Effects of Stress Hormones on Emotion and Cognition

• Status: Completed
• Trial end date: 2006-01-01
• Target enrollment: 0
• Participant gender: All

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.

• Accepts Healthy Volunteers?: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Details

• Lead Sponsor: National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH)
• Treatments: Norepinephrine; Yohimbine

Criteria

INCLUSION CRITERIA:

Age: 18-36

IQ: all subjects will have IQ greater than 85

Follicular cycle: Women will participate in the encoding task between days 3-10.

EXCLUSION CRITERIA:

Pregnancy/Nursing

Only healthy individuals will participate; special attention will be taken to ensure that no subject has: hypertension, glaucoma, cataracts, ulcers, renal insufficiency, osteoporosis, hypothyroidism, cirrhosis, ocular herpes simplex and myocardial infarction.

Use of hormonal contraception

Use of glucocorticoids within past 3 years

Use of any psychoactive substance; current or past psychiatric diagnosis.

Irregular sleep pattern as defined as getting less than 6 hours of sleep per night, going to sleep after 2:00 AM; waking up before 5:00 AM or after 11:00 AM

Weight that is 15% more or less than ideal body weight for sex and height

History of panic attacks or first degree relative with history of panic attacks