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SUMMARY:How acute stress impairs self-control in goal-directed choice: Beh
 avioral and neural evidence - Silvia Maier\, University of Zurich
DTSTART:20160425T131500Z
DTEND:20160425T141500Z
UID:TALK65611@talks.cam.ac.uk
CONTACT:Paula Kaanders
DESCRIPTION:Moderately stressful events are a common occurrence in daily l
 ife: getting stuck in traffic before an appointment\, having an upsetting 
 meeting at work\, or a quarrel with one's partner. Important choices often
  have to be made after such events that might compromise self-regulatory b
 ehavior. Yet the neural mechanisms through which acute stress influences s
 elf-control choices are unclear. Using fMRI\, we investigated these mechan
 isms in humans who faced self-control challenges over food rewards. Behavi
 orally\, we found that stress increased the influence of immediately rewar
 ding taste attributes on choice and reduced self-control. On the neural le
 vel\, stress increased functional connectivity between ventromedial prefro
 ntal cortex (vmPFC) and amygdala and striatal regions that encoded tastine
 ss. Moreover\, stressed individuals showed decreased connectivity between 
 the vmPFC and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex regions associated with self-
 control success. Notably\, the connectivity changes in these two pathways 
 that signal information about the stimulus and current goals were related 
 to different aspects of the stress reaction: while the strength of cortiso
 l expression was linked to stronger signaling of immediate reward\, the pe
 rception of being stressed was associated with reduced signaling in favor 
 of self-control goals. Both effects combined to impair self-control. Our r
 esults highlight that self-control in goal-directed choice is maintained t
 hrough a careful balance of connectivity in the brain's value computation 
 systems. Understanding these mechanisms may allow for targeted interventio
 ns to attenuate the effects of stress on self-control.
LOCATION:Kenneth Craik Room\, Craik Marshall Building\, Downing Site\, Cam
 bridge
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