a Department of Neuroscience , Carleton University , Ottawa , Ontario , Canada.
b Institute of Cognitive Science , Carleton University , Ottawa , Ontario , Canada.
Stress. 2019 Mar;22(2):182-189. doi: 10.1080/10253890.2018.1494152. Epub 2019 Feb 7.
Acute stressor experiences may influence cognition, possibly through actions of cognitive flexibility, which comprises the ability to modify cognitive and behavioral strategies in response to changing environmental demands. In the present investigation, we examined the effects of an acute psychosocial stressor (the Trier Social Stress Test) on a specific form of cognitive flexibility, namely that of set-shifting, which was assessed by the Berg's Card Sorting Task (BCST). Among undergraduate students, the stressor promoted better performance on the BSCT relative to that evident among nonstressed individuals, including a reduction of perseverative (an index of enhanced set-shifting) and non-perseverative errors. They also required fewer trials to learn the first sorting category, reflecting augmented acquisition of an attentional set, but did not differ in the ability to maintain a set. Moreover, increased cortisol levels specifically mediated the enhancing effects of the acute stressor on set-shifting, but not the ability to acquire and maintain an attentional set. However, this enhancing effect was minimized among individuals who appraised the stressor as being uncontrollable. These data indicate that an acute, social-evaluative stressor can facilitate certain forms of cognitive flexibility, such as set-shifting. The present investigation also highlights the value of focusing on psychological and physiological mediators in determining the impact of stressful experiences on cognitive functioning. Lay summary A brief social stressor (public speaking) can have an enhancing effect on mental flexibility, and this seems to be related to the stress hormone, cortisol. This cognitive enhancing effect, however, might be minimized if a stressful situation is perceived as beyond a person's control.
急性应激体验可能会影响认知，其作用机制可能是通过认知灵活性的改变，认知灵活性包括根据环境变化改变认知和行为策略的能力。在本研究中，我们考察了急性心理社会应激源（特里尔社会应激测试）对特定形式的认知灵活性的影响，即转换灵活性，该灵活性通过伯格卡片分类任务（BCST）来评估。在大学生中，与未受应激者相比，应激源促进了 BCST 更好的表现，包括减少固着（增强转换灵活性的指标）和非固着错误。他们也需要更少的尝试来学习第一个分类类别，反映了注意力集的增强获取，但在保持注意力集的能力上没有差异。此外，皮质醇水平的增加特异性地介导了急性应激源对转换灵活性的增强作用，但不能介导注意力集的获取和维持能力的增强。然而，当个体将应激源评估为不可控时，这种增强作用会最小化。这些数据表明，急性社会评价性应激源可以促进某些形式的认知灵活性，如转换灵活性。本研究还强调了关注心理和生理中介物在确定应激体验对认知功能的影响方面的价值。
