Autonomic Nervous System Responses Research Articles

Cardiorespiratory fitness, regular physical activity, and autonomic nervous system reactivity to laboratory and daily life stress.

The cross-stressor adaptation hypothesis-which posits that adjustment to physical stress as a result of regular physical activity and its effects on fitness crosses over to psychological stress reactivity-has been around for over four decades. However, the literature has been plagued by heterogeneities preventing definitive conclusions. We address these heterogeneity issues in a combined laboratory and daily life study of 116 young adults (M=22.48 SD=3.56, 57.76% female). The exposure, i.e., the potential driver of adaptation, was defined in three ways. First, a submaximal test was performed to obtain aerobic fitness measured as the VO2 max (kg/ml/min). Second, leisure time exercise behavior, and third, overall moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA), were obtained from a structured interview. Outcomes were autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity and affective responsiveness to stressors. ANS activity was measured continuously and expressed as inter-beat-interval (IBI), pre-ejection-period (PEP), respiratory sinus arrythmia (RSA), and non-specific Skin Conductance Responses (ns.SCR). Negative and positive affect were recorded after each experimental condition in the laboratory and hourly in daily life with a nine-item digital questionnaire. Linear regressions were performed between the three exposure measures as predictors and the various laboratory and daily life stress measurements as outcomes. Our results support the resting heart rate reducing effect of aerobic fitness and total MVPA in both the laboratory and daily life. We did not find evidence for the cross-stressor adaptation hypothesis, irrespective of ANS or affective outcome measure or whether the exposure was defined as exercise/MVPA or aerobic fitness.

Physiological indicators of emotional arousal related to ANS activity in response to associative cards for psychotherapeutic PTSD treatment.

SEE FAR CBT is an integrative treatment protocol for PTSD and anxiety disorders which combines CBT, body-mind (somatic experience) and imagery-based (fantastic reality; FR) methods. FR is introduced using associative therapeutic cards (COPE cards) to represent both "a pleasant/safe place" and the re-narrating process of the traumatic story. Although some preliminary evidence exists regarding the impact of COPE cards integration in psychotherapy, further validation is needed as to whether these cards can induce distinct arousal-affective states in the observer. The aim of this study was to examine whether exposure to COPE cards evoke different emotional-psychophysiological states using objective physiological measures reflecting autonomic nervous system responses; hence, to further validate its use as a potentially effective tool within the context of SEE FAR CBT therapeutic process. Ninety-five healthy under-graduate participants were first exposed to high-arousal, negatively-valenced cards and asked to put themselves in a state of emotional/physical arousal. Afterwards, they were exposed to low-arousal, positively-valenced cards and were asked to try to calm and relax to the best of their ability. Heart rate, blood pressure and heart rate variability (HRV) were measured at baseline, at the arousal phase and finally at the relaxation phase. It was found that exposure to arousing negative cards resulted in significant increase in blood pressure and a decrease in HRV, while exposure to relaxing positive cards resulted in significant decrease in blood pressure and an increase in HRV. These findings support the efficacy and utility of associative COPE cards in affecting psychophysiological arousal.

Autonomic nervous system responses of dogs to human-dog interaction videos

We examined whether dogs show emotional response to social stimuli played on videos. Secondary, we hypothesized that if dogs recognize themselves in videos, they will show a different emotional response to videos of self and other dogs. We compared heart rate variability among four video stimuli: a video of the owner ignoring another dog (OW-A-IGN), a video of a non-owner interacting with another dog (NOW-A-INT), a video of the owner interacting with another dog (OW-A-INT), and a video of the owner interacting with the dog subject (OW-S-INT). The results showed that root mean square of the difference between adjacent R-R Intervals (RMSSD) and standard deviation of the R-R Interval (SDNN) were lower in NOW-A-INT and OW-S-INT than in OW-A-IGN. There was no statistical difference in the responses to OW-S-INT and OW-A-INT, suggesting that dogs did not distinguish themselves and other dogs in videos. On the other hand, the difference in mean R-R Interval between OW-S-INT and OW-A-INT showed positive correlation with the score of attachment or attention-seeking behavior. Therefore, this study does not completely rule out self-recognition in dogs and there remains the possibility that the more attached a dog to its owner, the more distinct the dog's emotional response to the difference between the self-video stimulus and the video stimulus of another dog. Further studies are needed to clarify this possibility.

