Researchers demonstrate that a saliva analysis can reveal decision-making skills

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A study conducted by researchers at the University of Granada Group of Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology has demonstrated that cortisol levels in saliva are associated with a person’s ability to make good decisions in stressful situations.

To perform this study, the researchers exposed the participants (all women) to a stressful situation by using sophisticated virtual reality technology. The study revealed that people who are not skilled in decision-making have lower baseline cortisol levels in saliva as compared to skilled people.

Cortisol –known as the stress hormone– is a steroid hormone segregated at the adrenal cortex and stimulated by the adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) hormone, which is produced at the pituitary gland. Cortisol is involved in a number of body systems and plays a relevant role in the muscle-skeletal system, blood circulation, the immune system, the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins and the nervous system.

Recent studies have demonstrated that stress can influence decision making in people. This cognitive component might be considered one of the human resources for coping with stress.

A Study on 40 Healthy Women

To verify that decision-making skills might modulate human response to psychosocial stress, the University of Granada researchers evaluated the decision-making process in 40 healthy women. Participants were asked to perform the so-called Iowa Gambling Task. Next, participants were presented a stressful situation in a virtual environment consisting on delivering a speech in front of a virtual audience. Researchers evaluated the participants’ response to stress by examining the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, and measuring cortisol levels in saliva at different points of the stressful situation.

Professors Isabel Peralta and Ana Santos state that this study provides preliminary evidence on an existing relationship between decision-making ability –which may play a major role in coping with stress– and low cortisol levels in psychosocially stressful situations. This means that the effects of psychological stress on the health people with lower cortisol levels might be milder.

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Researchers demonstrate that a saliva analysis can reveal decision-making skills

Escrito por

A study conducted by researchers at the University of Granada Group of Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology has demonstrated that cortisol levels in saliva are associated with a person’s ability to make good decisions in stressful situations.

To perform this study, the researchers exposed the participants (all women) to a stressful situation by using sophisticated virtual reality technology. The study revealed that people who are not skilled in decision-making have lower baseline cortisol levels in saliva as compared to skilled people.

Cortisol –known as the stress hormone– is a steroid hormone segregated at the adrenal cortex and stimulated by the adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) hormone, which is produced at the pituitary gland. Cortisol is involved in a number of body systems and plays a relevant role in the muscle-skeletal system, blood circulation, the immune system, the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins and the nervous system.

Recent studies have demonstrated that stress can influence decision making in people. This cognitive component might be considered one of the human resources for coping with stress.

A Study on 40 Healthy Women

To verify that decision-making skills might modulate human response to psychosocial stress, the University of Granada researchers evaluated the decision-making process in 40 healthy women. Participants were asked to perform the so-called Iowa Gambling Task. Next, participants were presented a stressful situation in a virtual environment consisting on delivering a speech in front of a virtual audience. Researchers evaluated the participants’ response to stress by examining the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, and measuring cortisol levels in saliva at different points of the stressful situation.

Professors Isabel Peralta and Ana Santos state that this study provides preliminary evidence on an existing relationship between decision-making ability –which may play a major role in coping with stress– and low cortisol levels in psychosocially stressful situations. This means that the effects of psychological stress on the health people with lower cortisol levels might be milder.

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Study Finds That Our Decision-Making Skills In Stressful Situations Influenced By Cortisol

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A group of scientists from the University of Granada’s Group of Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology has discovered a connection between levels of the hormone cortisol in a person’s saliva and their ability to make good decisions in high-stress situations, highlighting yet another link between mind and body.

The researchers study, titled «Can decision-making skills affect responses to psychological stress in healthy women?» was recently published in the academic journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.

Cortisol – known to medical professionals as hydrocortisone or simply ‘the stress hormone’ – is a steroid hormone that is produced in our adrenal glands in response to stress. Cortisol is released in the last step of a cascade of hormones that begins when the brain’s hypothalamus triggers a chain-reaction in response to psychological or social stress. The hormone directly affects a number of body systems and functions, including the regulation of blood sugar levels, the build-up of muscle and bone, the suppression and activation of the immune system, and the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

To determine whether ‘psychosocial stress’ affects a person’s decision-making abilities, the researchers exposed a group of 40 female participants to stressful situations using a hi-tech virtual reality system. The participants were asked to perform the so-called Iowa Gambling Task, a psychological card game that is commonly used to study human decision making.

