RESUMEN

Fear conditioning, also termed threat conditioning, is a commonly used learning model with clinical relevance. Quantification of threat conditioning in humans often relies on conditioned autonomic responses such as skin conductance responses (SCR), pupil size responses (PSR), heart period responses (HPR), or respiration amplitude responses (RAR), which are usually analyzed separately. Here, we investigate whether inter-individual variability in differential conditioned responses, averaged across acquisition, exhibits a multi-dimensional structure, and the extent to which their linear combination could enhance the precision of inference on whether threat conditioning has occurred. In a mega-analytic approach, we re-analyze nine data sets including 256 individuals, acquired by the group of the last author, using standard routines in the framework of psychophysiological modeling (PsPM). Our analysis revealed systematic differences in effect size between measures across datasets, but no evidence for a multidimensional structure across various combinations of measures. We derive the statistically optimal weights for combining the four measures and subsets thereof, and we provide out-of-sample performance metrics for these weights, accompanied by bias-corrected confidence intervals. We show that to achieve the same statistical power, combining measures allows for a relevant reduction in sample size, which in a common scenario amounts to roughly 24%. To summarize, we demonstrate a one-dimensional structure of threat conditioning measures, systematic differences in effect size between measures, and provide weights for their optimal linear combination in terms of maximal retrodictive validity.

Asunto(s)

Sistema Nervioso Autónomo , Condicionamiento Clásico , Miedo , Respuesta Galvánica de la Piel , Frecuencia Cardíaca , Humanos , Miedo/fisiología , Miedo/psicología , Respuesta Galvánica de la Piel/fisiología , Sistema Nervioso Autónomo/fisiología , Frecuencia Cardíaca/fisiología , Condicionamiento Clásico/fisiología , Pupila/fisiología , Psicofisiología/métodos , Masculino

RESUMEN

The experience of empathy for pain is underpinned by sensorimotor and affective dimensions which, although interconnected, are at least in part behaviorally and neurally distinct. Spinal cord injuries (SCI) induce a massive, below-lesion level, sensorimotor body-brain disconnection. This condition may make it possible to test whether sensorimotor deprivation alters specific dimensions of empathic reactivity to observed pain. To explore this issue, we asked SCI people with paraplegia and healthy controls to observe videos of painful or neutral stimuli administered to a hand (intact) or a foot (deafferented). The stimuli were displayed by means of a virtual reality set-up and seen from a first person (1PP) or third person (3PP) visual perspective. A number of measures were recorded ranging from explicit behaviors like explicit verbal reports on the videos, to implicit measures of muscular activity (like EMG from the corrugator and zygomatic muscles that may represent a proxy of sensorimotor empathy) and of autonomic reactivity (like the electrodermal response and Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia that may represent a general proxy of affective empathy). While no across group differences in explicit verbal reports about the pain stimuli were found, SCI people exhibited reduced facial muscle reactivity to the stimuli applied to the foot (but not the hand) seen from the 1PP. Tellingly, the corrugator activity correlated with SCI participants' neuropathic pain. There were no across group differences in autonomic reactivity suggesting that SCI lesions may affect sensorimotor dimensions connected to empathy for pain.

Asunto(s)

Empatía , Traumatismos de la Médula Espinal , Humanos , Empatía/fisiología , Traumatismos de la Médula Espinal/fisiopatología , Masculino , Femenino , Adulto , Persona de Mediana Edad , Electromiografía , Músculos Faciales/fisiopatología , Músculos Faciales/fisiología , Paraplejía/fisiopatología , Dolor/fisiopatología , Respuesta Galvánica de la Piel/fisiología , Psicofisiología , Adulto Joven

RESUMEN

Autonomic responses elicited by myocardial infarction vary depending on the site of injury, but accurate assessment using heart rate variability during the acute phase is limited. We systematically searched PubMed without language restrictions throughout July 2023. We reviewed studies reporting autonomic indices separately for anterior and inferior infarcts, followed by a meta-analysis of those reporting the standard deviation of the inter-beat interval between normal sinus beats during the initial 24 hours after the onset of symptoms. Six studies were included, comprising 341 patients (165 anterior, 176 inferior infarcts), all with satisfactory scores on the Newcastle-Ottawa quality scale. The estimated average of the standardized mean difference (based on the random-effects model) was -0.722 (95% confidence intervals: -0.943 to -0.501), which differed from zero (z=-6.416, p<0.0001). This finding indicates sympathetic and vagal dominance during acute anterior and inferior infarcts, respectively, with excessive responses likely contributing to early arrhythmogenesis. Despite the amelioration of autonomic dysfunction by revascularization, infarct location should be considered when commencing ß-adrenergic receptor blockade, especially after delayed procedures.

