Baseline Levels Of Stress Research Articles

Enhancing patient well-being in oncology waiting rooms: a pilot field experiment on the emotional impact of virtual forest therapy.

This study explores the emotional impact of virtual forest therapy delivered through audio-visual recordings shown to patients in the oncology waiting rooms, focusing on whether simulated forest walks can positively influence patients' emotional states compared to traditional waiting room stimuli. The study involved 117 participants from a diverse group of oncology patients in the outpatient clinic waiting room at the Masaryk Memorial Cancer Institute. Using a partially randomized controlled trial design, the study assessed basic emotional dimensions-valence and arousal-as well as specific psychological states such as thought control, sadness, anxiety, and pain. This assessment used the Self-Assessment Manikin and the modified Emotional Thermometer before and after participants watched three video types (forest, sea, news). Baseline stress levels were measured using the Kessler Psychological Distress Scale (K6). Participants exposed to forest and sea videos reported significant improvements in emotional valence and reduced arousal, suggesting a calming and uplifting effect. No significant changes were observed in the control and news groups. Secondary outcomes related to anxiety, sadness, and pain showed no significant interaction effects, though small but significant main effects of time on these variables were noted. The findings suggest that videos of forest and sea can be a beneficial intervention in the oncology waiting rooms by enhancing patients' emotional well-being. This pilot study underscores the potential for integrating virtual mental health support elements into healthcare settings to improve patient care experience.

Metabolic Status Influences Probiotic Efficacy for Depression-PRO-DEMET Randomized Clinical Trial Results.

Probiotics may represent a safe and easy-to-use treatment option for depression or its metabolic comorbidities. However, it is not known whether metabolic features can influence the efficacy of probiotics treatments for depression. This trial involved a parallel-group, prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled design. In total, 116 participants with depression received a probiotic preparation containing Lactobacillus helveticus Rosell®-52 and Bifidobacterium longum Rosell®-175 or placebo over 60 days. The psychometric data were assessed longitudinally at five time-points. Data for blood pressure, body weight, waist circumference, complete blood count, serum levels of C-reactive protein, cholesterol, triglycerides, and fasting glucose were measured at the beginning of the intervention period. There was no advantage of probiotics usage over placebo in the depression score overall (PRO vs. PLC: F(1.92) = 0.58; p = 0.45). However, we found a higher rate of minimum clinically important differences in patients supplemented with probiotics than those allocated to placebo generally (74.5 vs. 53.5%; X2(1,n = 94) = 4.53; p = 0.03; NNT = 4.03), as well as in the antidepressant-treated subgroup. Moreover, we found that the more advanced the pre-intervention metabolic abnormalities (such as overweight, excessive central adipose tissue, and liver steatosis), the lower the improvements in psychometric scores. A higher baseline stress level was correlated with better improvements. The current probiotic formulations may only be used as complementary treatments for depressive disorders. Metabolic abnormalities may require more complex treatments. ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT04756544.

Effects of developmental exposure to individual and combined PFAS on development and behavioral stress responses in larval zebrafish

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a class of synthetic chemicals known for their widespread use and persistence in the environment. Laboratory and epidemiological studies investigating these compounds have signaled their neurotoxic and endocrine-disrupting propensities, prompting further research into their effects on behavioral stress responses and their potential role as risk factors for stress-related disorders such as anxiety and depression. This study elucidates the ramifications of early developmental exposures to individual and combined PFAS on the development and behavioral stress responses of larval zebrafish (Danio rerio), an established model in toxicological research. Wild-type zebrafish embryos were enzymatically dechorionated and exposed to PFOS, PFOA, PFHxS, and PFHxA between 6 and 120 h post-fertilization (hpf). We targeted environmentally relevant concentrations stemming from the USEPA 2016 Hazard Advisory Limit (HAL, 0.07 μg/L) and folds higher (0.35, 0.7, 1.75, and 3.5 μg/L). Evaluations at 120 hpf encompassed mortality, overall development, developmental defects, and larval activity both at baseline stress levels and following exposure to acute stressors (acoustic and visual). Larval exposure to PFOA, PFOS, or PFHxS (0.07 μg/L or higher) elicited significant increases in mortality rates, which capped at 23.1%. Exposure to individual chemicals resulted in limited effects on overall development but increased the prevalence of developmental defects in the body axis, swim bladder, pigmentation, and eyes, as well as the prevalence of yolk sac and pericardial edemas. Larval activity at baseline stress levels and following exposure to acute stimuli was significantly altered. Combined exposure to all four chemicals intensified the breadth of developmental and behavioral alterations, suggesting possible additive or synergistic effects. Our findings shed light on the developmental and neurobehavioral disturbances associated with developmental exposure to PFAS at environmentally relevant concentrations, the added risks of combined exposures to these chemicals, and their possible role as environmental risk factors for stress-related disorders.

