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Gender differences in salivary alpha-amylase and attentional bias towards negative facial expressions following acute stress induction
journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-18, 06:04 authored by Andrea CarrAndrea Carr, Scully, A, Webb, M, Kim FelminghamKim FelminghamThis 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.
History
Publication title
Cognition and EmotionVolume
30Pagination
315-324ISSN
0269-9931Department/School
College Office - College of Health and MedicinePublisher
Psychology PressPlace of publication
27 Church Rd, Hove, England, East Sussex, Bn3 2FaRights statement
Copyright 2015 Taylor & FrancisRepository Status
- Restricted