RESUMEN

Psychological theories consider autonomic arousal to be a reinforcer for problem gambling. Structural characteristics such as near-misses, which are non-win events that come close to a real win, have been shown to elicit win-like responses while increasing motivation and gambling persistence. This study investigated the autonomic and subjective responses of young adults to different gambling outcomes. This study also investigated sex differences in autonomic and subjective responses to different gambling outcomes.Participants from Sweden (n = 270) performed a computerized slot machine task that produced wins, near-misses (before and after payline) and full-misses. Phasic measurements of heart rate (HR) and skin conductance responses (SCR) were recorded during gambling performance and ratings of perceived chance of winning, pleasure and motivation to play were collected following each gambling outcome.Autonomic responses differed across slot machine outcomes as indicated by HR and SCR. Compared with other gambling outcomes, near-misses elicited the largest HR accelerations, and they also elicited larger HR decelerations and SCRs relative to full-misses. Near-misses before and after payline elicited differential psychophysiological responses and subjective reports, suggesting different emotional processing of near-miss subtypes. Females showed increased SCRs and motivation following win outcomes compared with males.In conclusion, wins, near-misses and full-misses generate differential physiological and subjective responses among young adults. Autonomic responses to wins differed between male and female players, emphasizing the need to consider sex differences when investigating the role of autonomic arousal in gambling.

Asunto(s)

Juego de Azar , Humanos , Femenino , Masculino , Adulto Joven , Juego de Azar/psicología , Nivel de Alerta , Emociones , Frecuencia Cardíaca , Motivación

RESUMEN

Bellovary, Bryanne N., Andrew D. Wells, Zachary J. Fennel, Jeremy B. Ducharme, Jonathan M. Houck, Trevor J. Mayschak, Ann L. Gibson, Scott N. Drum, and Christine M. Mermier. Could orthostatic stress responses predict acute mountain sickness susceptibility before high altitude travel? A pilot study. High Alt Med Biol. 24:19-26, 2023. Purpose: This study assessed head-up tilt (HUT) responses in relation to acute mountain sickness (AMS)-susceptibility during hypoxic exposure. Materials and Methods: Fifteen participants completed three lab visits: (1) protocol familiarization and cycle maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max) test; (2) HUT test consisting of supine rest for 20 minutes followed by 70° tilting for ≤40 minutes; and (3) 6 hours of hypobaric hypoxic exposure (4,572 m) where participants performed two 30-minute cycling bouts separated by 1 hour at a 50% VO2max workload within the first 3 hours and rested when not exercising. During HUT, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure, heart rate (HR), and variability (blood pressure variability [BPV] and HR variability [HRV]) were measured continuously. The AMS scores were determined after 6 hours of exposure. Correlations determined relationships between HUT cardiovascular responses and AMS scores. Repeated-measures analysis of variance (ANOVA) assessed differences between those with and without AMS symptoms during HUT. Results: Higher AMS scores correlated with greater change in SBP variability (r = 0.52, p = 0.048) and blunted changes in HRV (root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats r = 0.81, p = 0.001, percentage of adjacent normal sinus intervals that differ by more than 50 milliseconds [pNN50] r = 0.87, p < 0.001) during HUT. A pNN50 interaction (p = 0.02) suggested elevated cardiac sympathetic activity at baseline and a blunted increase in cardiac sympathetic influence throughout HUT in those with AMS (pNN50 baseline: AMS = 26.2% ± 15.3%, no AMS = 51.0% ± 13.5%; first 3 minutes into HUT: AMS = 17.2% ± 19.1%, no AMS = 17.1% ± 10.9%; end of HUT: AMS = 6.2% ± 9.1%, no AMS 11.0% ± 10.0%). Conclusions: The results suggest autonomic responses via HUT differ in AMS-susceptible individuals. Changes in HRV and BPV during HUT may be a promising predictive measurement for AMS-susceptibility, but further research is needed for confirmation.