Autonomic nervous system reactivity and preschoolers' social dominance.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of skin conductance level reactivity (SCLR) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity (RSAR) in preschoolers' social dominance, as well as potential gender differences in these associations. Reactivity was assessed in response to viewing videos of social exclusion and a post-aggression discussion. In a community sample of 94 preschool children followed over one calendar year, reactivity to the post-aggression discussion, but not exclusion, video was related to social dominance. Specifically, increased RSAR to the post-aggression discussion video was positively associated with concurrent social dominance for both boys and girls. Longitudinally, for boys only, coactivation (i.e., increases in SCLR accompanied by increases in RSAR) to the post-aggression discussion video, which may reflect dysregulated, emotionally labile reactions to stress, was associated with relatively low levels of social dominance across the course of the year. Overall, findings contribute to a growing literature documenting the role of autonomic reactivity in preschoolers' social adjustment and extend this work to their capacity to achieve and maintain socially dominant positions with peers.

Misophonia: Prevalence, impact and co-morbidity among Mysore University students in India - A survey

Misophonia is a sound tolerance disorder in which certain sounds trigger an intensely emotional or physiological response caused by an increased autonomic nervous system reaction to the triggers. Misophonia is a relatively new condition, and the assessment and management of this condition are not known yet. The epidemiological data of misophonia in the Indian scenario is unknown, without which better planning evaluation and management is not possible. Hence, our study aims to determine the prevalence of misophonia and its impact and co-morbidity among Mysore university students in India. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted on 172 students of Mysore University between the age ranges of 18 to 30 years through an online survey mode. The Amsterdam Misophonia Questionnaire (A-MISO-S) and Misophonia Assessment Questionnaire (MAQ) have been used to find the prevalence and severity of misophonia. Statistical analyses were carried out using SPSS 25.0 software. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and a chi-square test to determine the variables' association. The prevalence of misophonia among Mysore university students has been documented. Almost 48.27% of participants reported misophonia symptoms, and 23.28% reported clinically significant misophonia. The result showed that misophonia could occur in isolation or with a co-morbid condition such as tinnitus and hyperacusis. Statistical analysis showed no association between gender and the occurrence of misophonia. Misophonia is a prevalent neurophysiological condition with a significant impact on the quality of life of the sufferers. This is the first study of this kind in an Indian scenario and can be a guiding tool for researchers to know about the prevalence of misophonia, its impact, and co-morbidity among the sufferers.

Physically active men present a healthier cardiometabolic profile in response to a balanced meal compared to inactive men.

Post-meal cardiometabolic responses are critical for health, and may be influenced by physical activity. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of habitual physical activity level on the metabolic, autonomic nervous system and cardiovascular responses to a balanced meal in healthy men. 12 active and 12 inactive healthy males, matched for age and body composition, attended the laboratory in fasting condition. Participants were asked to sit quietly and comfortably in an armchair for the whole duration of the experiment (~ 2h30). Metabolic, autonomic nervous system and cardiovascular measurements were performed in fasting conditions, and at regular intervals until one hour after the end of a balanced breakfast. No significant difference was observed between groups in glycaemia or energy expenditure throughout the experiment. Fat oxidation rate was significantly higher one-hour post-meal in active vs inactive men (Respiratory Quotient: 0.78 ± 0.04 vs 0.88 ± 0.03; p < 0.01). Heart rate was significantly lower in active compared to inactive individuals (p < 0.001) throughout the experiment and active participants displayed significantly enhanced vagal tone one-hour post-meal (square root of the sum of successive differences between adjacent normal R-R intervals squared: 72.4 ± 27.9 vs 46.4 ± 14.1ms; p < 0.05). In healthy men, habitual physical activity level seems discriminant to decipher specific profiles in terms of cardiometabolic responses to a meal. Overall, it may suggest pre-signal cardiometabolic impairments in healthy inactive individuals and highlight the need to consider primary prevention in inactive subjects as a key factor for health management.

Non-contact neuromodulation of the human autonomic nervous system function via different odors: Sex, menstrual cycle, and odor dose- and duration-specific effects.

