Stress-induced emotional interference and decrease of cognitive performance
Conditions
Interventions
Intervention: single administration of 40 mg hydrocortisone capsule
Control condition: single administration of placebo capsule
Sponsors
Leiden University
Eligibility
Inclusion criteria
Inclusion criteria: - age between 18 and 25. - females. - Sufficient knowledge of the Dutch language. - high trait cognitive test anxiety (CTAS score above the median out of an online local study with over 1000 responses).
Exclusion criteria
Exclusion criteria: - use of prescription medication other oral contraceptives - Treatment for psychiatric, endocrine or neurological (CNS) medical problems in the past or present. - Use of corticosteroid medication (oral, nasal, injected) in the 6 months prior to enrollment or dermal corticosteroid medication in the week prior to enrollment. - Regular smoking (more than 10 cigarettes per week) or any in the 12 hours prior to testing. - Use of more than three alcoholic units per day. - Frequent or recent use of cannabis (on average once a week or more frequent in the three months prior to enrollment or single use or more in the week prior to enrollment). - Use of more than 3 units of alcohol in the last 24 hours, use of alcohol during the last 12 hours, or consumption of any other recreational drug in the last 24 hours prior to testing. - Intensive physical cardiovascular sports training for more than 1 hour, at least 5 days a week. - pregnancy - lactation - Raynaud syndrome
Design outcomes
Secondary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Secondary outcomes are: state anxiety and state attentional control As potential moderators of intervention outcome, cognitive control as assessed with a self-report questionnaire (ACS) and frontal EEG theta/beta ratio, trait anxiety, emotional attentional control (eACS). | — |
Primary
| Measure | Time frame |
|---|---|
| Emotional-interference: threat-interference during working memory performance (n-back task with emotional distracters), threat- and positive interference (Pictorial Emotional Stroop Task, self-report cognitive interference during cognitive performance (CIQ). Cognitive performance: working memory performance (n-back task), and executive cognitive performance (OSPAN task) | — |
Contacts
Public ContactAngelos Angelidis
Outcome results
None listed