Asunto(s)

Mal de Altura , Humanos , Proyectos Piloto , Altitud , Enfermedad Aguda , Hipoxia , Frecuencia Cardíaca/fisiología

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: While thermoregulatory behavior is critical for maintaining homeostasis, our knowledge of behavioral thermoeffectors in humid heat is limited compared to the control of autonomic thermoeffectors. The predictions that the frequency and duration of intensified humid heat events are expected to increase in the coming years underline this shortcoming. Therefore, this study aims to elucidate the activation of autonomic thermoregulatory responses and subjective thermal perceptions upon deciding to initiate thermal behavior in a hot and humid environment. METHODS: Ten young male adults participated in an experimental trial where local cooling was permitted at any time during the behavioral assessment during passive exposure to humid heat. The air temperature and relative humidity were kept at 33[Formula: see text]C and 80[Formula: see text], respectively. Skin temperatures, core body temperature (T[Formula: see text]), and skin blood flow (forearm, upper arm, and upper back) were obtained 120 s preceding thermal behavior. Local sweat rate (forearm and upper arm) and subjective thermal perceptions (neck and whole-body) upon thermal behavior initiation were also recorded. RESULTS: Mean skin temperature ([Formula: see text]) and T[Formula: see text] increased prior to thermal behavior initiation (p [Formula: see text] 0.002; p [Formula: see text] 0.001). An increase in mean body temperature ([Formula: see text]) was also observed (p < 0.001). However, the initiation of thermal behavior is not preceded by an increase in skin blood flow (p [Formula: see text] 0.154) and local sweat rate (p [Formula: see text] 0.169). An increase in thermal discomfort and skin wetness perception was observed (p [Formula: see text] 0.048; p [Formula: see text] 0.048), while thermal sensation did not differ from the baseline (p [Formula: see text] 0.357). CONCLUSION: These findings suggest that when given the opportunity to behaviorally thermoregulate in a hot and humid environment, changes in skin blood flow and sweat rate are not required for thermal behavior to be initiated in resting humans. Moreover, an increase in [Formula: see text] and T[Formula: see text], which appears to cause an increase in thermal discomfort, precedes thermal behavior. In addition, an increase in [Formula: see text] leading up to thermal behavior initiation was observed, suggesting that changes in [Formula: see text] rather than [Formula: see text] and T[Formula: see text] alone mediate thermal behavior in humid heat. Collectively, the results of this study appear to support the hypothesis that the temporal recruitment of autonomic thermoeffectors follows an orderly manner based on their physiological cost.

Asunto(s)

Ejercicio Físico , Calor , Adulto , Regulación de la Temperatura Corporal/fisiología , Ejercicio Físico/fisiología , Humanos , Humedad , Masculino , Temperatura Cutánea , Sudoración

Asunto(s)

Corteza Cerebral , Neuronas , Cognición , Emociones , Humanos

RESUMEN

Gestural communication allows providing information about thoughts and feelings, characterizing face-to-face interactions, also during non-verbal exchanges. In the present study, the autonomic responses and peripheral synchronization mechanisms of two individuals (encoder and decoder) were recorded simultaneously, through the use of biofeedback in hyperscanning, during two different experimental phases consisting in the observation (watching videos of gestures) and reproduction of positive and negative different types of gestures (affective, social and informative) supported by linguistic contexts. Therefore, the main aim of this study was focused on the analysis of simultaneous individuals' peripheral mechanisms during the performing of complex joint action, consisting of the observation (watching videos) and the reproduction of positive and negative social, affective, and informative gestures each supported by a linguistic script. Single-subject and inter-subject correlation analyses were conducted to observe individuals' autonomic responses and physiological synchronization. Single-subject results revealed an increase in emotional arousal, indicated by an increase in electrodermal activity (skin conductance level - SCL and response - SCR), during both the observation (watching videos) and reproduction of negative social and affective gestures contextualized by a linguistic context. Moreover, an increase of emotional engagement, expressed by an increase in heart rate (HR) activity, emerged in the encoder compare to the decoder during gestures reproduction (simulation of gestures). Inter-subject correlation results showed the presence of mirroring mechanisms, indicated by an increase in SCL, SCR, and HR synchronization, during the linguistic contexts and gesture observation (watching videos). Furthermore, an increase in SCL and SCR synchronization emerged during the observation (watching videos) and reproduction of negative social and affective gestures. Therefore, the present study allowed to obtain information on the mirroring mechanisms and physiological synchronization underlying the linguistic and gesture system during non-verbal interaction.

