Scholarlink

Rationale <p>Stress can significantly alter decision-making, often promoting riskier choices. While prior research suggests a link between acute stress and increased risk-taking, the specific contributions of cortisol and noradrenaline—two key neuroendocrine stress mediators—remain unclear.</p> Objectives <p>Investigate how the pharmacological manipulation of two key neuroendocrine stress mediators (cortisol and noradrenaline) influences risk-taking behavior in healthy individuals.</p> Methods <p>In a double-blind, randomized study, we examined the individual and combined effects of hydrocortisone (20&#xa0;mg) and yohimbine (20&#xa0;mg; an α₂-adrenergic receptor antagonist) on risky decision-making in 96 healthy adults (48 women, 48 men). Participants completed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) before and after drug administration, allowing for within-subject comparisons relative to individual baselines.</p> Results <p>While the pharmacological manipulation effectively elevated cortisol concentration and salivary alpha amylase activity (as proxy for noradrenaline levels), no substantial effects on risk-taking behavior emerged, contrasting with some earlier findings. Exploratory analyses of associations with personality traits (anxiety, aggression, sensation seeking) and baseline levels of testosterone and estradiol revealed only weak and inconsistent relationships.</p> Conclusions <p>These findings underscore the complexity of stress effects on decision-making and suggest that pharmacological activation of stress systems may not straightforwardly mimic psychosocial stress. Methodological factors such as timing, dosage, receptor specificity, and task familiarity likely play critical roles in modulating these effects.</p>

错误：搜索内容不能为空，请输入英文关键词
错误：关键词超出字数限制，请精简
高级检索

Risky decision-making in the balloon analogue risk task – the role of noradrenaline and cortisol

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

    开放获取

  • 发表日期：

    2025年11月10日

查看全文
  • Kim Fricke,
  • Nina Alexander,
  • Thomas Jacobsen,
  • Henriette Krug,
  • Kai Wehkamp,
  • Susanne Vogel

摘要

Rationale

Stress can significantly alter decision-making, often promoting riskier choices. While prior research suggests a link between acute stress and increased risk-taking, the specific contributions of cortisol and noradrenaline—two key neuroendocrine stress mediators—remain unclear.

Objectives

Investigate how the pharmacological manipulation of two key neuroendocrine stress mediators (cortisol and noradrenaline) influences risk-taking behavior in healthy individuals.

Methods

In a double-blind, randomized study, we examined the individual and combined effects of hydrocortisone (20 mg) and yohimbine (20 mg; an α₂-adrenergic receptor antagonist) on risky decision-making in 96 healthy adults (48 women, 48 men). Participants completed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) before and after drug administration, allowing for within-subject comparisons relative to individual baselines.

Results

While the pharmacological manipulation effectively elevated cortisol concentration and salivary alpha amylase activity (as proxy for noradrenaline levels), no substantial effects on risk-taking behavior emerged, contrasting with some earlier findings. Exploratory analyses of associations with personality traits (anxiety, aggression, sensation seeking) and baseline levels of testosterone and estradiol revealed only weak and inconsistent relationships.

Conclusions

These findings underscore the complexity of stress effects on decision-making and suggest that pharmacological activation of stress systems may not straightforwardly mimic psychosocial stress. Methodological factors such as timing, dosage, receptor specificity, and task familiarity likely play critical roles in modulating these effects.