EXAMINING A RANDOMLY ASSIGNED MUSIC PROGRAM ON STRESS AND WELLNESS: CARE PARTNERS OF OLDER ADULTS LIVING WITH DEMENTIA

Abstract OBJECTIVE The Mason CARES study examined the effects of a randomly assigned personalized music intervention (Phase II) for care partners of older adults living with dementia after implementation of a 9-week virtual stress management program (Phase I) to reduce stress and increase well-being. METHODS A total of 99 care partners completed the 20-week study across three cohorts in 2022. Baseline data on care partner stress levels and well-being were collected before beginning a 9-week stress management program (Phase I). Care partners were randomly assigned to a 4-week music intervention treatment or control group before the next stage of the intervention (Phase II). Researchers assisted care partners with identifying their family member’s favorite music during early adulthood years. MP3 players loaded with the favorite music were mailed to treatment group members. Focus groups were conducted to explore the utilization of personalized music. RESULTS: Nearly half (49%) were spousal care partners, ranging from 35-85 years old with 80% having at least a 4-year college degree, and 62% having an income greater than $70,000. Using ANOVAs to analyze mean stress levels and well-being, no significant differences in stress and well-being were found between the treatment and control groups. CONCLUSION: Despite the lack of statistically significant findings, preliminary analysis of focus group interviews revealed that many care partners benefited from the personalized music intervention. Effectiveness may depend on other factors, such as familiarity with using the technology, past experiences with music, care partner’s baseline level of stress, and the older adult’s stage of dementia.

The Role of Applied Behaviour Analysing in Zoo Management System for Animals

This study examines the use of Applied Behaviour Analysis (ABA) in animal management systems in zoos with an emphasis on how well it enhances animal wellbeing. The goals of the study were comparing ABA-based approaches to conventional zoo management techniques and evaluating the effect of ABA on stress reduction in captive chimpanzees. Over the course of a year, information was gathered from a chosen group of chimpanzees, including baseline and post-ABA stress levels. Following the use of ABA techniques, the data from Table 1 show a consistent trend among the chimpanzees, suggesting a considerable reduction in stress levels. Strong evidence for the effectiveness of ABA in lowering stress levels in the chimpanzees was given by statistical analysis of the data (Table 2). With a high t-statistic of 8.25, the mean baseline stress level of 7.7 substantially decreased to 3.5 post-ABA treatments (p 0.05), emphasizing the significance of this reduction. With regard to reducing stress, Objective 2 compared ABA-Based and Traditional groups. Compared to the Traditional group, the ABA-Based method had a reduced baseline stress level, according to the findings in Table 3. The ABA-Based group showed a significant reduction in stress levels following ABA sessions, while the Traditional group also showed a reduction in stress levels, albeit to a lesser extent. Both strategies significantly reduced stress, according to statistical analysis (Table 4), with the ABA-Based strategy having a greater degree of statistical significance (p 0.05). This study concludes by offering empirical proof that Applied Behaviour Analysis is a useful method for enhancing animal wellbeing in the context of zoo management. The findings imply that when compared to conventional management techniques, ABA therapies can significantly lower stress levels in caged animals.

Functional near-infrared spectroscopy-based prefrontal cortex oxygenation during working memory tasks in sickle cell disease.