Asunto(s)

Sistema Nervioso Autónomo , Gestos , Humanos , Reproducción

RESUMEN

OBJECTIVE: Epilepsy is one of the most prevalent neurological conditions and carbamazepine is a commonly used anti-seizure drug (ASD), especially in developing nations. There are reports of carbamazepine causing atrioventricular conduction defects and autonomic dysfunctions and its implication in Sudden Unexpected Death in Epilepsy (SUDEP) is controversial. We planned this study to assess the effect of carbamazepine (CBZ) on autonomic function compared to other ASDs in persons with epilepsy. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, we assessed the sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic functions in persons with epilepsy (PWE) on CBZ versus other anti-seizure monotherapy using tests of heart rate variability including its time-, frequency- and non-linear domains, heart rate response to deep breathing, valsalva maneuver, and blood pressure response to isometric handgrip. RESULTS: Persons with epilepsy on CBZ monotherapy did not show a significant reduction in the time domain parameter SDRR compared to other ASDs used as monotherapy (mean ±â€¯SD, 38.04 ±â€¯18.75 ms vs 44.37 ±â€¯20.35 ms; p = 0.125). However, PWE on CBZ had significantly lower time-domain measurements including RMSSD (mean ±â€¯SD 31.95 ±â€¯17.29 ms vs 42.02 ±â€¯22.29 ms; p = 0.018), SDSD (mean ±â€¯SD 31.91 ±â€¯17.26 ms vs 41.96 ±â€¯22.27 ms; p 0.018), and pNN50 [median (IQR) 05.45(0.69-25.37) vs 16.38(2.32-36.83); p = 0.030]. Frequency domain measures of HRV, heart rate responses to deep breathing, valsalva maneuver and tilt-testing and BP responses to valsalva and tilt-testing were not significantly different between the groups. CONCLUSION: The findings of our study indicate reduced parasympathetic activity in persons on CBZ monotherapy compared to other ASDs, which may pose risk of SUDEP. Carbamazepine may thus be avoided in those at risk of autonomic dysfunction and SUDEP.

Asunto(s)

Epilepsia , Preparaciones Farmacéuticas , Carbamazepina/uso terapéutico , Estudios Transversales , Epilepsia/complicaciones , Epilepsia/tratamiento farmacológico , Fuerza de la Mano , Humanos

RESUMEN

Depression is characterised by attentional bias to emotional information and dysregulated autonomic reactivity. Despite its relevance to understanding depressive mechanisms, the association between attentional bias and autonomic reactivity to emotional information remains poorly characterised. This study compared behavioural and autonomic responses to emotional images in 32 participants in whom subclinical depressive symptomatology was quantified using the Beck Depression Inventory. Pairs of emotional and neutral images (unpleasant-neutral, U-N; pleasant-neutral, P-N; neutral-neutral, N-N) were presented while attentional indices (eye movements) and autonomic activity (skin conductance responses, SCRs; heart rate, HR) were recorded. Results showed that all recorded ocular parameters indicated a preferential orientation and maintenance of attention to emotional images. SCRs were associated with a valence effect on fixation latency: lower fixation latency to pleasant stimuli leads to lower SCRs whereas the opposite was observed for unpleasant stimuli. Finally, stepwise linear regression analysis revealed that latency of fixation to pleasant images and scores of depression predicted SCRs of participants. Thus, our research reveals an association between autonomic reactivity and attentional bias to pleasant information, on the one hand, and depressive symptomatology on the other. Present findings therefore suggest that depressive individuals may benefit from attention training towards pleasant information in association with autonomic biofeedback procedures.