In recent decades, it has been uncovered that the autonomic nervous system (ANS) can be influenced using non-contact neuromodulation via odor stimulation. Increasing parasympathetic-vagal activation of the ANS is integral to improving the sympathovagal balance between the sympathetic- and parasympathetic nervous systems, which is often imbalanced in several chronic inflammatory disorders, such as rheumatoid arthritis and inflammatory bowel diseases. Although research into olfactory stimulation has been observed on the ANS, it is still lacking in the exploration of odor concentration and odor-specific effects. This is particularly the case as research has not utilized specified tools, such as the olfactometer to provide precise odor delivery. Furthermore, no research has compared the results in separate sex cohorts to investigate the role of sex or the menstrual stage on the subsequent interactions. In this study, we investigated the olfactory stimulation effects of four natural odors (mushroom, lavender, jasmine, and rose) in three concentrations (low, moderate, and high) on the ANS. To observe activity from the ANS, we used an electrocardiogram (ECG) based heart rate variability (HRV) and eye-tracker technology (pupil diameter). We found for the first time in literature that there were acute dose- and duration-specific odor effects of odors on the ANS. We also found sex and menstrual cycle effects in this interaction. Furthermore, there were stark distinctions in sympathovagal activity dependent ANS activation (HRV) in comparison to the oculomotor nerve-parasympathetic/cervical sympathetic nerves dependent ANS responses (pupil diameter). Sympathovagal activity dependent HRV showed odor, sex, and menstrual-stage interactions in both divisions of the ANS while the pupil responses only indicated increased sympathetic activation. These results shed light on the use of odor-specific stimulation to modulate the ANS activity in the context of sex and the menstrual stage. Future studies should be performed using a chronic odor delivery design to investigate the long-term effects of odors on the ANS.Clinical trial registrationAustralian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry, identifier [ACTRN12622000415707].

Psychophysiological and Metabolomics Responses of Adults during Horticultural Activities Using Soil Inoculated with Streptomyces rimosus: A Pilot Study.

This study compared the physiological effects at a metabolomics level with autonomic nervous system responses in adults during soil mixing activities, based on the presence or absence of Streptomyces rimosus in the soil. Thirty adult participants performed soil mixing activities for 5 min using sterilized soil with culture media and Streptomyces rimosus, respectively. Blood samples were drawn twice from each participant after each activity. Electroencephalograms were measured during the activity. Serum metabolites underwent metabolite profiling by gas chromatography, followed by multivariate analyses. Serum brain-derived neurotrophic factor and C-reactive protein levels were measured by Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay. Soil-emitted volatile organic compounds were identified via solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography–mass spectroscopy, followed by multivariate analyses. The volatile compound analysis revealed that the terpenoid and benzoid compounds, geosmin, and 2-methylisoborneol were greater in soil with Streptomyces rimosus. Serum metabolomics revealed that the treatment group (soil inoculated with Streptomyces rimosus) possessed relatively higher levels of serotonin compared to the control group (soil mixed with culture media), and serum C-reactive protein levels were significantly lower in the treatment group. In the treatment group, the electroencephalogram revealed that alpha band activity of the occipital lobe increased. This study concludes that Streptomyces rimosus soil contact can positively affect human metabolic and autonomic reactions. Therefore, this pilot study confirmed the possible role of soil microorganisms in horticultural activities for psychophysiological effects in humans.

The development and clinical application of a novel schizophrenia screening system using yoga-induced autonomic nervous system responses.

Background: In severe cases, schizophrenia can result in suicide and social isolation. Diagnosis delay can lead to worsening symptoms, and often results in prolonged therapy. An estimated 50%–80% of patients with schizophrenia are unaware of their condition. Biomarkers for schizophrenia are important for receiving a diagnosis from a psychiatrist at an early stage. Although previous studies have investigated near-infrared spectroscopy as a biomarker for schizophrenia, the required equipment is expensive and not designed for home use. Hence, we developed a novel home-use schizophrenia screening system that uses a wearable device to measure autonomic nervous system responses induced by yoga, which is frequently adopted in rehabilitation for schizophrenia. Materials and methods: The schizophrenia screening system automatically distinguishes patients with schizophrenia from healthy subjects via yoga-induced transient autonomic responses measured with a wearable wireless electrocardiograph (ECG) using linear discriminant analysis (LDA; Z score ≥ 0 → suspected schizophrenia, Z-score < 0 → healthy). The explanatory variables of LDA are averages of four indicators: components of heart rate variability (HRV): the very low-frequency (VLF), the low-frequency (LF), HR, and standard deviation of the NN intervals (SDNN). In the current study, HRV is defined as frequency domain HRV, which is determined by integrating RRI power spectrum densities from 0.0033 to 0.04 Hz (VLF) and 0.04–0.15 Hz (LF), and as time domain HRV, SDNN of which is calculated as the mean of the standard deviations of the RR intervals. These variables were measured before (5 min), during (15 min), and after (5 min) yoga in a 15-min mindfulness-based yoga program for schizophrenia (MYS). The General Health Questionnaire-28 (GHQ28) score was used to assess the severity of mental disorders for patients with schizophrenia and healthy volunteers. Twelve patients with schizophrenia (eight female and four male, 23–60 years old) and 16 healthy volunteers (seven female and nine male, 22–54 years old) were recruited. Results: The schizophrenia screening system achieved sensitivity of 91% and specificity of 81%. Z-scores of LDA were significantly correlated with GHQ28 scores (r = 0.45, p = 0.01). Conclusion: Our proposed system appears to be promising for future automated preliminary schizophrenia screening at home.

