High cortisol levels in men make them more likely to take risks, new study finds

Increased cortisol levels in men have been found to encourage them to take risks, a new study suggests.

According to News Medical, scientists have found that intense emotional stress disrupts the body's internal warning signals that influence men's decision-making.

The results of an experiment conducted by scientists from a Canadian university were published in the journal Scientific Reports. The study involved 109 healthy young volunteers. The experts studied how cortisol release during intense psychosocial stress affects "somatic markers," the body's reactions that help a person assess risk.

The participants were divided into two groups: the first group underwent a stress test by simulating a conversation and solving mathematical problems, and the second group was in a relaxed environment.

Then all the volunteers played a card game. The wins and losses in it allowed them to assess their propensity to take risks. At the same time, the scientists recorded the amount of cortisol in the saliva and the skin reaction.

It turned out that in men, high levels of cortisol blocked physiological signals that signal unsuccessful decisions. As a result, the body's reaction did not help men avoid unreasonable risks. In women, no such change was observed.