The psychobiology of burnout: are there two different syndromes?

Background: Plasma prolactin levels are sensitive to dopamine and serotonin function, and fatigue. Low cortisol, dopamine and/or serotonin may be involved in burnout and detachment.

Methods: In this double-blind within-subject study, we treated 9 female burnout subjects and 9 controls with 35 mg cortisol and placebo orally.

Error-related ERP components and individual differences in punishment and reward sensitivity.

Although the focus of the discussion regarding the significance of the error related negatively (ERN/Ne) has been on the cognitive factors reflected in this component, there is now a growing body of research that describes influences of motivation, affective style and other factors of personality on ERN/Ne amplitude. The present study was conducted to further evaluate the relationship between affective style, error related ERP components and their neural basis. Therefore, we had our subjects fill out the Behavioral Activation System/Behavioral Inhibition System (BIS/BAS) scales, which are based on Gray's (1987, 1989) biopsychological theory of personality.

Task engagement and the relationships between the error-related negativity, agreeableness, behavioral shame proneness and cortisol.

Previous results suggest that both cortisol mobilization and the error-related negativity (ERN/Ne) reflect goal engagement, i.e. the mobilization and allocation of attentional and physiological resources.

Mental fatigue, motivation and action monitoring.

In this study we examined whether the effects of mental fatigue on behaviour are due to reduced action monitoring as indexed by the error related negativity (Ne/ERN), N2 and contingent negative variation (CNV) event-related potential (ERP) components. Therefore, we had subjects perform a task, which required a high degree of action monitoring, continuously for 2h. In addition we tried to relate the observed behavioural and electrophysiological changes to motivational processes and individual differences.

Effects of mental fatigue on attention: an ERP study.

The effects of mental fatigue on attention were assessed. Subjects performed a visual attention task for 3 h without rest. Subjective levels of fatigue, performance measures and EEG were recorded.