Sickle cell disease (SCD), characterized by painful vaso-occlusive crises, is associated with cognitive decline. However, objective quantification of cognitive decline in SCD remains a challenge, and the associated hemodynamics are unknown. To address this, we utilized functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) to measure prefrontal cortex (PFC) oxygenation responses to -back working memory tasks in SCD patients and compared them with healthy controls. We quantified the PFC oxygenation rate as an index of cognitive activity in each group and compared them. In half of the participants, a Stroop test was administered before they started -back to elevate their baseline stress level. In SCD compared to healthy controls, we found that (1)under a high baseline stress level, there were significantly greater oxygenation responses during the 2-back task, further elevated with histories of stroke; (2)there was a marginally slower -back response time, and it was even slower with a history of stroke; and (3)the task accuracy was not different. Additional requirements for processing time, PFC resources, and PFC oxygenation in SCD patients offer an important basis for understanding their cognitive decline and highlight the potential of fNIRS for evaluating cognitive functions.

The Impact of Music on Stress Reduction and Academic Performance of Dental Students.

Background Dental education, one of the most demanding healthcare fields, is linked to higher physical and mental illnesses in students. Stress, which arises when demands surpass an individual's ability to adapt, can lead to disruptions in cognition, mood, and behavior. Due to the intense academic pressure, dental students are susceptible to stress and other mental issues. Music therapy, an ancient practice, is now popular for stress reduction. However, its effect on academic performance is debated. Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the impact of music on stress levels and academic performance of dental students. Methods The study included third-year dental students from the College of Dentistry, Komar University of Science and Technology, Sulaymaniyah, Iraq. The demographic data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Results The study found that music intervention reduced the perceived stress levels of dental students in the intervention group compared to the baseline but did not reach a significant level. The final stress levels were positively correlated with baseline stress levels but did not correlate with other parameters. No association between sociodemographic variables and the Perceived Stress Scalewas found. The study also found no significant positive or negative effect of music on academic performance. Conclusion The study suggests that music may positively impact stress reduction for dental students during their academic years in dental school. It highlighted the significance of stress-reduction programs in the academic curriculum in lowering dentistry students' stress and, as a result, potentially improving their learning abilities.

Stress at work on drilling rigs in Poland in a 20-year research perspective: time as a determinant of the stress-at-work dynamics.

Adapting to stress over time is a process involving various cognitive and emotional assessments; it also depends on the objective situation related to working conditions, as well as on individual factors. The aim of this paper is to outline the dynamic nature of stress experienced by workers employed on oil rigs over a period of 20 years. The presented research is part of a larger project and concerns subjective stress. Longitudinal studies included the analysis of data regarding the period of 1993-2014. They concerned 167 Polish oil rig workers, all men; the average age at the beginning of the study was 29 years. Each employee was surveyed at least 4 times over a period of 20 years at intervals of 4-6 years in the workplace. The subjective level of stress at work (based on the Subjective Job Evaluation Questionnaire) and the level of declared stress (based on the Stress Survey) were examined. Oil rig workers show different adaptations to stress over a long term, depending on their subjective perception of stress. Baseline stress levels can vary from person to person over the years. The first group was characterized by high initial stress, but the stress decreased systematically over 20 years ("stress resisting"). Employees from the second group were characterized by low initial stress, but declared a systematic increase in stress in the same period ("stress sensitizing"). Finally, employees from the third group adapted to stress in a flexible way, with subjective stress being most strongly associated with objective stress ("flexible group"). The presented prospective study showed differences between the subjective levels of stress depending on the distinguished groups over 20 years, i.e., between-group and intra-group variability. The method of prospective research shows that the perception of stress at work is a dynamic process and it changes over time. Int J Occup Med Environ Health. 2023;36(4):477-92.

Emotional Eating in College Students: Associations with Coping and Healthy Eating Motivators and Barriers.

Emotional eating, or eating in response to stress and other negative affective states, bears negative consequences including excessive weight gain and heightened risk of binge eating disorder. Responding to stress with emotional eating is not universal, and it is important to elucidate under what circumstances and by what mechanisms stress is associated with emotional eating. This is particularly important to understand among college students, who are at risk of experiencing heightened stress and negative changes to dietary habits. The present study investigated the relationships among perceived stress, emotional eating, coping, and barriers to and motivators of healthy eating both concurrently and 1year later in a sample of young adult college students (n = 232). At baseline, emotional eating was significantly associated with perceived stress (r = 0.36, p < .001), barriers to (r = 0.31, p < .001) and motivators of (r = - 0.14, p < .05) healthy eating, and avoidance coping (r = 0.37, p < .001), but not approach coping. Furthermore, avoidance coping mediated (indirect effect b = 0.36, 95% CI = 0.13, 0.61) and moderated (b = - 0.07, p = 0.04) the relationship between perceived stress and emotional eating. Contrary to study hypotheses, baseline stress levels were not associated with emotional eating 1year later. College students who utilize avoidance coping strategies may be particularly susceptible to the effects of stress on emotional eating. Healthy eating interventions targeting college students might address stress coping strategies in addition to reduction of barriers to healthy eating.