Asunto(s)

Sesgo Atencional , Emociones , Movimientos Oculares , Frecuencia Cardíaca , Humanos

RESUMEN

The mechanisms underlying pain modulation by hypnosis and the contribution of hypnotic induction to the efficacy of suggestions being still under debate, our study aimed, (1) to assess the effects of identical hypoalgesia suggestions given with and without hypnotic induction, (2) to compare hypnotic hypoalgesia to distraction hypoalgesia and (3) to evaluate whether hypnotic suggestions of increased and decreased pain share common psychophysiological mechanisms. To this end, pain ratings, nociceptive flexion reflex amplitude, autonomic responses and electroencephalographic activity were measured in response to noxious electrical stimulation of the sural nerve in 20 healthy participants, who were subjected to four conditions: suggestions of hypoalgesia delivered with and without hypnosis induction (i.e. hypnotic-hypoalgesia and suggested-hypoalgesia), distraction by a mental calculation task and hypnotic suggestions of hyperalgesia. As a result, pain ratings decreased in distraction, suggested-hypoalgesia and hypnotic-hypoalgesia, while it increased in hypnotic-hyperalgesia. Nociceptive flexion reflex amplitude and autonomic activity decreased during suggested-hypoalgesia and hypnotic-hypoalgesia but increased during distraction and hypnotic-hyperalgesia. Hypnosis did not enhance the effects of suggestions significantly in any measurement. No somatosensory-evoked potential was modulated by the four conditions according to strict statistical criteria. The absence of a significant difference between the hypnotic hypoalgesia and hyperalgesia conditions suggests that brain processes as evidenced by evoked potentials are not invariably related to pain modulation. Time-frequency analysis of electroencephalographic activity showed a significant differentiation between distraction and hypnotic hypoalgesia in the theta domain. These results highlight the diversity of neurophysiological processes underlying pain modulation through different psychological interventions.

Asunto(s)

Hipnosis , Electroencefalografía , Potenciales Evocados , Humanos , Dolor , Sugestión

RESUMEN

Individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) are at a high risk of experiencing pain. Pain management requires assessment, a challenging mission considering the impaired communication skills in IDD. We analyzed subjective and objective responses following calibrated experimental stimuli to determine whether they can differentiate between painful and non-painful states, and adequately quantify pain among individuals with IDD. Eighteen adults with IDD and 21 healthy controls (HC) received experimental pressure stimuli (innocuous, mildly noxious, and moderately noxious). Facial expressions (analyzed with the Facial Action Coding System (FACS)) and autonomic function (heart rate, heart rate variability (HRV), pulse, and galvanic skin response (GSR)) were continuously monitored, and self-reports using a pyramid and a numeric scale were obtained. Significant stimulus-response relationships were observed for the FACS and pyramid scores (but not for the numeric scores), and specific action units could differentiate between the noxious levels among the IDD group. FACS scores of the IDD group were higher and steeper than those of HC. HRV was overall lower among the IDD group, and GSR increased during noxious stimulation in both groups. In conclusion, the facial expressions and self-reports seem to reliably detect and quantify pain among individuals with mild-moderate IDD; their enhanced responses may indicate increased pain sensitivity that requires careful clinical consideration.

RESUMEN

NEW FINDINGS: What is the central question of this study? Auditory stimulation produces a response in different physiological systems: cardiac, peripheral blood flow, electrodermal, cortical and peripheral haemodynamic responses and auditory event-related potentials. Do all these subsystems covary when responding to auditory stimulation, suggesting a unified locus of control, or do they not covary, suggesting independent loci of control for these physiological responses? What is the main finding and its importance? Auditory sensory gating reached a fixed level of neural activity independently of the intensity of auditory stimulation. The use of multivariate techniques revealed the presence of different regulatory mechanisms for the different physiologically recorded signals. ABSTRACT: We studied the effects of an increasing amplitude of auditory stimulation on a variety of autonomic and CNS responses and their possible interdependence. The subjects were stimulated with an increasing amplitude of auditory tones while the auditory event-related potentials (ERPs), the cortical and extracerebral functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS) signal of standard and short separation channel recordings, the peripheral pulse measured by photoplethysmography, heart rate and electrodermal responses were recorded. Trials with eight tones of equal amplitude were presented. The results showed a parallel increase of activity in ERPs, fNIRS and peripheral responses with the increase in intensity of auditory stimulation. The ERPs, measured as peak-to-peak N1-P2, showed an increase in amplitude with auditory stimulation and a high attenuation from the first presentation with respect to the second to eighth presentations. Peripheral signals and standard and short channel fNIRS responses showed a decrease in amplitude in the high-intensity auditory stimulation conditions. Principal components analysis showed independent sources of variance for the recorded signals, suggesting independent control of the recorded physiological responses. The present results suggest a complex response associated to the increase of auditory stimulation with a fixed amplitude for ERPs, and a decrease in the peripheral and cortical haemodynamic response, possibly mediated by activation of the sympathetic nervous system, constituting a defensive reflex to excessive auditory stimulation.

