Key result
Hydrocortisone and yohimbine elevate stress markers but fail to alter risk-taking behavior versus placebo.
Why the study?
While acute stress is linked to increased risk-taking, the specific contributions of key neuroendocrine stress mediators cortisol and noradrenaline remain unclear.
Does pharmacological manipulation with hydrocortisone and/or yohimbine alter risky decision-making in healthy adults?
RCT (n=96)
Double-blind
Pseudo-randomly assigned to four gender-balanced groups
No
Does pharmacological manipulation with hydrocortisone and/or yohimbine alter risky decision-making in healthy adults?
Pharmacological activation of stress systems with hydrocortisone and yohimbine did not significantly alter risky decision-making in healthy adults, highlighting the complexity of stress effects on behavior.
Pharmacological stress induction did not alter risk-taking; challenges prior evidence linking acute stress to increased risk-taking.
RATIONALE: Stress can significantly alter decision-making, often promoting riskier choices. While prior research suggests a link between acute stress and increased risk-taking, the specific contributions of cortisol and noradrenaline-two key neuroendocrine stress mediators-remain unclear. OBJECTIVES: Investigate how the pharmacological manipulation of two key neuroendocrine stress mediators (cortisol and noradrenaline) influences risk-taking behavior in healthy individuals. METHODS: In a double-blind, randomized study, we examined the individual and combined effects of hydrocortisone (20 mg) and yohimbine (20 mg; an α₂-adrenergic receptor antagonist) on risky decision-making in 96 healthy adults (48 women, 48 men). Participants completed the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART) before and after drug administration, allowing for within-subject comparisons relative to individual baselines. RESULTS: While the pharmacological manipulation effectively elevated cortisol concentration and salivary alpha amylase activity (as proxy for noradrenaline levels), no substantial effects on risk-taking behavior emerged, contrasting with some earlier findings. Exploratory analyses of associations with personality traits (anxiety, aggression, sensation seeking) and baseline levels of testosterone and estradiol revealed only weak and inconsistent relationships. CONCLUSIONS: These findings underscore the complexity of stress effects on decision-making and suggest that pharmacological activation of stress systems may not straightforwardly mimic psychosocial stress. Methodological factors such as timing, dosage, receptor specificity, and task familiarity likely play critical roles in modulating these effects.
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Fricke et al. (2025) conducted an RCT in Healthy (n=96). Hydrocortisone and Yohimbine vs. Placebo was evaluated on Average adjusted clicks and fraction of burst balloons in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task (BART). Pharmacological administration of hydrocortisone and yohimbine effectively elevated stress markers but did not significantly alter risk-taking behavior in the Balloon Analogue Risk Task compared to placebo.
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