Journal article

Authors list: Stark, R.; Markert, C.; Kruse, O.; Walter, B.; Strahler, J.; Klein, S.

Publication year: 2022

Pages: 506-519

Journal: Journal of Behavioral Addictions

Volume number: 11

Issue number: 2

ISSN: 2062-5871

eISSN: 2063-5303

Open access status: Gold

DOI Link: https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2022.00037

Publisher: Akadémiai Kiadó: Open Access Journal / Akadémiai Kiadó

Abstract: 
Background and aims: Problematic pornography use can be conceptualized as an impulse control disorder or alternatively as a behavioral addiction. Stress is an important trigger in addiction, but less is known about the neural effect of stress in problematic pornography use. Therefore, we aimed at investigating the effect of stress during the anticipation and viewing of sexually explicit material while considering person characteristics related to potentially being at risk for developing problematic pornography use. Methods: In an fMRI study (n = 157 men, age: mean = 25.46, SD = 4.11) we used a sexual incentive delay task. A social stress test was used to induce stress in half of the participants. Salivary cortisol was repeatedly measured and person characteristics were considered moderating the effects of cortisol response. Results: We found no group differences in the neural responses during the anticipation phase, but a higher reactivity to sexual stimuli in the dACC in the stress group. Acute stress activated a pronounced cortisol response, which positively correlated with neural activations in the reward system (NAcc, dACC) to sexual cues. Further, the individual time spent on pornography use moderated the effect of cortisol in some regions of the reward system (dACC, mOFC). Discussion and conclusions: Our results suggest that acute stress related increases in cortisol can enhance the incentive value of cues announcing sexual stimuli. This might explain why acute stress is considered a trigger of pornography use and relapse and why individual stress response might be a risk factor for developing a problematic pornography use.

Harvard Citation style: Stark, R., Markert, C., Kruse, O., Walter, B., Strahler, J. and Klein, S. (2022) Individual cortisol response to acute stress influences neural processing of sexual cues, Journal of Behavioral Addictions, 11(2), pp. 506-519. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2022.00037

APA Citation style: Stark, R., Markert, C., Kruse, O., Walter, B., Strahler, J., & Klein, S. (2022). Individual cortisol response to acute stress influences neural processing of sexual cues. Journal of Behavioral Addictions. 11(2), 506-519. https://doi.org/10.1556/2006.2022.00037