COVID-related stressors and their impact on parental sleep, parenting behaviors, and child functioning.

This longitudinal study examined the impact on families of multiple stressors that emerged due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Accordingly, we modeled the indirect effects of three stressors (i.e., the stress of new childcare and work demands, financial stress, and health-related stress assessed within the first month of the pandemic in the United States) on children's functioning over the next 8 weeks via the mediating pathways of parental sleep quality and two forms of parenting (i.e., angry/hostile, constructive). The longitudinal sample of 701 parents (81.5% female; Mage = 41.7, SD = 8.2) reported an average of 1.8 children (SD = 1.0) living in the home (Mage = 9.8 years old, SD = 5.8 years). Multilevel results suggested that, at the within-families level (Level 1), drops in parental sleep on a specific week predicted corresponding increases in angry/hostile parenting, which predicted increases in children's distress during that same week. At the between-families level (Level 2), baseline levels of stress from new demands were predictive of stably higher levels of angry/hostile parenting, which predicted stably higher levels of children's distress across the 8 weeks of the study. Furthermore, baseline health-related stress and financial stress predicted lower stable levels of parental sleep quality, which predicted higher stable levels of children's distress. Finally, health-related stress predicted lower levels of parental sleep quality, which predicted higher levels of angry/hostile parenting, which predicted higher levels of children's distress. Findings highlight the important role that parents' sleep plays in both parenting and children's functioning during periods of high stress. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Randomized controlled trials assessing efficacy of brief web-based stress management interventions for college students during the COVID pandemic.

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of brief, self-guided web-based interventions for decreasing distress among U.S. college students during the pandemic. Three randomized controlled trials were conducted during the spring (Study 1), summer (Study 2), and fall (Study 3) 2020 terms, and were combined into one sample to increase power (N = 775). We evaluated a web-based intervention that focused on increasing present control that had been shown to be effective in several studies prior to the pandemic (e.g., Nguyen-Feng et al., 2017). This intervention was compared to an active comparison condition (psychoeducation about and reminders to engage in Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)-recommended stress management techniques) in Study 1, to a waitlist comparison in Study 2, and to both comparison conditions in Study 3. Participants were undergraduate psychology students at two campuses of a midwestern state university system. Outcomes-perceived stress (primary); depression, anxiety, and stress symptoms (secondary); and boredom (tertiary)-were assessed at pretest and posttest (and 3-week follow-up in Study 3). Differences across conditions were significant for perceived stress, stress symptoms, and boredom (but not depression or anxiety). Contrary to hypotheses, the Present Control and CDC stress management interventions were equally effective. Both were more effective than no intervention (between-group ds = -0.27 and -0.42). Both interventions were more effective for students with higher baseline stress levels. Completion and adherence rates were high for both conditions. Results suggest that very brief, self-guided stress management interventions can be effective in reducing stress among college students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

No Evidence of Long-Term Effects on Physiological Stress or Innate Immune Functioning in Northern Map Turtles a Decade After a Freshwater Oil Spill

