ANS Responses Research Articles

The effects of visual context on visual-vestibular mismatch revealed by electrodermal and postural response measures

BackgroundNo objective criteria exist for diagnosis and treatment of visual-vestibular mismatch (VVM).ObjectiveTo determine whether measures of electrodermal activity (EDA) and trunk acceleration will identify VVM when exposed to visual-vestibular conflict.MethodsA modified VVM questionnaire identified the presence of VVM (+ VVM) in 13 of 23 young adults (34 ± 8 years) diagnosed with vestibular migraine. Rod and frame tests and outcome measures for dizziness and mobility were administered. Participants stood on foam while viewing two immersive virtual environments. Trunk acceleration in three planes and electrodermal activity (EDA) were assessed with wearable sensors. Linear mixed effect (LME) models were used to examine magnitude and smoothness of trunk acceleration and tonic and phasic EDA. Welch’s t-test and associations between measures were assessed with a Pearson Correlation Coefficient. Effect sizes of group mean differences were calculated.ResultsGreater than 80% of all participants were visually dependent. Outcome measures were significantly poorer in the + VVM group: tonic EDA was lower (p < 0.001) and phasic EDA higher (p < 0.001). Postural accelerations varied across groups; LME models indicated a relationship between visual context, postural, and ANS responses in the + VVM group.ConclusionsLower tonic EDA with + VVM suggests canal-otolith dysfunction. The positive association between vertical acceleration, tonic EDA, and visual dependence suggests that increased vertical segmental adjustments are used to compensate. Visual context of the spatial environment emerged as an important control variable when testing or treating VVM.

Is a blunted cortisol response to stress a premorbid risk for insomnia?

Study objectivesVulnerability to stress-related sleep disturbances (sleep reactivity) is an established heritable risk factor for insomnia disorder with unclear biological underpinnings. Preliminary research points to a blunted cortisol response to stress as a biological predisposition to familial risk for insomnia, but the role of cortisol response in sleep reactivity is unknown. Therefore, the current studies examined whether sleep reactivity is associated with a blunted cortisol response to two laboratory stressors among participants without insomnia. MethodsTwo community samples of adults with no lifetime history of insomnia completed the Trier Social Stress Test (N = 35) or the Cold Pressor Task (N = 34). Participants were grouped by insomnia-risk using sleep reactivity scores from the Ford Insomnia Response to Stress Test (FIRST). Physiological responses were measured via markers of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis (salivary cortisol) and autonomic nervous system (ANS; heart rate, mean arterial pressure, and salivary alpha amylase). ResultsParticipants with high insomnia-risk (FIRST score > 18) exhibited blunted cortisol responses to both stressors. There were no group differences in ANS responses across stressors. ConclusionsInsomnia-risk as indicated by sleep reactivity is associated with blunted cortisol responses to psychosocial and physical laboratory stressors among premorbid adults without insomnia disorder. This study replicates previous research and supports a blunted cortisol response to stress as a biomarker for insomnia vulnerability that may be detected using the FIRST. Prospective research is needed to elucidate whether a blunted cortisol response to stress is one mechanism by which sleep reactive individuals may be at risk of developing insomnia.

Aerobic Fitness Level Affects Cardiovascular and Salivary Alpha Amylase Responses to Acute Psychosocial Stress.

BackgroundGood physical fitness seems to help the individual to buffer the potential harmful impact of psychosocial stress on somatic and mental health. The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of physical fitness levels on the autonomic nervous system (ANS; i.e. heart rate and salivary alpha amylase) responses to acute psychosocial stress, while controlling for established factors influencing individual stress reactions.MethodsThe Trier Social Stress Test for Groups (TSST-G) was executed with 302 male recruits during their first week of Swiss Army basic training. Heart rate was measured continuously, and salivary alpha amylase was measured twice, before and after the stress intervention. In the same week, all volunteers participated in a physical fitness test and they responded to questionnaires on lifestyle factors and personal traits. A multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to determine ANS responses to acute psychosocial stress from physical fitness test performances, controlling for personal traits, behavioural factors, and socioeconomic data.ResultsMultiple linear regression revealed three variables predicting 15 % of the variance in heart rate response (area under the individual heart rate response curve during TSST-G) and four variables predicting 12 % of the variance in salivary alpha amylase response (salivary alpha amylase level immediately after the TSST-G) to acute psychosocial stress. A strong performance at the progressive endurance run (high maximal oxygen consumption) was a significant predictor of ANS response in both models: low area under the heart rate response curve during TSST-G as well as low salivary alpha amylase level after TSST-G. Further, high muscle power, non-smoking, high extraversion, and low agreeableness were predictors of a favourable ANS response in either one of the two dependent variables.ConclusionsGood physical fitness, especially good aerobic endurance capacity, is an important protective factor against health-threatening reactions to acute psychosocial stress.