Salivary uric acid reactivity and baseline associations with physiological stress response

Uric acid, an end product of the purinergic system, plays a role in several physiological systems that are responsive to stress. However, few studies have examined whether (1) uric acid concentrations change in response to acute stress, and (2) there are cross-system associations where uric acid might influence other physiological system responses to acute physical stress. The present study measured indices of the purinergic, hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, sympathetic, and parasympathetic systems (uric acid, cortisol, pre-ejection period, and root mean square of successive differences, respectively) in response to a standardized acute physical pain stressor, the cold pressor task. A diverse sample of participants (n = 67; mean age = 20.5 years, 52% female; 48% male) from a larger study completed anthropometric measurements and took part in a room temperature water task followed by the cold pressor task and sociodemographic questionnaires. Throughout the study, electrocardiography and impedance cardiography were measured continuously, and five saliva samples were collected that were later assayed for cortisol and uric acid. Descriptively, uric acid increased about 32 min following completion of the cold pressor. Resting uric acid concentrations were not associated with the autonomic nervous system response, but higher resting uric acid concentrations were associated with increased cortisol concentrations. Future research should examine the extent to which the purinergic system influences, and is influenced by, other types of stress and other physiological systems. The current findings highlight the potential role of an understudied biomarker and physiological system in the stress literature and have implications for basic and mechanistic researchers who study psychoneuroendocrinology, stress, and health.

Can interoceptive sensitivity provide information on the difference in the perceptual mechanisms of recurrent and chronic pain? Part I. A retrospective clinical study related to multidimensional pain assessment.

Although neurobiological research has shown that interoception plays a role in the perception of pain and its chronification, the relationship between interoceptive sensitivity and pain has not been definitively confirmed by clinical studies. The aim of this study was therefore to better understand the relationship between interoceptive sensitivity, somatization, and clinical pain, and to identify any differences in the interoceptive sensitivity of patients with recurrent vs. chronic pain. Scores from 43 Chronic pain subjects, assessed using ICD-11 Criteria; 42 healthy subjects (without pain or psychiatric disorders); and 38 recurrent pain subjects on the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA), Body Perception Questionnaire (BPQ-SF), Somatosensory amplification scale (SSAS), Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-15), Symptom Checklist-Revised (SCL-90-R), and Italian Pain Questionnaire (IPQ) were compared. Negative attention to the body was indicated by higher scores of psychosomatic dimensions as SSAS, SCL90R somatization, and PHQ-15 in recurrent, but especially chronic pain (p<0.000 for all). An increase in psychosomatic dimension scores (i.e.,somatization, somatosensory amplification) was associated with an increase in both autonomic nervous system reactivity (ANSR) dimension scores and the negative influence of the Not-worrying, attention regulation and trusting of the MAIA. In contrast, the presence of pain and scores for its dimensions with associated with lower supra-diaphragmatic activity as per the BPQ. Pain chronification might depend on both the impairment of interoceptive sensitivity and an increase on psychosomatic dimensions via modification of ANSR hyperactivity and a reduction of the MAIA Not-worrying dimension.

Autonomic nervous system markers of music-elicited analgesia in people with fibromyalgia: A double-blind randomized pilot study.