Environmental perturbations such as chemical spills often have immediate and obvious effects on the health of ecosystems and individual organisms. However, the long-term effects of such perturbations are less evident and often less well-understood. In July 2010, a ruptured pipeline spilled diluted bitumen into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan, USA, ultimately oiling 56 km of the river channel. During spill cleanup operations, the most common vertebrate species rescued from the oiled river channel was the Northern Map Turtle (Graptemys geographica), of which over 2000 individuals were captured, cleaned of oil, and released. We returned to areas along the 2010 spill gradient to determine whether turtles from locations that had experienced different magnitudes of oiling in 2010 differed in baseline stress levels or immune functioning in 2020, which was 10 yr after the oil spill. In 2020, we collected blood samples from 100 individual Northern Map Turtles along the 2010 spill gradient and subsequently quantified the heterophil:lymphocyte ratio, bactericidal capacity, and natural antibody agglutination. We found no correlation between turtles' 2020 capture locations relative to the origin of the 2010 oil spill and either mean stress level (heterophil:lymphocyte ratio) or immune functioning (bactericidal capacity and natural antibody agglutination ability). Thus, we found no evidence that Northern Map Turtles sampled along a gradient of oil exposure resulting from the 2010 Kalamazoo River oil spill experienced long-term effects on physiological stress levels or immune functioning. Importantly, our sampling did not include any individuals that may have died during 2010–2020 from poor health after the oil spill and therefore is biased toward healthy turtles remaining in the population. Interestingly, we found that a subset of turtles known to have been oiled in 2010 actually had higher natural antibody titers than turtles sampled from a control site that presumably had never been exposed to oil. We cannot exclude the possibility of other long-term effects of the oil spill on the Map Turtle population, such as decreased reproductive output. We recommend that long-term monitoring of populations and ecosystems be included in spill mitigation plans to track the recovery of populations and ecosystems over time and to document any effects that may become evident only years after the spill event.

Investigation of the relationship between tensile viscoelasticity and unloaded ultrasound shear wave measurements in ex vivo tendon

Mechanical properties of biological tissues are of key importance for proper function and in situ methods for mechanical characterization are sought after in the context of both medical diagnosis as well as understanding of pathophysiological processes. Shear wave elastography (SWE) and accompanying physical modelling methods provide valid estimates of stiffness in quasi-linear viscoelastic, isotropic tissue but suffer from limitations in assessing non-linear viscoelastic or anisotropic material, such as tendon. Indeed, mathematical modelling predicts the longitudinal shear wave velocity to be unaffected by the tensile but rather the shear viscoelasticity. Here, we employ a heuristic experimental testing approach to the problem to assess the most important potential confounders, namely tendon mass density and diameter, and to investigate associations between tendon tensile viscoelasticity with shear wave descriptors. Small oscillatory testing of animal flexor tendons at two baseline stress levels over a large frequency range comprehensively characterized tensile viscoelastic behavior. A broad set of shear wave descriptors was retrieved on the unloaded tendon based on high frame-rate plane wave ultrasound after applying an acoustic deformation impulse. Tensile modulus and strain energy dissipation increased logarithmically and linearly, respectively, with the frequency of the applied strain. Shear wave descriptors were mostly unaffected by tendon diameter but were highly sensitive to tendon mass density. Shear wave group and phase velocity showed no association with tensile elasticity or strain rate-stiffening but did show an association with tensile strain energy dissipation.The longitudinal shear wave velocity may not characterize tensile elasticity but rather tensile viscous properties of transversely isotropic collagenous tissues.

Medical students' crisis-induced stress and the association with social support.

Medical schools are challenged to guard student wellbeing given the potential negative impact of the COVID-19 outbreak combined with an already high prevalence of mental distress. Although social support is generally associated with less crisis-induced stress, it is unknown whether this applies to medical students during the COVID-19 outbreak. The impact of the COVID-19 outbreak on perceived stress of medical students was assessed by comparing their perceived stress levels during the outbreak to both their own baseline and the previous cohort's pre-COVID-19 stress levels. Then, the association between social support and stress during the COVID-19 outbreak was assessed. Dutch Year-1 medical students of cohort 2019 (n = 99) completed the 14-item Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-14) at two time points: baseline (pre-COVID-19) and final measurement (COVID-19). Social support-emotional-informational support and club membership-was assessed during the final measurement. PSS and social support scores were compared to similar measurements of cohort 2018 (n = 196). Students' baseline stress levels, gender, and study performance were controlled for when comparing final stress levels. In cohort 2018 (pre-COVID-19), students' perceived stress levels did not differ significantly between the baseline and final measurements. Additionally, baseline stress levels of the two cohorts (2018 and 2019) were not found to be significantly different. Cohort 2019's final stress levels (COVID-19) were significantly higher compared to their baseline stress levels (paired t-test: t = 6.07, p < .001) and cohort 2018's final stress levels (linear regression: B = 4.186, p < .001). Only during the COVID-19 outbreak higher social support levels-i.e., emotional-informational support (B = -0.75, p < .001) and club membership (B = -3.68, p < .01)-were associated with lower stress levels. During the COVID-19 outbreak, medical students' perceived stress levels were higher-especially for students with lower social support levels. Our results suggest that medical schools should optimize social support to minimize crisis-induced stress.