Implicit and Explicit Measurements of Affective Responses to Food Odors.

One of the main functions of olfaction is to activate approach/avoidance behavior, toward or away from people, foods, or other odor sources. These behaviors are partly automated and therefore poorly accessible via introspection. Explicit tests need therefore be complemented by implicit tests to provide additional insights into the underlying processes of these behaviors. Affective responses to seven food odors plus one control nonodor were assessed in 28 female participants (18-30 years) using explicit tests [pleasantness, intensity, and non-verbal emotional ratings (PrEmo)] as well as implicit tests that reflect dynamic expressive emotional reactions (facial expressions) as well as behavioral-preparation responses (autonomic nervous system responses: heart rate, skin conductance, and skin temperature). Explicit tests showed significant differences in pleasantness (P < 0.05), and all PrEmo emotions (P < 0.05) except shame. Explicit emotional responses were summarized by valence (explaining 83% of the responses variance) and arousal (14%) as principal components. Early implicit facial and ANS responses (after 1s) seem to reflect the odors' arousal, whereas later ANS responses (after 3-4s) reflected the odors' valence. The results suggest that explicit measures primarily reflect the odors' valence, as result of from relatively long (conscious) processing, which may be less relevant for odor acceptance in the real world where fast and automated processes based on arousal may play a larger role.

The Exchanged EF‐Hands in Calmodulin and Troponin C Alter the Interaction with Orai1

CaM regulates a Ca2+-dependent inactivation process in store-operated Ca2+ entry, by interacting Orai1. To understand the relationship between Ca2+-induced hydrophobicity and CaM/Orai interaction, chimera proteins constructed by exchanging the four EF-hands of CaM with those of Troponin C (TnC) were employed. Using an ANS fluorescence probe, it was shown that the exchanged EF-hands resulted in reduced hydrophobicity compared with wild-type CaM. ANS lifetime measurements indicated that two types of ANS molecules with rather distinct fluorescence lifetimes exist, each specifically corresponding to one lobe of CaM or chimera. However, such ANS responses exhibited no correlation with the ability to interact with Orai-CMBD. Thermodynamic studies indicated the interaction between CaM and a 24-residue peptide corresponding to the CaM-binding domain of Orail1 (Orai-CMBD) is a 1:2 CaM/Orai-CMBD binding, in which each peptide binding yields a similar enthalpy change (ΔH = -5.02 ± 0.13 kcal/mol) and binding affinity (Ka 8.92 ± 1.03 x 105 M-1). With the exchanged EF1 and EF2, chimeras displayed a two sequential binding mode with a one-order weaker binding affinity and lower ΔH than that of CaM, while the exchanged EF3 and EF4 had similar binding thermodynamics as CaM. The dissociation rate constant for CaM/Orai-CMBD was determined to be 1.41 ± 0.08 s-1 by rapid kinetics. Stern-Volmer plots of Orai-CMBD Trp76, indicated that the residue is located in a very hydrophobic environment but becomes more solvent accessible when EF1 and EF2 are exchanged. In conclusion, exchanging EF-hands has provided insights on the unique 1:2 CaM/Orai-CMBD open binding conformation, as demonstrated by the existing crystal structure.

The exchanged EF-hands in calmodulin and troponin C chimeras impair the Ca²⁺-induced hydrophobicity and alter the interaction with Orai1: a spectroscopic, thermodynamic and kinetic study.

