Effects of Stress Hormones on Emotion and Cognition
Status:
Completed
Trial end date:
2006-01-01
Target enrollment:
Participant gender:
Summary
The purpose of this study is to examine how hormonal changes that occur during stressful
situations affect thought and emotions. Results from this study may lead to treatments that
can alleviate the psychological effects of trauma.
Levels of cortisol and norepinephrine increase in response to stress; these hormones also
influence thought processes. This study will give hydrocortisone and/or yohimbine (a
stimulator of central norepinephrine) to healthy adults in order to model the stress response
and to better understand the way people process information during traumatic events.
This study comprises two experiments in which the stress response is pharmacologically
modeled. Participants in the study will have two study visits. During Visit 1, participants
will undergo a psychiatric assessment, complete neuropsychological tasks, and have their IQ
measured. During Visit 2, participants will be given hydrocortisone and/or yohimbine. Blood
will be collected before and during this. Participants will then perform two experiments. In
one experiment, participants will hear a story with emotional and non-emotional segments; in
a second experiment, participants will view both emotional and non-emotional stimuli.