ICRE Top Research Abstracts

ICRE Top Research Abstracts

Measuring the Stress of Moving Homes: Evidence from the New Zealand Integrated Data Infrastructure

Moving homes has long been considered stressful, but how stressful is it? This study is an original attempt to utilise a micro-level individual dataset in the New Zealand Government’s Integrated Data Infrastructure (IDI) to reconstruct the Social Readjustment Rating Scale (SRRS) and thereby measure stress at a whole-of-population level. The effects of residential mobility on people’s mental well-being in the context of their stress-of-moving homes are examined. By using difference-in-differences analysis, this study scrutinises the stress level across movers, namely homeowners and renters (i.e., treatment groups) and non-movers (i.e., a control group). The results show that the change in residence increases people’s overall stress levels. Homeowners are more stressed than renters, with non-movers as the counterfactuals. Furthermore, the frequency of change in residences increases individual baseline stress levels. By progressing the understanding of such stresses, residential mobility researchers can contribute to broader discussions on how individuals’ interpersonal history and social mobility influence their experience. The whole-of-population-based SRRS will better advance our current ways of measuring mental stress at a population level, which is crucial to broader discussions of people’s well-being.

Can dogs reduce stress levels in school children? effects of dog-assisted interventions on salivary cortisol in children with and without special educational needs using randomized controlled trials.

Prolonged or excessive stress negatively affects learning, behavior and health across the lifespan. To alleviate adverse effects of stress in school children, stressors should be reduced, and support and effective interventions provided. Animal-assisted interventions (AAI) have shown beneficial effects on health and wellbeing, however, robust knowledge on stress mediation in children is lacking. Despite this, AAIs are increasingly employed in settings world-wide, including schools, to reduce stress and support learning and wellbeing. This study is the first randomized controlled trial to investigate dog-assisted interventions as a mediator of stress in school children with and without special educational needs (SEN) over the school term. Interventions were carried out individually and in small groups twice a week for 20 minutes over the course of 4 weeks. We compared physiological changes in salivary cortisol in a dog intervention group with a relaxation intervention group and a no treatment control group. We compared cortisol level means before and after the 4 weeks of interventions in all children as well as acute cortisol in mainstream school children. Dog interventions lead to significantly lower stress in children with and without special educational needs compared to their peers in relaxation or no treatment control groups. In neurotypical children, those in the dog interventions showed no baseline stress level increases over the school term. In addition, acute cortisol levels evidenced significant stress reduction following the interventions. In contrast, the no treatment control group showed significant rises in baseline cortisol levels from beginning to end of school term. Increases also occurred in the relaxation intervention group. Children with SEN showed significantly decreased cortisol levels after dog group interventions. No changes occurred in the relaxation or no treatment control groups. These findings provide crucial evidence that dog interventions can successfully attenuate stress levels in school children with important implications for AAI implementation, learning and wellbeing.

0242 Intraindividual Variability in Sleep Duration Blunts Response to Academic Stressors

Abstract Introduction Cross-sectional studies indicate that greater intra-individual variability (IIV) in sleep is correlated with poorer cognitive-emotional outcomes. Yet, the causal direction of these relationships is unclear. Therefore, we conducted an experimental study to compare cognitive and stress outcomes following random assignment to normal sleep, sleep restriction, and irregular/IIV sleep conditions. Methods Ninety college students (mean age=19.16, SD=0.98; 77.78% female) completed an Organic Chemistry virtual lecture during session 1. Then, for the next five days, participants were randomly assigned to the following conditions: normal sleep (8h in bed every night), sleep restriction (6h in bed every night), or IIV sleep (nightly oscillation between 6.5h and 9.5h in bed, with mean of 8h/night). Adherence was confirmed using actigraphy. On the sixth day (session 2), participants took a test on the Organic Chemistry lecture (retention measure) and then completed a new lecture and test (acquisition measure). Participants reported their stress levels across the lectures and tests. Results ANCOVA tests showed that sleep condition did not affect retention (F=0.50, p=.611) or acquisition of Organic Chemistry knowledge (F=1.33, p=.275; adjusted for Grade Point Average). Interestingly, participants in the IIV condition reported lower stress levels throughout session 2 than students in the normal sleep condition, adjusting for baseline stress levels (p=.025). Furthermore, when collapsing across conditions, correlation analyses confirmed that greater IIV in TST predicted lower stress throughout session 2, after adjusting for mean TST and baseline stress level (r=-.33, p=.014). This “blunted” stress response following nightly sleep fluctuations was in contrast to the heightened stress levels that were associated with shorter mean TST (r=-.22, p=.051). Conclusion Brief sleep variability and mild sleep restriction had minimal impact on laboratory measures of STEM knowledge retention and acquisition. However, greater sleep IIV blunted reactivity to academic stressors, which may reflect altered hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal axis functions and have implications for student metacognition and course persistence. Future research should investigate the chronic effect of maintaining irregular sleep patterns and whether improving regularity of sleep across longer time intervals promotes cognitive and emotional functioning. Support (If Any) American Psychological Association, APAGS, Psi Chi, National Science Foundation (1920730, 1943323)

