Cognitive function, stress hormones, heart rate and nutritional status during simulated captivity in military survival training.

摘要: Stress influences numerous psychological and physiological processes, its effects have practical implications in a variety of professions real-world activities. However, few studies concurrently assessed multiple behavioral, hormonal, nutritional heart-rate responses humans to acute, severe stress. This investigation simultaneously cognitive, affective, induced by an intensely stressful environment designed simulate wartime captivity. Sixty males were evaluated during immediately following participation U.S. Army Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape (SERE) school, three weeks intense but standardized training for Soldiers at risk capture. Simulated captivity mock interrogations degraded grammatical reasoning (p<0.005), sustained-attention (p<0.001), working memory (p<0.05) all aspects mood the Profile Mood States (POMS) questionnaire: Tension/Anxiety, Depression/Dejection, Anger/Hostility, Vigor/Activity, Fatigue/Inertia; Confusion/Bewilderment, Total Disturbance (p<0.001) It also elevated heart rate (p<0.001); increased serum salivary cortisol dehydroepiandrosterone-sulfate (DHEA-s) (p<0.01); epinephrine, norepinephrine, soluble transferrin receptors (sTfR) neuropeptide-Y (NPY) decreased prolactin testosterone (p<0.001). Partial recovery was observed after training, stress-induced changes, particularly body weight several biomarkers, persisted. study demonstrates that when individuals exposed realistic controlled simulated captivity, cognition, mood, stress hormones, status are altered, each these subsequently recovers different rates.