Asunto(s)

Electroencefalografía , Potenciales Evocados Auditivos , Estimulación Acústica , Sistema Nervioso Autónomo/fisiología , Electroencefalografía/métodos , Potenciales Evocados Auditivos/fisiología , Humanos , Análisis Multivariante

RESUMEN

We present a new instrument for the assessment of responses to threat-related imagery directed towards a human body - the Body-Threat Assessment Battery (BTAB). The BTAB consists of a series of high-definition dynamic clips depicting body-threats and matched non-threat baseline behaviours. For body-threat stimuli a perspective manipulation was included to assess the effects of viewing threats from the point-of-view of the observer (POV) or from an external/exocentric perspective (EXO). Green-screen technology was used so that extraneous background information could be removed and standardised in post-production. Categorical normative data for psychological ratings (valence, arousal and pain), psychophysiological, phasic skin conductance responses (SCRs) and tonic skin conductance levels (SCLs) were obtained for all stimuli. Body-threat stimuli evoked significantly higher psychological ratings of arousal and pain, with more negative ratings of valence, relative to baseline stimuli. In addition, threat stimuli also had an increased efficacy at evoking SCRs, and these were significantly stronger relative to baseline stimuli. There were no effects of perspective on psychophysiological or psychological responses to threat imagery. The findings are discussed in the context of the utility and scope of the BTAB for supporting neurocognitive investigations of aversive imagery and body-threats specifically in the study of embodiment, body-processing and self-consciousness.

Asunto(s)

Respuesta Galvánica de la Piel , Películas Cinematográficas , Nivel de Alerta , Sistema Nervioso Autónomo , Humanos , Psicofisiología

RESUMEN

Alcohol use disorders (AUD) are among the most common and undertreated mental disorders in developed countries. The co-occurrence of psychiatric comorbidity and AUD has already been well documented. Moreover, alexithymia was found associated with heavy drinking and alcohol dependence. A large part of AUD individuals, between 45 and 67%, have been identified as alexithymics. Both psychiatric comorbidity and alexithymia can negatively impact the course of recovery from alcohol. Alcohol consumption has also been shown to significantly influence autonomic responses. Chronic use of alcohol may induce significant changes in heart rate variability, respiratory frequency, electrodermal activity and skin temperature. To date, only a few studies have comprehensively investigated the comorbidity of alexithymia in AUD individuals with dual diagnosis. Thus, the aim and also the novelty of the present investigation were to disclose in individuals with AUD the emotional and cognitive stress responses to selected physiological parameters measured by ProComp5 Infiniti™ encoder in AUD patients suffering alexithymia with or without concomitant dual diagnosis. Quite interestingly, in AUD subjects with concomitant dual diagnosis we found that the alexithymia elevated skin temperature, heart rate variability and decreased respiratory frequency. Alexithymia, if associated with the dual diagnosis condition in AUD individuals, can be considered as a further vulnerability factor to stressing factors, impacting psychosomatic processing and inducing alterations in physiological parameters. In this paper, we discuss the implications of these findings in the early treatment of alexithymic AUD individuals.

Asunto(s)

Síntomas Afectivos/psicología , Alcoholismo/psicología , Adulto , Síntomas Afectivos/complicaciones , Consumo de Bebidas Alcohólicas , Alcoholismo/complicaciones , Comorbilidad , Diagnóstico Dual (Psiquiatría) , Femenino , Humanos , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad

