How acute stress modulates hemispheric asymmetries: Investigating the role of endocrinological and affective parameters

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Acute stress influences brain function, but are these effects similar for the right and the left hemisphere? Hemispheric asymmetries, e.g. performance differences between the left and the right hemisphere, are a major organizational principle in the human brain and underlie many cognitive systems. Hemispheric asymmetries have been shown to be affected by sex steroid hormones in multiple studies, and a recent study suggested that stress-related steroid hormones (e.g. glucocorticoids) also affect them. However, an alternative, non-hormonal hypothesis for the relation of hemispheric asymmetries and stress has also been put forward, namely that negative affect generated by stress modulates hemispheric asymmetries. The aim of the planned project is to systematically investigate the impact of acute stress on hemispheric asymmetries. In particular, we want to test the psychoneuroendocrine hypothesis. To this end, two different studies will be conducted. In Study 1, it is planned to use the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) to investigate the impact of acute stress on interhemispheric transfer as well as behavioral and electrophysiological asymmetries in language and emotion processing. In Study 2, it is planned to investigate the impact of cortisol vs. placebo application on performance in the same paradigms as in study 1. In both studies, affective and endocrinological parameters will be assessed and linked to hemispheric asymmetries. The proposed study is the first systematic, theory-driven investigation of the mechanisms underlying the modulation of hemispheric asymmetries by acute psychosocial