2011), which ready the body for survival. Common effects of this physiological response include increased heart rate and blood pressure, and accelerated breathing.…”