After the Iowa Gambling Task, the subjects were then asked to participate in a stressful situation that involved giving a speech in front of a virtual audience. The scientists were able to evaluate the women’s response to stress by examining the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, and measuring the cortisol levels in their saliva at different points during the virtual task.

The results of their study indicated that the participants who had poor decision-making skills also tended to have lower baseline levels of cortisol in their saliva compared to the women who were able to successfully navigate the stressful situations.

The authors of the study, Professors Isabel Peralta and Ana Santos, say that this study offers preliminary evidence that there is a link between a person’s decision-making abilities in a stressful situation and low levels of cortisol. This also means that the effects of psychological stress on the health of people with lower cortisol levels might actually be milder.

This study comes amidst a flurry of studies in recent years showing how stress can influence our ability to make decisions.

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Study Finds That Our Decision-Making Skills In Stressful Situations Influenced By Cortisol

Escrito por

A group of scientists from the University of Granada’s Group of Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology has discovered a connection between levels of the hormone cortisol in a person’s saliva and their ability to make good decisions in high-stress situations, highlighting yet another link between mind and body.

The researchers study, titled «Can decision-making skills affect responses to psychological stress in healthy women?» was recently published in the academic journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.

Cortisol – known to medical professionals as hydrocortisone or simply ‘the stress hormone’ – is a steroid hormone that is produced in our adrenal glands in response to stress. Cortisol is released in the last step of a cascade of hormones that begins when the brain’s hypothalamus triggers a chain-reaction in response to psychological or social stress. The hormone directly affects a number of body systems and functions, including the regulation of blood sugar levels, the build-up of muscle and bone, the suppression and activation of the immune system, and the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

To determine whether ‘psychosocial stress’ affects a person’s decision-making abilities, the researchers exposed a group of 40 female participants to stressful situations using a hi-tech virtual reality system. The participants were asked to perform the so-called Iowa Gambling Task, a psychological card game that is commonly used to study human decision making.

After the Iowa Gambling Task, the subjects were then asked to participate in a stressful situation that involved giving a speech in front of a virtual audience. The scientists were able to evaluate the women’s response to stress by examining the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, and measuring the cortisol levels in their saliva at different points during the virtual task.

The results of their study indicated that the participants who had poor decision-making skills also tended to have lower baseline levels of cortisol in their saliva compared to the women who were able to successfully navigate the stressful situations.

The authors of the study, Professors Isabel Peralta and Ana Santos, say that this study offers preliminary evidence that there is a link between a person’s decision-making abilities in a stressful situation and low levels of cortisol. This also means that the effects of psychological stress on the health of people with lower cortisol levels might actually be milder.

This study comes amidst a flurry of studies in recent years showing how stress can influence our ability to make decisions.

Descargar

Study Finds That Our Decision-Making Skills In Stressful Situations Influenced By Cortisol

Escrito por

A group of scientists from the University of Granada’s Group of Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology has discovered a connection between levels of the hormone cortisol in a person’s saliva and their ability to make good decisions in high-stress situations, highlighting yet another link between mind and body.

The researchers study, titled «Can decision-making skills affect responses to psychological stress in healthy women?» was recently published in the academic journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.

Cortisol – known to medical professionals as hydrocortisone or simply ‘the stress hormone’ – is a steroid hormone that is produced in our adrenal glands in response to stress. Cortisol is released in the last step of a cascade of hormones that begins when the brain’s hypothalamus triggers a chain-reaction in response to psychological or social stress. The hormone directly affects a number of body systems and functions, including the regulation of blood sugar levels, the build-up of muscle and bone, the suppression and activation of the immune system, and the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins.