PurposeTo investigate the feasibility of using music listening by adults with fibromyalgia (FM) as a potential tool for reducing pain sensitivity.Patients and methodsWe report results from a double-blind two-arm parallel randomized pilot study (NCT04059042) in nine participants with FM. Pain tolerance and threshold were measured objectively using quantitative sensory tests; autonomic nervous system (ANS) reactivity was measured with an electrocardiogram. Participants were randomized to listen to instrumental Western Classical music or a nature sound control to test whether music listening elicits greater analgesic effects over simple auditory distraction. Participants also completed separate control testing with no sound that was counterbalanced between participants.ResultsParticipants were randomized 1:1 to music or nature sounds (four Music and five Nature). Although the groups were not different on FM scores, the Music group had marginally worse temporal pain summation (p = 0.06), and the Nature group had higher anxiety scores (p < 0.05). Outcome measures showed a significant difference between groups in the magnitude of change in temporal summation between sessions (p < 0.05), revealing that the Nature group had greater pain reduction during audio compared to silence mode, while the Music group had no difference between the sessions. No significant effects were observed for either mechanical pain tolerance or ANS testing. Within the Music group, there was a trend of vagal response increase from baseline to music listening, but it did not reach statistical significance; this pattern was not observed in the Nature group.ConclusionAuditory listening significantly altered pain responses. There may be a greater vagal response to music vs. nature sounds; however, results could be due to group differences in pain and anxiety. This line of study will help in determining whether music could be prophylactic for people with FM when acute pain is expected.

Sex Differences In Heart Rate Variability During Arm And Leg Cycling

Heart rate variability (HRV) is a biomarker that can provide insight into cardiac autonomic function. HRV can be affected by sex, different modes of exercise, and different exercise intensities. However, HRV responses to intensities based on mode-specific cardiopulmonary parameters in arm and leg cycling have yet to be examined in males and females. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate HRV obtained during an isocaloric arm and leg cycling exercise performed at heavy and moderate intensities. METHODS: A total of 14 females (age = 24.2 ± 6.0 years, BMI = 24.4 ± 4.7 kg/m2) and 10 males (age = 22.8 ± 1.9 years, BMI = 26.8 ± 6.2 kg/m2) were included in the final analysis. The participants completed four different isocaloric exercise trials until they reached 100 kcal: moderate intensity leg cycling, heavy intensity leg cycling, moderate intensity arm cycling, and heavy intensity arm cycling. The intensity was determined relative to the ventilatory threshold and maximal power output attained during a graded exercise test for arm and leg cycling. A heart rate monitor recorded the R-R intervals at 1000 Hz and the root mean square of the standard deviation of the R-R intervals (RMSSD) were analyzed using specialized software. A three-way (mode x intensity x sex) repeated measures ANOVA was used to compare the average (log transformed) RMSSD achieved during each trial. Alpha was set at 0.05. RESULTS: A significant interaction was found between mode and sex (p = 0.026). Post-hoc analysis revealed higher RMSSD during arm cycling as compared to leg cycling for females (p < .01) but no difference in males (p > 0.05). A significant main effect for intensity (p < 0.01) was also shown with lower RMSSD for heavy (1.37 ± 0.07 ms) compared moderate (2.02 ± 0.07 ms) exercise intensities. CONCLUSION: Sex-based differences in RMSSD could signify unique autonomic nervous system responses during exercises of different modes. In our female participants, we found a higher level of cardiac parasympathetic nervous activation during arm cycling compared to leg cycling. This difference was not found in our male participants. These differences could be related to a different respiratory control during exercise.

РОЛЬ ВЕГЕТАТИВНОЙ НЕРВНОЙ СИСТЕМЫ В ГЕНЕЗЕ ПЕРВИЧНОЙ ХРОНИЧЕСКОЙ БОЛИ У ПОДРОСТКОВ ПО РЕЗУЛЬТАТАМ ВЫБОРОЧНОГО КРОСС-СЕКЦИОННОГО ИССЛЕДОВАНИЯ

