Cortisol rapidly affects amplitudes of heartbeat-evoked brain potentials - Implications for the contribution of stress to an altered perception of physical sensations?

Schulz, André; Strelzyk, F.; Ferreira de Sá, D. S.; Naumann, E.; Vögele, Claus; Schächinger, H.

doi:10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.06.027

Reference : Cortisol rapidly affects amplitudes of heartbeat-evoked brain potentials - Implicatio...


	Document type :	Scientific journals : Article
	Discipline(s) :	Social & behavioral sciences, psychology : Neurosciences & behavior
	To cite this reference:	http://hdl.handle.net/10993/2873

Title :	Cortisol rapidly affects amplitudes of heartbeat-evoked brain potentials - Implications for the contribution of stress to an altered perception of physical sensations?
Language :	English
Author, co-author :	Schulz, André [University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education (FLSHASE) > Integrative Research Unit: Social and Individual Development (INSIDE) >]
	Strelzyk, F. []
	Ferreira de Sá, D. S. []
	Naumann, E. []
	Vögele, Claus [University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Language and Literature, Humanities, Arts and Education (FLSHASE) > Integrative Research Unit: Social and Individual Development (INSIDE) >]
	Schächinger, H. []
Publication date :	2013
Journal title :	Psychoneuroendocrinology
Publisher :	Pergamon Press (part of Elsevier Science)
Volume :	38
Issue/season :	11
Pages :	2691-2698
Peer reviewed :	Yes (verified by ORBi^lu)
Audience :	International
ISSN :	0306-4530
e-ISSN :	1873-3360
City :	Oxford
Country :	United Kingdom
Keywords :	[en] Cortisol ; Interoception ; Heartbeat detection ; Heartbeat-evoked potentials ; HPA axis ; Non-genomic mechanism ; Stress ; Symptom perception ; Visceral perception
Abstract :	[en] Little is known about the impact of stress and stress hormones on the processing of visceral-afferent signals. Clinical data suggest that cortisol may lower the threshold for interoceptive stimuli, while a pharmacological administration of cortisol decreases the sensitivity for physical symptoms. To clarify the role of cortisol for the processing of interoceptive signals, we investigated 16 healthy men on two occasions, once during the infusion of 4mg of cortisol and once during the infusion of a placebo substance. Heartbeat-evoked potentials (HEP; derived from resting EEG and ECG, during open and closed eyes), which are psychophysiological indicators for the cortical processing of cardioceptive signals, were measured over 6-min periods once before, and four times after the infusion (1-7, 11-17, 21-27 and 31-37min). We found that HEP amplitudes were higher during open than during closed eyes between 1 and 17min after cortisol infusion. There was no effect of cortisol on heart rate. We conclude that cortisol may rapidly modulate the cortical processing of cardioceptive neural signals. These results may have relevance for the effects of stress on the development and maintenance of psychosomatic symptoms.
Funders :	Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG)
Name of the research project :	Research Training Group "Psychoneuroendocrinology of Stress: From Molecules and Genes to Affect and Cognition"
Target :	Researchers ; Professionals ; Students
Permalink :	http://hdl.handle.net/10993/2873
DOI :	10.1016/j.psyneuen.2013.06.027

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