To determine whether ‘psychosocial stress’ affects a person’s decision-making abilities, the researchers exposed a group of 40 female participants to stressful situations using a hi-tech virtual reality system. The participants were asked to perform the so-called Iowa Gambling Task, a psychological card game that is commonly used to study human decision making.

After the Iowa Gambling Task, the subjects were then asked to participate in a stressful situation that involved giving a speech in front of a virtual audience. The scientists were able to evaluate the women’s response to stress by examining the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, and measuring the cortisol levels in their saliva at different points during the virtual task.

The results of their study indicated that the participants who had poor decision-making skills also tended to have lower baseline levels of cortisol in their saliva compared to the women who were able to successfully navigate the stressful situations.

The authors of the study, Professors Isabel Peralta and Ana Santos, say that this study offers preliminary evidence that there is a link between a person’s decision-making abilities in a stressful situation and low levels of cortisol. This also means that the effects of psychological stress on the health of people with lower cortisol levels might actually be milder.

This study comes amidst a flurry of studies in recent years showing how stress can influence our ability to make decisions.

Descargar

Saliva test can reveal decision-making skills

Escrito por

University of Granada researchers have found that cortisol levels in saliva are associated with a person’s ability to make good decisions in stressful situations.
In a study, researchers at the University of Granada Group of Neuropsychology exposed the participants (all women) to a stressful situation by using sophisticated virtual reality technology.
They found that people who are not skilled in decision-making have lower baseline cortisol levels in saliva as compared to skilled people.
Cortisol -known as the stress hormone- is a steroid hormone segregated at the adrenal cortex and stimulated by the adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) hormone, which is produced at the pituitary gland. Cortisol is involved in a number of body systems and plays a relevant role in the muscle-skeletal system, blood circulation, the immune system, the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins and the nervous system.
Recent studies have demonstrated that stress can influence decision making in people. This cognitive component might be considered one of the human resources for coping with stress.
To verify that decision-making skills might modulate human response to psychosocial stress, the University of Granada researchers evaluated the decision-making process in 40 healthy women.
Participants were asked to perform the so-called Iowa Gambling Task. Next, participants were presented a stressful situation in a virtual environment consisting on delivering a speech in front of a virtual audience. Researchers evaluated the participants’ response to stress by examining the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, and measuring cortisol levels in saliva at different points of the stressful situation.
This study provides preliminary evidence on an existing relationship between decision-making ability -which may play a major role in coping with stress- and low cortisol levels in psychosocially stressful situations, said Professors Isabel Peralta and Ana Santos.
This means that the effects of psychological stress on the health people with lower cortisol levels might be milder.
This paper has been recently published in the prestigious journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.
Descargar

Saliva test can reveal decision-making skills

Escrito por

University of Granada researchers have found that cortisol levels in saliva are associated with a person’s ability to make good decisions in stressful situations.
In a study, researchers at the University of Granada Group of Neuropsychology exposed the participants (all women) to a stressful situation by using sophisticated virtual reality technology.
They found that people who are not skilled in decision-making have lower baseline cortisol levels in saliva as compared to skilled people.
Cortisol -known as the stress hormone- is a steroid hormone segregated at the adrenal cortex and stimulated by the adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) hormone, which is produced at the pituitary gland. Cortisol is involved in a number of body systems and plays a relevant role in the muscle-skeletal system, blood circulation, the immune system, the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins and the nervous system.
Recent studies have demonstrated that stress can influence decision making in people. This cognitive component might be considered one of the human resources for coping with stress.
To verify that decision-making skills might modulate human response to psychosocial stress, the University of Granada researchers evaluated the decision-making process in 40 healthy women.
Participants were asked to perform the so-called Iowa Gambling Task. Next, participants were presented a stressful situation in a virtual environment consisting on delivering a speech in front of a virtual audience. Researchers evaluated the participants’ response to stress by examining the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, and measuring cortisol levels in saliva at different points of the stressful situation.
This study provides preliminary evidence on an existing relationship between decision-making ability -which may play a major role in coping with stress- and low cortisol levels in psychosocially stressful situations, said Professors Isabel Peralta and Ana Santos.
This means that the effects of psychological stress on the health people with lower cortisol levels might be milder.
This paper has been recently published in the prestigious journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.
Descargar