RESUMEN

Emotions are experienced differently by individuals, and thus, it is important to account for individuals' experienced emotions to understand their physiological responses to emotional stimuli. The present study investigated the physiological responses to a fear-inducing stimulus and examined whether these responses can predict experienced fear. A total of 230 participants were presented with neutral and fear-inducing film clips, after which they self-rated their experienced emotions. Physiological measures (skin conductance level and response: SCL, SCR, heart rate: HR, pulse transit time: PTT, fingertip temperature: FT, and respiratory rate: RR) were recorded during the stimuli presentation. We examined the correlations between the physiological measures and the participants' experienced emotional intensity, and performed a multiple linear regression to predict fear intensity based on the physiological responses. Of the participants, 92.5% experienced the fear emotion, and the average intensity was 5.95 on a 7-point Likert scale. Compared to the neutral condition, the SCL, SCR, HR, and RR increased significantly during the fear-inducing stimulus presentation whereas FT and PTT decreased significantly. Fear intensity correlated positively with SCR and HR and negatively with SCL, FT, PTT, and RR. The multiple linear regression demonstrated that fear intensity was predicted by a combination of SCL, SCR, HR, FT, and RR. Our findings indicate that the physiological responses to experiencing fear are associated with cholinergic, sympathetic, and α-adrenergic vascular activation as well as myocardial ß-sympathetic excitation, and support the use of multimodal physiological signals for quantifying emotions.

RESUMEN

The process of information concealment is more relevant than ever in this day and age. Using a modified concealed-information test (CIT), we aimed to unmask this process by investigating both the decision and the attempt to conceal information in 38 students. The attempt to conceal (vs. reveal) information induced a differential physiological response pattern within subjects-whereas skin conductance increased in both conditions, respiration and heart rate were suppressed only in the conceal condition-confirming the idea that these measures reflect different underlying mechanisms. The decision to conceal (vs. reveal) information induced enhanced anticipatory skin conductance responses. To our knowledge, this is the first study that observed such anticipatory responses in an information-concealment paradigm. Together, these findings imply that our physiological responses reflect, to some degree, both the decision and the attempt to conceal information. In addition to strengthening CIT theory, this knowledge sheds novel light on anticipatory responding in decision making.

Asunto(s)

Nivel de Alerta , Decepción , Función Ejecutiva , Detección de Mentiras , Motivación , Adulto , Femenino , Respuesta Galvánica de la Piel , Frecuencia Cardíaca , Humanos , Masculino , Adulto Joven

RESUMEN

Choral singing requires the coordination of physiological subsystems within and across individuals. Previously, we suggested that the choir functions as a superordinate system that imposes boundary conditions on the dynamic features of the individual singers and found reliable differences in the network topography by analyzing within- and cross-frequency couplings (WFC and CFC, respectively). Here, we further refine our analyses to investigate hyper-frequency network (HFN) topology structures (i.e., the layout or arrangement of connections) using a graph-theoretical approach. In a sample of eleven singers and one conductor engaged in choral singing (aged between 23 and 56 years, and including five men and seven women), we calculated phase coupling (WFC and CFC) between respiratory, cardiac, and vocalizing subsystems across ten frequencies of interest. All these couplings were used for construction of HFN with nodes being a combination of frequency components and subsystems across choir participants. With regard to the network topology measures, we found that clustering coefficients (CCs) as well as local and global efficiency were highest and characteristic path lengths, correspondingly, were shortest when the choir sang a canon in parts as compared to singing it in unison. Furthermore, these metrics revealed a significant relationship to individual heart rate, as an indicator of arousal, and to an index of heart rate variability indicated by the LF/HF ratio (low and high frequency, respectively), and reflecting the balance between sympathetic and parasympathetic activity. In addition, we found that the CC and local efficiency for groups singing the same canon part were higher than for groups of singers constructed randomly post hoc, indicating stronger neighbor-neighbor connections in the former. We conclude that network topology dynamics are a crucial determinant of group behavior and may represent a potent biomarker for social interaction.