The “Chronic Pain” in children and adolescents is an expression that is currently not used widely in Russian pediatric practice. At the same time the clinical variants of Chronic Pain are widely used in practice and are often considered within the classification framework of autonomic dysfunction. The purpose of the study was to determine the possible influence of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) on the occurrence and course of Chronic Pain in male adolescents with recurrent headaches and abdominal pains as the example diagnoses; to value the various diagnostic criteria of ANS activity indicators for Chronic Pain; to demonstrate the doubtfulness of attributing these manifestations of Chronic Pain to ANS diseases. Materials and methods: the research work was carried out in February to May, 2013. A selective cross-sectional study was conducted among 14 to 18 years old male pupils of the cadet corps. The main group of patients consisted of adolescents with headaches and/or abdominal pains (n=90, average age 15.5 y/o, CI 15.2-15.8), whose clinical characteristics fully consistent with generally accepted international criteria for primary headaches and functional disorders occurring with abdominal pains. The comparison group (n=93, average age 15.6 y/o, CI 15.3-15.9) consisted of apparently healthy male adolescents. The VNS indicators were assessed using the A.M. Wayne questionnaire (the N.A. Belokon version) coupled with the cardiointervalography (CIG) data: the background ANS activity indicators as the baseline and the characteristics of the ANS reactivity. The CIG was performed in 111 (60.7%) patients who had sinus rhythm according to the ECG data. In the remaining 72 (39.3%) patients the ectopic atrial rhythm was detected which had prevented the evaluation of the CIG results. To assess the ANS activity characteristics with a masked method the ECG was registered and deciphered in 100% of patients; and the CIG in patients with the absence of cardiac arrhythmias. In addition, all of the participants (183) have undergone a clinical assessment of the initial autonomic tone using a questionnaire. Results: there were no statistically significant differences in the ANS activity between the two groups of patients: those with primary Chronic Pain and healthy individuals. There was therefore no significant diagnostic value found of the abovementioned characteristics according to the odds ratio criterion. The evidence of the VNS role in the genesis of the primary Chronic Pain was not registered. Conclusion: the conventional belief that headaches and abdominal pains are a manifestation of autonomic dysfunction had not been confirmed. The existing concept of ANS dysfunction with polymorphic clinical manifestations, including pain, has no proper justification and raises doubts about its appropriateness.

Polyvagal Theory and Its Clinical Potential: An Overview

The polyvagal theory, proposed by Stephen Porges, describes the adaptive responses of the mammalian autonomic nervous system. According to this novel theory, the vagus nerve functions through two independent pathways, referred to as the ventral and the dorsal vagal pathways. The ventral vagus is a myelinated nerve that has newly emerged in mammals and in coordination with cranial nerves regulates the muscles of the face and head to form the ventral vagal complex, which enables social engagement via exchange of safety cues and downregulating sympathetic defense reaction. In a safe environment, mammals normally adapt using the social engagement system; however, depending on the degree of risk exposure in the environment, activation of the sympathetic nervous system triggers the fight-or-flight response, and the dorsal vagal system initiates the immobilization shutdown response. The involuntary neural process through which the nervous system evaluates risk is referred to as neuroception. The polyvagal theory explains the pathophysiology of trauma and various physical symptoms associated with ventral vagal complex dysfunction. Moreover, this may potentially be useful as a fundamental theory in psychotherapy, in which the quality of social interaction is critical.

Dampened autonomic nervous system responses to stress and substance use in adolescence.

We investigated whether parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) responses to social-evaluative threat at age 14 were related to the number of substances used between ages 14 and 16 among Mexican-origin adolescents (N=243; 70.4% had never used substances by 14). Participants completed the Trier Social Stress Test, while cardiac measures of parasympathetic and SNS activity were measured continuously using respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and pre-ejection period (PEP), respectively. Participants reported whether they had ever used alcohol, marijuana, and cigarettes, and had ever vaped nicotine in their lifetime at ages 14 and 16. Multilevel models were used to test associations between RSA and PEP responses at age 14 and substance use at 16. Among youth who had not used substances by 14, dampened RSA and PEP responses, and profiles of greater coinhibition and lower reciprocal SNS activation between RSA and PEP, at age 14 were associated with using substances by 16. Among youth who used by 14, exaggerated PEP responses were associated with using more substances by age 16. Taken together, dampened autonomic responses to social-evaluative threat predicted initiation of substance use over two years, and difficulties with coordination of physiological responses may confer risk for substance use in adolescence.

Women Emotional, Cognitive and Physiological Modes of Coping with Daily Urban Environments: A Pilot Study.

