Stress, Brain Wiring and the Economy

Abstract

Emerging links between lifestyle stress, psychological traits and the economy are explored by highlighting recent work in which stress has been shown to trigger enduring changes in neural cell metabolism via epigenetic mechanisms. One important target of such changes is the circuitry of the medial prefrontal cortex, which has been implicated in abstract construal, theory of mind functions, agency and other psychometric constructs associated with innovation and entrepreneurship. In an economy increasingly dependent on such psychological traits for its competitiveness our understanding of the impacts of stress on cognition and affect may be especially relevant to future prosperity. One recent approach to designing a pathway-based intervention for epigenetic dysfunction triggered by stress is discussed as an example.

The ANALGOR Online Inventory for Calibrating Analogical and Boolean Thinking in Normal Individuals

“…A larger study will be needed to confirm these initial observations. The practical implications of this finding, if confirmed by future studies, are potentially significant in the management of a knowledge economy within which shorter product cycles has created a growing dependence on innovation (Steel, Rinne, & Fairweather, 2012;Mascarenhas & Singh, 2012;Mascarenhas & Vander Veer, 2014;Mascarenhas, 2017). Analogical thinking has long been associated with creative thinking and innovation.…”

Chronic metabolic stress, central nervous system gene expression and innovator traits: What might we do to manage them?

“…Remarkably, the geographical distribution of innovation industries in the United States also appears to correlate with higher mean population scores in abstract construal, agency and independent thinking [6]. Although these findings are correlational, the possible connection between chronic stress and traits of critical importance to the economic productivity of modern societies should make us ask questions about how we might successfully intervene in the process if such a link does indeed exist [8]. There is, at any rate, enough circumstantial evidence to raise the alarm.…”