Saliva test can reveal decision-making skills

Escrito por

University of Granada researchers have found that cortisol levels in saliva are associated with a person’s ability to make good decisions in stressful situations.
In a study, researchers at the University of Granada Group of Neuropsychology exposed the participants (all women) to a stressful situation by using sophisticated virtual reality technology.
They found that people who are not skilled in decision-making have lower baseline cortisol levels in saliva as compared to skilled people.
Cortisol -known as the stress hormone- is a steroid hormone segregated at the adrenal cortex and stimulated by the adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) hormone, which is produced at the pituitary gland. Cortisol is involved in a number of body systems and plays a relevant role in the muscle-skeletal system, blood circulation, the immune system, the metabolism of fats, carbohydrates and proteins and the nervous system.
Recent studies have demonstrated that stress can influence decision making in people. This cognitive component might be considered one of the human resources for coping with stress.
To verify that decision-making skills might modulate human response to psychosocial stress, the University of Granada researchers evaluated the decision-making process in 40 healthy women.
Participants were asked to perform the so-called Iowa Gambling Task. Next, participants were presented a stressful situation in a virtual environment consisting on delivering a speech in front of a virtual audience. Researchers evaluated the participants’ response to stress by examining the activation of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis, and measuring cortisol levels in saliva at different points of the stressful situation.
This study provides preliminary evidence on an existing relationship between decision-making ability -which may play a major role in coping with stress- and low cortisol levels in psychosocially stressful situations, said Professors Isabel Peralta and Ana Santos.
This means that the effects of psychological stress on the health people with lower cortisol levels might be milder.
This paper has been recently published in the prestigious journal Psychoneuroendocrinology.
Descargar

Nez : Il y a bien un effet Pinocchio si vous mentez

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La magie reposerait-elle sur une part de vérité ? En cas de vilain mensonge, notre nez ne s’allonge certes pas comme celui de Pinocchio. Mais il y aurait un peu de ça tout de même : Selon des chercheurs de l’Université de Grenade, en Espagne, le nez se réchaufferait au moindre petit mensonge.

Et si Carlo Collodi, l’auteur de Pinocchio, le personnage popularisé par Disney, n’avait pas tout à fait tort ? Les psychologues Emilio Gómez Milán et Elvira Salazar López, de l’Université de Grenade, en Espagne, ont mené une étude révélant que le nez a tendance à chauffer lorsqu’une personne ment. Armés d’une caméra, les auteurs ont plus exactement utilisé la technique de la thermographie pour mesurer l’activité mentale et émotionnelle chez un groupe de volontaires.
Lorsque les cobayes ont annoncé des contre-vérités, leur nez se réchauffait, gonflait légèrement et est devenu plus rouge alors que le reste du visage tendait vers une couleur jaune orangé. Ce phénomène constaté, resté assez discret certes, serait le fruit d’une baisse d’activité de l’insula, ou cortex insulaire, la partie du cerveau chargée, entre autre, de réguler la température de notre corps et de notre conscience. Et cette dernière se dérègle au moindre phénomène inhabituel touchant les émotions, et en premier lieu le stress. A des degrés divers donc, le mécanisme implique d’autres parties du corps pour des ressentis liés à l’anxiété, l’empathie ou encore le désir sexuel.

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Nez : Il y a bien un effet Pinocchio si vous mentez

Escrito por

La magie reposerait-elle sur une part de vérité ? En cas de vilain mensonge, notre nez ne s’allonge certes pas comme celui de Pinocchio. Mais il y aurait un peu de ça tout de même : Selon des chercheurs de l’Université de Grenade, en Espagne, le nez se réchaufferait au moindre petit mensonge.