RESUMEN

BACKGROUND: The dorsal hippocampus has a central role in modulating cardiovascular responses and behavioral adaptation to stress. The dorsal hippocampus also plays a key role in stress-associated mental disorders. The endocannabinoid system is widely expressed in the dorsal hippocampus and modulates defensive behaviors under stressful conditions. The endocannabinoid anandamide activates cannabinoid type 1 receptors and is metabolized by the fatty acid amide hydrolase enzyme. AIMS: We sought to verify whether cannabinoid type 1 receptors modulate stress-induced cardiovascular changes, and if pharmacological fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibition in the dorsal hippocampus would prevent the cardiovascular responses and the delayed anxiogenic-like behavior evoked by restraint stress in rats via cannabinoid type 1 receptors. METHODS: Independent groups received intra-dorsal-hippocampal injections of N-(piperidin-1yl)-5-(4-iodophenyl)-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)-4-methyl-hpyrazole-3-carboxamide (AM251; cannabinoid type 1 receptor antagonist/inverse agonist, 10-300 pmol) and/or cyclohexyl carbamic acid 3'-carbamoyl-biphenyl-3-yl ester (URB597; fatty acid amide hydrolase inhibitor, 10 pmol) before the restraint stress session. Cardiovascular response during restraint stress or later behavioral parameters were evaluated. RESULTS: Acute restraint stress altered the cardiovascular response, characterized by increased heart rate and mean arterial pressure, as well as decreased tail cutaneous temperature. It also induced a delayed anxiogenic-like effect, evidenced by reduced open arm exploration in the elevated plus maze 24 h after stress. AM251 exacerbated the stress-induced cardiovascular responses after injection into the dorsal hippocampus. In contrast, local injection of URB597 prevented the cardiovascular response and the delayed (24 h) behavioral consequences of restraint stress, effects attenuated by pretreatment with AM251. CONCLUSION: Our data corroborate previous results indicating that the hippocampal endocannabinoid system modulates the outcome of stress exposure and suggest that this could involve modulation of the cardiovascular response during stress exposure.

Asunto(s)

Ansiedad , Presión Arterial/fisiología , Conducta Animal/fisiología , Agonistas de Receptores de Cannabinoides/farmacología , Antagonistas de Receptores de Cannabinoides/farmacología , Endocannabinoides/fisiología , Frecuencia Cardíaca/fisiología , Hipocampo/metabolismo , Receptor Cannabinoide CB1/fisiología , Estrés Psicológico , Amidohidrolasas/farmacología , Animales , Ansiedad/inducido químicamente , Ansiedad/etiología , Ansiedad/metabolismo , Ácidos Araquidónicos/farmacología , Presión Arterial/efectos de los fármacos , Conducta Animal/efectos de los fármacos , Benzamidas/farmacología , Agonistas de Receptores de Cannabinoides/administración & dosificación , Antagonistas de Receptores de Cannabinoides/administración & dosificación , Carbamatos/farmacología , Modelos Animales de Enfermedad , Endocannabinoides/farmacología , Frecuencia Cardíaca/efectos de los fármacos , Hipocampo/efectos de los fármacos , Masculino , Piperidinas/farmacología , Alcamidas Poliinsaturadas/farmacología , Pirazoles/farmacología , Ratas , Ratas Wistar , Receptor Cannabinoide CB1/agonistas , Receptor Cannabinoide CB1/antagonistas & inhibidores , Restricción Física/efectos adversos , Temperatura Cutánea/efectos de los fármacos , Temperatura Cutánea/fisiología , Estrés Psicológico/complicaciones , Estrés Psicológico/metabolismo , Estrés Psicológico/fisiopatología

RESUMEN

The concealed information test (CIT), a memory detection test, compares physiological responses to crime-related and crime-unrelated items. This study elucidated processes involving spontaneous eyeblinks during the CIT by manipulating participants' intention to conceal. Thirty-four participants committed mock theft. In the CIT, wherein eyeblinks are measured simultaneously with autonomic responses, the secret group concealed the crime-related item, whereas the no-secret group did not. As a result, heart rate (HR) was modulated by the intention of concealment in autonomic measures, whereas the effect of concealment on the decrease of eyeblinks was not found to be significant. In addition, the latency of the first eyeblink was longer for the crime-related item in both groups. These results imply that CIT eyeblinks mainly involve the process of selective attention for the item, and the latency of the first eyeblink reflects a delay in attentional disengagement from the item. This study also suggested that there is still room for improvement in simultaneously measuring eyeblinks and autonomic responses in the CIT.

Asunto(s)

Atención/fisiología , Parpadeo/fisiología , Crimen/psicología , Pruebas de Memoria y Aprendizaje , Memoria/fisiología , Adulto , Sistema Nervioso Autónomo/fisiología , Femenino , Frecuencia Cardíaca/fisiología , Humanos , Masculino , Adulto Joven