Exogenous Cortisol Administration; Effects on Risk Taking Behavior, Exercise Performance, and Physiological and...

Area of Science:

• Exercise Physiology
• Neuroendocrinology
• Sports Science

Background:

• Exogenous cortisol influences motivated decision-making, particularly in risk-reward scenarios.
• Risk assessment is crucial for athletes in optimizing pacing strategies during endurance events.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the effects of 50 mg exogenous cortisol on neurophysiological responses and risk-taking behavior in healthy male cyclists.
• To assess the impact of exogenous cortisol on exercise performance.

Main Methods:

• Double-blind, counterbalanced design with placebo and cortisol trials.
• Measurements included salivary cortisol, EEG, NIRS, power output, and heart rate during rest and a 30-minute time trial with sprints.
• Risk-taking behavior was assessed before and after drug ingestion.

Main Results:

• Cortisol administration significantly increased risk-taking behavior and altered resting neurophysiological responses (EEG alpha slow in PFC).
• During exercise, peak power was lower, and cerebral oxygenation was reduced under cortisol compared to placebo.
• Despite altered behavior and neurophysiology, total distance, average power, and average sprint power remained unchanged.

Conclusions:

• This study is the first to examine exogenous cortisol's effect on exercise performance.
• Altered risk-taking behavior and neurophysiological changes induced by cortisol did not translate to significant differences in overall cycling performance.
• Findings suggest a dissociation between cortisol-modulated risk-taking and endurance exercise capacity.