BackgroundCalmodulin (CaM) plays an important role in Ca2+-dependent signal transduction. Ca2+ binding to CaM triggers a conformational change, forming a hydrophobic patch that is important for target protein recognition. CaM regulates a Ca2+-dependent inactivation process in store-operated Ca2+ entry, by interacting Orai1. To understand the relationship between Ca2+-induced hydrophobicity and CaM/Orai interaction, chimera proteins constructed by exchanging EF-hands of CaM with those of Troponin C (TnC) are used as an informative probe to better understand the functionality of each EF-hand.ResultsANS was used to assess the context of the induced hydrophobic surface on CaM and chimeras upon Ca2+ binding. The exchanged EF-hands from TnC to CaM resulted in reduced hydrophobicity compared with wild-type CaM. ANS lifetime measurements indicated that there are two types of ANS molecules with rather distinct fluorescence lifetimes, each specifically corresponding to one lobe of CaM or chimeras. Thermodynamic studies indicated the interaction between CaM and a 24-residue peptide corresponding to the CaM-binding domain of Orail1 (Orai-CMBD) is a 1:2 CaM/Orai-CMBD binding, in which each peptide binding yields a similar enthalpy change (ΔH = −5.02 ± 0.13 kcal/mol) and binding affinity (Ka = 8.92 ± 1.03 × 105 M−1). With the exchanged EF1 and EF2, the resulting chimeras noted as CaM(1TnC) and CaM(2TnC), displayed a two sequential binding mode with a one-order weaker binding affinity and lower ΔH than that of CaM, while CaM(3TnC) and CaM(4TnC) had similar binding thermodynamics as CaM. The dissociation rate constant for CaM/Orai-CMBD was determined to be 1.41 ± 0.08 s−1 by rapid kinetics. Stern-Volmer plots of Orai-CMBD Trp76 indicated that the residue is located in a very hydrophobic environment but becomes more solvent accessible when EF1 and EF2 were exchanged.ConclusionsUsing ANS dye to assess induced hydrophobicity showed that exchanging EFs for all Ca2+-bound chimeras impaired ANS fluorescence and/or binding affinity, consistent with general concepts about the inadequacy of hydrophobic exposure for chimeras. However, such ANS responses exhibited no correlation with the ability to interact with Orai-CMBD. Here, the model of 1:2 binding stoichiometry of CaM/Orai-CMBD established in solution supports the already published crystal structure.

Emotion Recognition based on ANS Responses Evoked by Negative Emotion

Emotion Recognition based on ANS Responses Evoked by Negative Emotion

Discrimination of Three Emotions using Parameters of Autonomic Nervous System Response

Objective: The aim of this study is to compare results of emotion recognition by several algorithms which classify three different emotional states(happiness, neutral, and surprise) using physiological features. Background: Recent emotion recognition studies have tried to detect human emotion by using physiological signals. It is important for emotion recognition to apply on human-computer interaction system for emotion detection. Method: 217 students participated in this experiment. While three kinds of emotional stimuli were presented to participants, ANS responses(EDA, SKT, ECG, RESP, and PPG) as physiological signals were measured in twice first one for 60 seconds as the baseline and 60 to 90 seconds during emotional states. The obtained signals from the session of the baseline and of the emotional states were equally analyzed for 30 seconds. Participants rated their own feelings to emotional stimuli on emotional assessment scale after presentation of emotional stimuli. The emotion classification was analyzed by Linear Discriminant Analysis(LDA, SPSS 15.0), Support Vector Machine (SVM), and Multilayer perceptron(MLP) using difference value which subtracts baseline from emotional state. Results: The emotional stimuli had 96% validity and 5.8 point efficiency on average. There were significant differences of ANS responses among three emotions by statistical analysis. The result of LDA showed that an accuracy of classification in three different emotions was 83.4%. And an accuracy of three emotions classification by SVM was 75.5% and 55.6% by MLP. Conclusion: This study confirmed that the three emotions can be better classified by LDA using various physiological features than SVM and MLP. Further study may need to get this result to get more stability and reliability, as comparing with the accuracy of emotions classification by using other algorithms. Application: This could help get better chances to recognize various human emotions by using physiological signals as well as be applied on human-computer interaction system for recognizing human emotions.

