To study if acute stress has a significant effect on executive functioning scores in healthy military personnel.
ID
Source
Brief title
Condition
- Other condition
Synonym
Health condition
stress en hogere cognitieve functies
Research involving
Sponsors and support
Intervention
Outcome measures
Primary outcome
To study if acute stress has a significant effect on executive functioning
scores in healthy military personnel.
Secondary outcome
a) To study if acute stress affects individual cognitive domains
(situational awareness, working memory, inhibition, cognitive flexibility).
b) To study if acute stress affects decision-making.
c) To study if acute stress induces a significant change in objectively
measured psychophysiological stress parameters (cortisol, alpha-amylase, HR,
HRV, respiration, and skin temperature).
d) To study if there is a difference in objectively measured stress levels
between groups exposed to different stressors (control vs. low stress vs. high
stress).
e) To study if acute stress induces a significant change in subjectively
measured stress parameters (STAI and VAS scores).
Background summary
Military personnel that engage in military operations are increasingly faced
with acute stress by means of physical, environmental, social, and
psychological stressors. These stressors have an impact on hormonal balance and
overall performance (e.g., cognition). The relationship between acute stress
and cognitive performance has been described as an inverted U; meaning that
there is an optimal stress level at which cognitive functioning is maximally
enhanced. In contrast, at both ends of the curve (too low or too high stress),
cognition seems to be impaired. In a military setting, cognitive functioning,
or rather executive functioning is of great importance to adequate performance
and decisions. Specifically, decision-making relies heavily on prefrontal
executive functions, which have been shown to be impaired by acute stress. How
decision-making and cognition is affected by realistically induced acute stress
has not yet been researched extensively in a laboratory setting.
Study objective
To study if acute stress has a significant effect on executive functioning
scores in healthy military personnel.
Study design
The proposed study is a single-blind randomised controlled between-subjects
trial.
Intervention
Subjects are placed in one of two groups:
1) intervention group 1, low stress in VBS environment
2) intervention group 2, high stress in VBS environment + heat stress
Study burden and risks
The burden and risk of the research is negligible to low. In the VBS
environments the subjects are sitting, so there is no risk of physical harm
during. The participants in the climate room are exposed to a higher burden
because high temperature and humidity adds additional risk. Risks in the
climate room include heat exhaustion, overheating. However, these risks are
often only present when subjects undergo physical exercise/exertion, which they
will not.
Heidelberglaan 100
Utrecht 3584 CX
NL
Heidelberglaan 100
Utrecht 3584 CX
NL
Listed location countries
Age
Inclusion criteria
- Military personnel of the Dutch Defence organisation who serve for the
Kingdom of the Netherlands
- Aged 18 - 40 years
Exclusion criteria
* Diagnosis of current psychiatric (except ADHD) or (severe) neurological
disorder (e.g., learning disabilities, epilepsy, traumatic brain injury, brain
tumors)
* Diagnosis of endocrine disorder
* Diagnosis of cardiovascular or pulmonary disorder
* Current use of prescribed medication (except ADHD medication and
anticonception)
* Psychotherapeutic treatment
* Diagnosis of sleep disorder
* Alcohol or drug dependence
* History of heat-related medical issues
Design
Recruitment
Followed up by the following (possibly more current) registration
No registrations found.
Other (possibly less up-to-date) registrations in this register
No registrations found.
In other registers
| Register | ID |
|---|---|
| CCMO | NL82445.041.22 |