TY - JOUR
T1 - Dopaminergic and noradrenergic modulation of stress-induced alterations in brain activation associated with goal-directed behaviour
AU - van Ruitenbeek, Peter
AU - Quaedflieg, Conny W.E.M.
AU - Hernaus, Dennis
AU - Hartogsveld, Bart
AU - Smeets, Tom
N1 - Funding Information:
The author(s) disclosed receipt of the following financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article: This work was supported by grants from the Dutch Research Council (Nederlandse Organisatie voor Wetenschappelijk Onderzoek, NWO) to Dr Smeets (grant number 452-14-003) and Dr Quaedflieg (grant number 446-15-003).
Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2021.
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - BACKGROUND: Acute stress is thought to reduce goal-directed behaviour, an effect purportedly associated with stress-induced release of catecholamines. In contrast, experimentally increased systemic catecholamine levels have been shown to increase goal-directed behaviour. Whether experimentally increased catecholamine function can modulate stress-induced reductions in goal-directed behaviour and its neural substrates, is currently unknown.AIM: To assess whether and how experimentally induced increases in dopamine and noradrenaline contribute to the acute stress effects on goal-directed behaviour and associated brain activation.METHODS: One hundred participants underwent a stress induction protocol (Maastricht acute stress test; MAST) or a control procedure and received methylphenidate (MPH) (40 mg, oral) or placebo according to a 2 × 2 between-subjects design. In a well-established instrumental learning paradigm, participants learnt stimulus-response-outcome associations, after which rewards were selectively devalued. Participants' brain activation and associated goal-directed behaviour were assessed in a magnetic resonance imaging scanner at peak cortisol/MPH concentrations.RESULTS: The MAST and MPH increased physiological measures of stress (salivary cortisol and blood pressure), but only MAST increased subjective measures of stress. MPH modulated stress effects on activation of brain areas associated with goal-directed behaviour, including insula, putamen, amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, frontal pole and orbitofrontal cortex. However, MPH did not modulate the tendency of stress to induce a reduction in goal-directed behaviour.CONCLUSION: Our neuroimaging data suggest that MPH-induced increases in dopamine and noradrenaline reverse stress-induced changes in key brain regions associated with goal-directed behaviour, while behavioural effects were absent. These effects may be relevant for preventing stress-induced maladaptive behaviour like in addiction or binge eating disorder.
AB - BACKGROUND: Acute stress is thought to reduce goal-directed behaviour, an effect purportedly associated with stress-induced release of catecholamines. In contrast, experimentally increased systemic catecholamine levels have been shown to increase goal-directed behaviour. Whether experimentally increased catecholamine function can modulate stress-induced reductions in goal-directed behaviour and its neural substrates, is currently unknown.AIM: To assess whether and how experimentally induced increases in dopamine and noradrenaline contribute to the acute stress effects on goal-directed behaviour and associated brain activation.METHODS: One hundred participants underwent a stress induction protocol (Maastricht acute stress test; MAST) or a control procedure and received methylphenidate (MPH) (40 mg, oral) or placebo according to a 2 × 2 between-subjects design. In a well-established instrumental learning paradigm, participants learnt stimulus-response-outcome associations, after which rewards were selectively devalued. Participants' brain activation and associated goal-directed behaviour were assessed in a magnetic resonance imaging scanner at peak cortisol/MPH concentrations.RESULTS: The MAST and MPH increased physiological measures of stress (salivary cortisol and blood pressure), but only MAST increased subjective measures of stress. MPH modulated stress effects on activation of brain areas associated with goal-directed behaviour, including insula, putamen, amygdala, medial prefrontal cortex, frontal pole and orbitofrontal cortex. However, MPH did not modulate the tendency of stress to induce a reduction in goal-directed behaviour.CONCLUSION: Our neuroimaging data suggest that MPH-induced increases in dopamine and noradrenaline reverse stress-induced changes in key brain regions associated with goal-directed behaviour, while behavioural effects were absent. These effects may be relevant for preventing stress-induced maladaptive behaviour like in addiction or binge eating disorder.
KW - DRUG-ADDICTION
KW - Dopamine
KW - INDUCED INCREASE
KW - INDUCED RELAPSE
KW - INSTRUMENTAL BEHAVIOR
KW - LOCUS-COERULEUS
KW - MEDIAL PREFRONTAL CORTEX
KW - MEMORY-SYSTEMS
KW - POSITRON-EMISSION-TOMOGRAPHY
KW - PSYCHOSOCIAL STRESS
KW - VENTRAL TEGMENTAL AREA
KW - goal-directed behaviour
KW - neuroimaging
KW - stress
U2 - 10.1177/02698811211044679
DO - 10.1177/02698811211044679
M3 - Article
C2 - 34519561
SN - 0269-8811
VL - 35
SP - 1449
EP - 1463
JO - Journal of Psychopharmacology
JF - Journal of Psychopharmacology
IS - 12
M1 - 02698811211044679
ER -