Reliability of ANS responses induced by sadness and disgust induced by audio–visual film clips

Reliability of ANS responses induced by sadness and disgust induced by audio–visual film clips

Understanding Stress in Children

Such reactions are often critical to sur- vival and are not necessarily detrimen- tal. This is usually the case for mild ev- eryday stress, except when it piles onto an already stressed individual. More demanding stresses can prod an individ- ual to develop new strengths, although perhaps at a cost. Stress reactions can be harmful when they are of extraordinary proportions, cumulative, or unremitting. Mediated by physiologic HPA axis and ANS responses, prolonged reactions can increase risks to physical health (eg, hypertension, altered immune responses such as 'pro-infl ammatory' states, meta- bolic changes associated with obesity, di- abetes, and arterioclerosis) and to mental health (eg, post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, as well as motor hy- peractivity, impaired attention, concen- tration, and other learning and behavioral challenges). 1,2 Recent studies have shown that specifi c 5-HTT (5-hydroxytrypta- mine serotonin transporter) gene alleles code for increased vulnerability to de- pression secondary to early childhood stress suggest that early environmental infl uences such as stress can alter mani- festations later in life. Studies also sug- gest that environmental factors can pro- tect against expression of genetic risk. 3

Observation of Action and Autonomic Nervous System Responses

Observing somebody performing an action has been shown to elicit neuronal activity in the premotor cortex. This paper investigated physiological effect of observing an effortful action at the peripheral level. As Autonomic Nervous System responses reflect central nervous system processes such as movement planning and programming, it was expected that observing an action would elicit a pattern of ANS responses matching those recorded during actual movement. 12 male subjects, ages 23 to 28 years (M = 25.5, SD = 1.9), were selected as they were experienced in weight lifting. They were asked to observe a squat movement followed by returning to the upright position under 3 different conditions: (i) observation of actual movement performed by somebody else, (ii) observation of a video of the subject himself (first-person video), and (iii) observation of a video of somebody else performing the same movement (third-person video). Moreover, each movement was observed when performed at 50% and 90% of each participant's personal best mark (% of the highest weight which could be lifted). Three ANS parameters were continuously recorded: skin resistance, temperature and heart rate. ANS responses varied as a function of movement intensity: autonomic responses recorded during movement observation at 90% were significantly higher and longer than those recorded during movement observation at 50%. Thus, autonomic responses were linked to the amount of observed effort. Conversely, no difference was found among the three conditions of observation. ANS responses from observation of actual movement were shown to resemble those recorded under the two conditions of video observation.

108 ANS and CNS responses to violent and comic video: Personality effects

108 ANS and CNS responses to violent and comic video: Personality effects

Autonomic nervous system responses correlate with mental rehearsal in volleyball training

The aim of this study was to assess objectively the processes of mental rehearsing (imagery) by measuring variations of the autonomic nervous system (or ANS responses) during an open-ended complex motor skill in two actual experiments (volleyball) and during mental rehearsing taking place between them. Comparison between pre- and post-test (volleyball) scores related to imagining and non-imagining performances revealed significant improvement in the former (chi2 = 20.9, P < 0.00001) while in the latter chi2 = 27, P < 0.9, NS. The ANS parameters (skin potential and resistance, skin temperature and heat clearance, instantaneous heart rate and respiratory frequency) were quantified by original techniques and indices. Results from a principal component analysis showed a strong correlation between the responses in actual tasks (pre- and post-test volleyball) and during mental imagery, since the same preferential variables appeared on the main axis in 87% of cases. Thus the same autonomic channels seemed to be used during the actual activity and during the mental imagery of this activity. So far as phasic results were concerned, the main finding was a differing development of skill between imagining and non-imagining volleyball players. No clear difference was seen between pre- and post-tests in non-imaginers, except an increase in the median of the duration of the response observed in heat clearance, m1 and m2 respectively [m1 = 5.8 (SD 4.1) s, m2 = 7.6 (SD 3.9) s, P < 0.001]. Conversely, for other ANS parameters, a significant decrease was seen in the post-test responses compared to pre-test responses in the imagining group [for instance, the median of the duration of the resistance responses decreased from m1 = 12.6 (SD 4.3) s, and m2 = 7.8 (SD 4.5) s, P < 0.0001 in imaginers, while no change was observed in non-imaginers: 9.6 (SD 6.0) s vs 9.5 (SD 6.1) s, NS] except in the duration of the heat clearance response where an increase was seen [m1 = 7.3 (SD 5.0) s vs m2 = 7.6 (SD 3.1) s, NS]. Compared to the non-imagining group, the latter result may also have been associated with a response decrease in the imagining group. Thus mental rehearsing induced a specific pattern of autonomic response: decreased amplitude, shorter duration and negative skin potentials compared to the control group. As this pattern was associated with better performance in the tests it can be suggested that in the case of open-ended motor activity, mental rehearsing may help in the construction of schema which can be reproduced, without thinking, in actual practice. Thus a neural information process might develop in the central nervous system changing from a parallel into a serial treatment.

