Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

A Water-Soluble Diarylethene Base for Light-Controlled pH Modulation in Biological Systems.

Journal of the American Chemical Society·2026
Same author

Predictive accuracy of gait speed for falls: An individual participant data meta-analysis.

Ageing research reviews·2026
Same author

Is value perceived? Evidence from perceptual grouping in value-based choice.

Journal of experimental psychology. Human perception and performance·2026
Same author

Psychological Value Theory: Predicting Initial Romantic Partner Choice From a General-Purpose, Computational Cognitive Model of Value-Based Choice.

Cognitive science·2026
Same author

Untested Assumptions and Tenuous Evidence: A Critique of the Dual-Process Account of Moral Judgment.

Behavioral sciences (Basel, Switzerland)·2026
Same author

A new model explaining number-line estimation performance across development: An adversarial collaboration.

The American psychologist·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Apr 21, 2026

Conducting Concurrent Electroencephalography and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Recordings with a Flanker Task
13:18

Conducting Concurrent Electroencephalography and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Recordings with a Flanker Task

Published on: May 24, 2020

8.4K

Testosterone, cortisol, and fNIRS-based cortical activation associated with competitive task persistence and

Kathleen V Casto1, Dale J Cohen2, Cameron Hicks1

  • 1Department of Psychological Sciences, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio, USA.

Journal of Neuroendocrinology
|April 19, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Testosterone and cortisol influence brain activity in the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and temporoparietal junction (TPJ) during competitive tasks. Hormone levels correlate with performance, particularly when testosterone rises as cortisol falls.

Keywords:
competitioncortisoldual‐hormonefNIRStestosterone

More Related Videos

Qualitative and Comparative Cortical Activity Data Analyses from a Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Experiment Applying Block Design
06:18

Qualitative and Comparative Cortical Activity Data Analyses from a Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Experiment Applying Block Design

Published on: December 3, 2020

4.5K
fMRI Validation of fNIRS Measurements During a Naturalistic Task
10:36

fMRI Validation of fNIRS Measurements During a Naturalistic Task

Published on: June 15, 2015

21.9K

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Apr 21, 2026

Conducting Concurrent Electroencephalography and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Recordings with a Flanker Task
13:18

Conducting Concurrent Electroencephalography and Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Recordings with a Flanker Task

Published on: May 24, 2020

8.4K
Qualitative and Comparative Cortical Activity Data Analyses from a Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Experiment Applying Block Design
06:18

Qualitative and Comparative Cortical Activity Data Analyses from a Functional Near-Infrared Spectroscopy Experiment Applying Block Design

Published on: December 3, 2020

4.5K
fMRI Validation of fNIRS Measurements During a Naturalistic Task
10:36

fMRI Validation of fNIRS Measurements During a Naturalistic Task

Published on: June 15, 2015

21.9K

Area of Science:

  • Neuroscience
  • Endocrinology
  • Social Psychology

Background:

  • Motivation for rewards is linked to executive functions regulated by the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and temporoparietal junction (TPJ).
  • Steroid hormones like testosterone and cortisol modulate motivation in social competition via these brain networks.
  • Limited evidence exists for direct hormone-brain functional links during human social status contests.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the relationship between salivary hormones (testosterone, cortisol) and brain activity (fNIRS) during a competitive task.
  • To examine how task difficulty and incentive conditions affect hormone-brain interactions.
  • To explore the neuroendocrine mechanisms underlying social and reward-seeking behavior.

Main Methods:

  • Functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) measured neural activity in ~120-130 participants.
  • Salivary testosterone and cortisol levels were measured.
  • Participants performed a competitive key-pressing task with varying difficulty and incentive conditions (cash, social judgment).

Main Results:

  • Competitive tasks increased PFC activity and decreased TPJ activity, especially with higher difficulty.
  • Better performance correlated with greater frontal activation and a specific pattern of hormone change (testosterone increase, cortisol decrease).
  • Basal testosterone predicted right vlPFC activation; hormone interactions predicted TPJ activity based on task difficulty.

Conclusions:

  • Findings support a model where testosterone and cortisol influence attention and goal salience in social pursuits.
  • Incentive conditions did not significantly alter brain activity or hormone-brain relationships.
  • The study provides insights into the neuroendocrine basis of social motivation and competition.