Stress Sensitivity and the Extended Psychosis Phenotype: Results from the Experience Sampling Method Study.

Area of Science:

• Psychiatry
• Psychology
• Neuroendocrinology

Background:

• Psychosis is associated with heightened sensitivity to daily stressors.
• It remains unclear if this extends to individuals with subclinical psychopathology, such as psychotic-like experiences (PLEs).

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate if individuals with PLEs exhibit increased symptom and cortisol responses to minor daily stressors.
• To explore potential sex differences in stress responses and aberrant salience.

Main Methods:

• 99 individuals with PLEs and 102 controls (aged 18-35) participated.
• The experience sampling method was used over 7 days to assess PLEs, affect, threat anticipation, aberrant salience, and stress.
• Salivary cortisol was measured after each prompt.

Main Results:

• Individuals with PLEs showed significantly greater symptom and threat anticipation responses to all stress categories compared to controls.
• Females with PLEs reported stronger aberrant salience responses to stress than males, a pattern not seen in controls.
• Elevated salivary cortisol was found in individuals with PLEs, with variations across stress categories.

Conclusions:

• The extended psychosis phenotype is linked to elevated cortisol and heightened affective and threat anticipation responses to stressors.
• Increased stress sensitivity is present in individuals with PLEs.
• Sex-specific differences in aberrant salience suggest a nuanced role in stress sensitivity, particularly for females with PLEs.