Alone but not always lonely: Social cues alleviate isolation induced behavioural stress in wild zebrafish

Social isolation has been routinely used for experimental studies on many animal model systems. Additionally, considering the recent increase in the prevalence of isolation in the human population, it has become even more imperative to understand social isolation and measures that might alleviate its effects. Using wild-caught zebrafish, our study aims to elucidate the effect of social cues on reducing behavioural stress caused due to acute social isolation in a socially aggregating species. Fish were kept in groups or individually, with either visual and olfactory cues, only visual cues or no social cues, and tested for behavioural stress every alternate day in a commonly used open tank test. Experimental observations measured a range of behavioural indicators of stress such as geotaxis (ratio of time spent in top half of the tank to time spent in the bottom half of the tank), thigmotaxis (average duration of visit to wall of tanks), activity (homogeneity and extent) and freezing (average duration of freezing bout) among individuals that were kept in differing levels of social isolation. We found that the presence of both visual and olfactory cues from conspecifics significantly decreased stress in individuals as compared to only visual cues being present. Fish that were completely isolated showed significant increase in stress levels, as indicated by all observed indicators of behavioural stress. Over trials, except for completely isolated individuals, fish showed an eventual decrease in stress levels, indicating acclimatisation. Males and females showed differences in behavioural stress, with females exhibiting a lower baseline stress level, as well as less response to isolation. Our findings not only demonstrate the importance of social cues in managing stress when social isolation is unavoidable, but also add to the knowledge about behavioural stress response measures in zebrafish, which is an important vertebrate model used to extrapolate information about stress and anxiety in humans as well.

Stress Watch: The Use of Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability to Detect Stress: A Pilot Study Using Smart Watch Wearables.

Stress is an inherent part of the normal human experience. Although, for the most part, this stress response is advantageous, chronic, heightened, or inappropriate stress responses can have deleterious effects on the human body. It has been suggested that individuals who experience repeated or prolonged stress exhibit blunted biological stress responses when compared to the general population. Thus, when assessing whether a ubiquitous stress response exists, it is important to stratify based on resting levels in the absence of stress. Research has shown that stress that causes symptomatic responses requires early intervention in order to mitigate possible associated mental health decline and personal risks. Given this, real-time monitoring of stress may provide immediate biofeedback to the individual and allow for early self-intervention. This study aimed to determine if the change in heart rate variability could predict, in two different cohorts, the quality of response to acute stress when exposed to an acute stressor and, in turn, contribute to the development of a physiological algorithm for stress which could be utilized in future smartwatch technologies. This study also aimed to assess whether baseline stress levels may affect the changes seen in heart rate variability at baseline and following stress tasks. A total of 30 student doctor participants and 30 participants from the general population were recruited for the study. The Trier Stress Test was utilized to induce stress, with resting and stress phase ECGs recorded, as well as inter-second heart rate (recorded using a FitBit). Although the present study failed to identify ubiquitous patterns of HRV and HR changes during stress, it did identify novel changes in these parameters between resting and stress states. This study has shown that the utilization of HRV as a measure of stress should be calculated with consideration of resting (baseline) anxiety and stress states in order to ensure an accurate measure of the effects of additive acute stress.