The role of different sensory channels in stress contagion and its neural mechanisms

Abstract:  Stress contagion refers to the phenomenon where people unconsciously absorb stress reactions from another individual in the stressed state, through observation or direct contact, and match their own physiological and psychological state to that individual. The experimental paradigm for stress contagion can be categorized into two types: vicarious stress and stress crossover. In vicarious stress paradigms, the observer receives stress information transmitted through one or more sensory channels from a demonstrator. In stress crossover paradigms, the observer comes into direct contact with the demonstrator after they have experienced stress, receiving stress information through multiple sensory channels. The behavioral responses elicited by different sensory information exhibit similarities, such as decreased autonomic activity, increased anxiety-like behavior and elevated cortisol levels. The neural circuit and key brain regions involved are not entirely consistent across all sensory channels. However, stress contagion effects tend to be stronger when multiple sensory channels are involved compared to single sensory channels (visual, auditory, or olfactory). The amygdala has been identified as a central brain region for stress contagion, consistently demonstrating significant activation across various stress contagion paradigms. In future studies, it is crucial for researchers to carefully consider the experimental paradigms employed in studying stress contagion and identify specific brain regions of interest based on the underlying neural mechanisms associated with stress contagion effects induced by different sensory channels.