Timing, cortisol, and brain function: Probing the time-dependent effects of cortisol on the neural correlates of cognitive processes

Recruitment & Eligibility

Status: Completed

Sex: Not specified

Target Recruitment: 72

Inclusion Criteria

• Healthy male volunteers between 18 and 45 years of age
• Predominant right-handedness
• Body mass index between 18.5 and 30

Exclusion Criteria

• Abnormal (uncorrected) vision
• Average use of more than 3 alcoholic beverages daily and a self-reported inability or unease to cease drinking alcohol for 24 hours prior to testing
• Use of psychotropic medication
• Average use or recreational drugs weekly or more
• Habitual smoking, i.e. more than a package of cigarettes per week and a self-reported inability or unease to cease smoking for 24 hours prior to testing
• Use of recreational drugs over a period of 72 hours prior to each test session, and use of alcohol within the last 24 hours before each measurement
• Regular use of corticosteroids
• Metal objects in or around the body (braces, pacemaker, metal fragments, hearing devices)
• History of psychiatric treatment or current psychiatric treatment
• History of neurological treatment or current neurological treatment
• History of endocrine treatment or current endocrine treatment
• History of autonomic failure (e.g., vasovagal reflex syncope)
• Current parodontitis
• Claustrophobia
• Irregular sleep/wake rhythm (e.g., regular nightshifts or cross timeline travel)
• Active peptic or duodenal ulcers
• Active inflammatory disease

Study & Design

Study Type: Interventional

Study Design: Not specified

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
<p>The main variable of interest is the brain activity measured during the<br /><br>computer tasks, in combination with the cortisol levels assessed from the<br /><br>participant*s saliva. To determine this level participants will be asked<br /><br>several times during the experiment to chew on a cotton cloth in order to<br /><br>obtain saliva. By comparing the data between groups we will be able to<br /><br>elucidate the effects of cortisol on the brain and to determine the time- and<br /><br>region-dependency. </p><br>

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
<p>Besides brain activity we will measure several physiological and psychological<br /><br>measures during fMRI scanning; heart beat, blood pressure, skin conductance,<br /><br>pupil size, eye movement, reaction times, and the mood of the participant.<br /><br>These variables, in combination with personality traits assessed by several<br /><br>questionnaires, can be entered in the analysis of the cortisol effects as well.</p><br>