Gender differences in salivary alpha-amylase and attentional bias towards negative facial expressions following acute stress induction

Cognition & Emotion
Andrea Rose CarrKim L Felmingham

Abstract

This study investigated gender differences in two key processes involved in anxiety, arousal and attentional bias towards threat. Arousal was assessed using salivary alpha-amylase (sAA), a biomarker of noradrenergic arousal and attention bias using a dot-probe task. Twenty-nine women and 27 men completed the dot-probe task and provided saliva samples before and after a stress induction [cold pressor stress (CPS) test]. Women displayed a significant increase in arousal (sAA) following the stressor compared to men, who displayed a significant reduction in arousal. Reaction time data revealed a significant avoidance of threat in women at baseline, but a significant change to an attention bias towards threat following the stressor. Men did not significantly respond to the stressor in terms of attentional bias. These findings suggest that women are more reactive to a stressor than men, and display an initial avoidance response to threat, but an attentional bias towards threat following stress.

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Citations

Jun 5, 2020·Neuropsychopharmacology : Official Publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology·Nida AliJens C Pruessner
Nov 23, 2020·Alzheimer's Research & Therapy·Elin BymanMalin Wennström
Jun 27, 2021·The Journal of Pain : Official Journal of the American Pain Society·Edmund KeoghChristopher Eccleston
Jul 18, 2021·Biochimica Et Biophysica Acta. Molecular Basis of Disease·Angela E DeanSayeepriyadarshini Anakk
Oct 2, 2021·International Journal of Psychophysiology : Official Journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology·Wivine BlekićKim L Felmingham

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Methods Mentioned

BETA
dot-probe

Software Mentioned

DirectRT
SPSS

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