Neuropsychophysiology during relaxation in generalized, universal ‘allergic’ reactivity to the environment: a comparison study

Abstract

Comparisons were made among a group of patients presenting with universal ‘allergic’ intolerance to environmental chemicals (universal reactor, n = 58), a group of control subjects without psychologic symptoms (control, n = 55) and a group of outpatients from a psychology practice (psychologic, n = 89) on neuropsychophysiological measures during relaxation. The measures were electroencephalographic (EEG) spectral category for frequencies below 15 Hz, EEG beta activity, scalp electromyography (EMG), peripheral temperature (TEMP), and skin resistance level (SRL). The distributions of subjects in each group across eight EEG spectral categories were significantly different, with the distribution for universal reactors the same as that of the psychologic patients ( p = 0.22), and both different from the distribution of controls ( p < 0.001). High levels of EEG beta activity were observed in more universal reactors and psychologic patients than in controls ( p = 0.04). High levels of EMG scalp activity were observed in a greater number of universal reactors than in subjects in the other two groups ( p < 0.001). The three groups did not differ in TEMP and SRL. Implications of neuropsychophysiologic stress profiling for the diagnosis and treatment of psychosomatic illness are discussed.