Detection of conformational changes in chloroplast coupling factor 1 by 8-anilino-1-naphthalene-sulphonate fluorescence changes.

Chloroplast coupling factor 1 (CF1) contains a high-affinity binding site for 8-anilino-1-napthalene sulphonate (ANS,Kd = 5-6 microM). The binding of ANS to the enzyme is associated with a fluorescence enhancement and a blue-shift in the emission spectrum. ANS only slightly inhibits ATP hydrolysis by CF1. Adenine nucleotides and inorganic phosphate induce a fast ANS fluorescence quenching of about 50% which is due to a decrease in the affinity of the enzyme for ANS (Kd increases from 6 microM to 22 microM) and in the fluorescence quantum yield of the bound probe (by 33%) but not in the number of ANS sites (n = 1). Conversely, Mg and Ca ions induce a fluorescence enhancement of bound ANS. Inactivation of the enzyme enhances ANS fluorescence, eliminates the response to adenine nucleotides and inorganic phosphate but increases the response to divalent metals. The affinity of latent CF1 for ADP (Kd = 12 microM) is considerably higher than for ATP (Kd = 95 microM) in buffer containing EDTA. The Kd for inorganic phosphate is 140 microM. Mg increases the apparent affinity for ATP (Kd = 28 microM) but not for ADP or Pi. Binding of ATP to the tight-sites does not inhibit the ADP or Pi-induced fluorescence quenching but decreases the affinity for ADP (Kd = 34 microM) and for inorganic phosphate (Kd = 320 microM). These results suggest that the ADP and phosphate binding sites are different but not independent from the tight sites. Activation of a Mg-specific ATPase in CF1 by octyl glucoside decreases the affinity for ADP and inorganic phosphate by about threefold but increases the affinity for ATP. ATPase activation of CF1 also increases the Ki for ADP inhibition of ATP hydrolysis. ATPase activation also influences the ANS responses to Ca and Mg. Ca-ATPase activation increases the fluorescence enhancement and the apparent affinity for Ca whereas Mg-ATPase activation specifically increases the Mg-induced fluorescence enhancement. The fluorescence of CF1-bound ANS is enhanced by Dio-9 and quenched by phloridzin, quercetin, Nbf-Cl and FITC. Nbf-Cl and FITC completely inhibit the ADP-induced fluorescence quenching whereas Dio-9 inhibits the Mg-induced fluorescence enhancement. ANS does not relieve the quercetin or phloridzin inhibition of ATP hydrolysis indicating that these inhibitors do not compete with ANS for a common binding site. ANS may be used, therefore, as a sensitive probe to detect conformational changes in CF1 in response to activation or inactivation and to binding of substrates and of inhibitors.

Effect of ion-transporting antibiotics on the energy-linked reactions of submitochondrial particles

The effects of ion-transporting antibiotics on the energy-linked reactions of submitochondrial particles were studied. It was found that valinomycin and nigericin in the presence of K + led to the release of the oligomycin-induced respiratory control, and to a virtually complete inhibition of the four energy-linked reactions: pyridine nucleotide transhydrogenation, BTB and ANS responses, and reversal of electron transfer. Valinomycin alone in the presence of K + did not release the oligomycin-induced control, but inhibited the energy-linked reactions by approximately 50%. Nigericin alone in the presence of K + stimulated the oligomycin-inhibited respiration by approximately 50%, but did not affect the energy-linked reactions. The results are discussed in terms of current hypotheses of energy coupling in oxidative and photosynthetic phosphorylation.