Et si Carlo Collodi, l’auteur de Pinocchio, le personnage popularisé par Disney, n’avait pas tout à fait tort ? Les psychologues Emilio Gómez Milán et Elvira Salazar López, de l’Université de Grenade, en Espagne, ont mené une étude révélant que le nez a tendance à chauffer lorsqu’une personne ment. Armés d’une caméra, les auteurs ont plus exactement utilisé la technique de la thermographie pour mesurer l’activité mentale et émotionnelle chez un groupe de volontaires.
Lorsque les cobayes ont annoncé des contre-vérités, leur nez se réchauffait, gonflait légèrement et est devenu plus rouge alors que le reste du visage tendait vers une couleur jaune orangé. Ce phénomène constaté, resté assez discret certes, serait le fruit d’une baisse d’activité de l’insula, ou cortex insulaire, la partie du cerveau chargée, entre autre, de réguler la température de notre corps et de notre conscience. Et cette dernière se dérègle au moindre phénomène inhabituel touchant les émotions, et en premier lieu le stress. A des degrés divers donc, le mécanisme implique d’autres parties du corps pour des ressentis liés à l’anxiété, l’empathie ou encore le désir sexuel.

Descargar

Nez : Il y a bien un effet Pinocchio si vous mentez

Escrito por

La magie reposerait-elle sur une part de vérité ? En cas de vilain mensonge, notre nez ne s’allonge certes pas comme celui de Pinocchio. Mais il y aurait un peu de ça tout de même : Selon des chercheurs de l’Université de Grenade, en Espagne, le nez se réchaufferait au moindre petit mensonge.

Et si Carlo Collodi, l’auteur de Pinocchio, le personnage popularisé par Disney, n’avait pas tout à fait tort ? Les psychologues Emilio Gómez Milán et Elvira Salazar López, de l’Université de Grenade, en Espagne, ont mené une étude révélant que le nez a tendance à chauffer lorsqu’une personne ment. Armés d’une caméra, les auteurs ont plus exactement utilisé la technique de la thermographie pour mesurer l’activité mentale et émotionnelle chez un groupe de volontaires.
Lorsque les cobayes ont annoncé des contre-vérités, leur nez se réchauffait, gonflait légèrement et est devenu plus rouge alors que le reste du visage tendait vers une couleur jaune orangé. Ce phénomène constaté, resté assez discret certes, serait le fruit d’une baisse d’activité de l’insula, ou cortex insulaire, la partie du cerveau chargée, entre autre, de réguler la température de notre corps et de notre conscience. Et cette dernière se dérègle au moindre phénomène inhabituel touchant les émotions, et en premier lieu le stress. A des degrés divers donc, le mécanisme implique d’autres parties du corps pour des ressentis liés à l’anxiété, l’empathie ou encore le désir sexuel.

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L’effet Pinocchio : nez et mensonge seraient bien liés

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«Arrête de mentir, ton nez s’allonge». Qui n’a jamais entendu cette célèbre référence au personnage de Pinocchio ? Selon un communiqué, des chercheurs de l’université de Grenade (Espagne) estiment que, si notre nez ne grandit pas de manière impromptue, il pourrait bel et bien révéler nos mensonges.
Mais ce signe serait quasiment imperceptible puisque ces chercheurs ont eu recours à la thermographie pour faire cette découverte. Le but ? Examiner l’activité du cerveau et les réactions émotionnelles grâce à une caméra thermique. D’après l’étude, relayée par le site LiveScience, l’expérience a permis d’observer une baisse de la température lorsque les patients effectuaient un effort mental.
Le cerveau, meilleur détecteur de mensonges
À l’inverse, la température faciale augmentait lors d’un moment anxiogène. Mais c’est lorsque les participants étaient invités à mentir que le contraste était le plus flagrant : la thermographie montrait que seul le nez devenait rouge et même qu’il se gonflait légèrement.

Les chercheurs en ont déduit que cette interaction entre activités mentales et états émotionnels était liée à l’insula. L’insula, également appelée cortex insulaire, est une région spécifique du cerveau à l’origine de plusieurs fonctions comme la conscience mais aussi la régulation des températures corporelles.
Il n’est d’ailleurs pas rare que cette partie du cerveau soit à l’origine de ce phénomène puisque la thermographie permet également de déceler d’autres sentiments tels que l’anxiété, l’empathie et surtout le désir sexuel.

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