Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2012 Jun;49(6):842-52.
doi: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.2012.01358.x. Epub 2012 Feb 14.

Describing the interplay between anxiety and cognition: from impaired performance under low cognitive load to reduced anxiety under high load

Katherine Vytal  1 , Brian Cornwell, Nicole Arkin, Christian Grillon
Affiliations

Describing the interplay between anxiety and cognition: from impaired performance under low cognitive load to reduced anxiety under high load

Katherine Vytal et al. Psychophysiology. 2012 Jun.

Abstract

Anxiety impairs the ability to think and concentrate, suggesting that the interaction between emotion and cognition may elucidate the debilitating nature of pathological anxiety. Using a verbal n-back task that parametrically modulated cognitive load, we explored the effect of experimentally induced anxiety on task performance and the startle reflex. Findings suggest there is a crucial inflection point between moderate and high cognitive load, where resources shift from anxious apprehension to focus on task demands. Specifically, we demonstrate that anxiety impairs performance under low load, but is reduced when subjects engage in a difficult task that occupies executive resources. We propose a two-component model of anxiety that describes a cognitive mechanism behind performance impairment and an automatic response that supports sustained anxiety-potentiated startle. Implications for therapeutic interventions and emotional pathology are discussed.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

Conflict of Interest

The author(s) declare that, except for income received from the primary employer, no financial support or compensation has been received from any individual or corporate entity over the past 3 years for research or professional service and there are no personal financial holdings that could be perceived as constituting a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Figure 2
Figure 2
Figure 3
Figure 3
Figure 4
Figure 4
Figure 5
Figure 5
Figure 6
Figure 6
Figure 7
Figure 7
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Airaksinen E, Larsson M, Forsell Y. Neuropsychological functions in anxiety disorders in population-based samples: evidence of episodic memory dysfunction. Journal of Psychiatric Research. 2005;39(2):207–214. doi: 10.1016/j.jpsychires.2004.06.001.. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Barlow DH. Disorders of emotion. Psychological Inquiry. 1991;2:58–71. doi: 10.1207/s15327965pli0201_15.. - DOI
    1. Bishop SJ. Trait anxiety and impoverished prefrontal control of attention. Nature Neuroscience. 2008;12(1):92–98. doi: 10.1038/nn.2242.. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Borkovec TD, Robinson E, Pruzinsky T, DePree JA. Preliminary exploration of worry: Some characteristics and processes. Behavior Research and Therapy. 1983;21:9–16. doi: 10.1016/0005-7967(83)90121-3.. - DOI - PubMed
    1. Braver TS, Cohen JD, Nystrom LE, Jonides J, Smith EE, Noll DC. A Parametric Study of Prefrontal Cortex Involvement in Human Working Memory. NeuroImage. 1997;5(1):49–62. doi: 10.1006/nimg.1996.0247.. - DOI - PubMed

Publication types