Clinical experimental stress studies: methods and assessment.
Reviews in the Neurosciences
|May 29, 2015
Summary
This review details common methods for inducing and assessing stress in humans. Understanding these stress induction and assessment techniques is crucial for developing new stress management therapies.
Area of Science:
- Psychology
- Neuroscience
- Human Physiology
Background:
- Stress is a state of threatened homeostasis, activating adaptive physiological and behavioral changes.
- Effective stress induction and assessment methods are vital for studying stress responses and developing management strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review commonly employed methods for inducing experimental stress in human participants.
- To outline various techniques used for assessing the physiological and psychological effects of stress.
Main Methods:
- Describes established stress induction protocols like the cold pressor test, Trier Social Stress Test, and Montreal Imaging Stress Task.
- Details stress assessment techniques including biochemical markers (cortisol, norepinephrine), physiological measures (heart rate variability, galvanic skin response), and self-reported anxiety.
Main Results:
- Provides a comprehensive overview of diverse stress induction methods used in research.
- Summarizes a range of validated biochemical, physiological, and behavioral stress assessment tools.
Conclusions:
- Accurate stress induction and assessment are fundamental for advancing our understanding of stress physiology and pathophysiology.
- This review serves as a resource for researchers selecting appropriate methods for human stress studies and therapeutic development.
