A study conducted by researchers at the University of Granada
Group of Neuropsychology and Clinical Psychoneuroimmunology has
demonstrated that cortisol levels in saliva are associated with
a person's ability to make good decisions in stressful
situations. To perform this study, the researchers exposed the
participants (all women) to a stressful situation by using
sophisticated virtual reality technology. The study revealed
that people who are not skilled in decision-making have lower
baseline cortisol levels in saliva as compared to skilled
people. Cortisol –known as the stress hormone– is a steroid
hormone segregated at the adrenal cortex and stimulated by the
adrenocorticotropic (ACTH) hormone, which is produced at the
pituitary gland. Cortisol is involved in a number of body
systems and plays a relevant role in the muscle-skeletal system,
blood circulation, the immune system, the metabolism of fats,
carbohydrates and proteins and the nervous system. Recent
studies have demonstrated that stress can influen