Studies on the effect of urban environments on human risk to health and well-being tend to focus on either physiological or cognitive and emotional effects. For each of these effects, several indicators have been proposed. They are determined either by a physiological-emotional theory or by a cognitive theory of direct attention. However, the interrelationships between these indices have not been thoroughly investigated in environmental contexts. Recently, a neuro-visceral model that incorporates all three aspects has been proposed. The present article focuses on understanding the mechanism of coping with urban environments. More specifically, we analyze the interrelations among nine of the more commonly used indices that represent the physiological, emotional and cognitive aspects of coping with urban environments. The data were collected in the following four environments: home, park, city center and residential area. The participants were 72 healthy, middle-class mothers with either high school or postgraduate education. They wherein their fertile age (20–35) with average Body Mass Index (BMI) of 22.2 and S.D. of 0.8 (48 Arab Muslims and 24 Jewish). They were recruited in a snowball method. Path analysis and principal component analysis are used in order to identify the interrelations among the physiological, cognitive and emotional indices and the directions of these interrelations. According to the findings, the Autonomic Nervous System (ANS), as measured by Heart Rate Variability (HRV) and primarily the parasympathetic tone (High frequency-HF) is the pivotal mechanism that modulates emotional and cognitive responses to environmental nuisances. The ANS response precedes and may trigger the emotional and the cognitive responses, which are only partially interrelated. It appears that the autonomic balance measured by Standard Deviation of NN interval (SDNN) and HF, the cognitive index of restoration and the emotional indices of discomfort and relaxation are closely interrelated. These seemingly disparate operands work together to form a comprehensive underlying network that apparently causes stress and risk to health in urban environments while restoring health in green environments.

Autonomic Nervous System Indices of Player Readiness During Elite-Level Rugby Union Game-Week Microcycles.

Grainger, A, Heffernan, S, Waldron, M, and Sawczuk, T. Autonomic nervous system indices of player readiness during elite-level rugby union game-week microcycles. J Strength Cond Res 36(11): 3173-3178, 2022-Elite-level rugby union (RU) is a high-intensity contact sport that involves large training and match volumes across a season, which can lead to postmatch fatigue. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulation and perceived fatigue have been suggested to relate to measures of training and match load in RU. However, there have been no studies to assess specific ANS variables in elite RU during in-season microcycles. Player readiness during game-week microcycles was measured via heart rate variability (HRV) indices, direct current potential and self-reported well-being among 13, elite, male RU players. To enable comparison, data collection days were categorized in relation to their proximity to match day, ranging from match day minus 3 (MD - 3), to match day plus 3 (MD + 3). Differences between match days were evaluated using general linear models and Cohen's d effect sizes. There were significant differences between MD and MD + 1 for ANS indices (RMSSD p = 0.04, d = -0.66, 95% CI 0.11-1.20; the standard deviation of NN intervals p = 0.04, d = -0.66, 95% CI 0.12-1.20; total power p = 0.05, d = -0.65, 95% CI 0.11-1.20) and wellness measures (readiness p = 0.18; d = -2.33, 95% CI, 1.54-3.13; energy p = 0.02; d = -2.24, 95% CI 1.44-3.03; soreness p = 0.00; d = -2.42, 95% CI 1.63-3.23). Match day plus 3 effects were significantly greater than MD + 1 in several ANS responses, with wellness recovering at a slower time-course than ANS responses. Measures of HRV are dysregulated postmatch, but based on their rapid recovery thereafter, using HRV to assess readiness of elite-level players in RU across a weekly microcycle could be limited and requires further investigation.

The practice of ontogenetically determined movements of standing up among children and adolescents at the Department of Hematopoietic Stem Cell Transplantation as a preventive measure for orthostatic hypotension

Hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) requires a long hospitalization during which patients have to stay in transplantation wards, mainly in their single isolation rooms. One of the main goals of rehabilitation for HSCT patients is to prevent physical activity deficit by the introduction of an appropriate exercise programme and the monitoring of exercise adherence. The aim of our study was to evaluate the effectiveness of the prescribed exercise programme based on basic locomotor patterns to prevent physical activity deficit. The interim results of the prospective randomized controlled study included data from 20 patients. The study was approved by the Independent Ethics Committee and the Scientific Council of the 1Dmitry Rogachev National Medical Research Center of Pediatric Hematology, Oncology and Immunology of Ministry of Healthcare of the Russian Federation. An experimental group included 11 patients aged 8–16 years old (the median age was 12 years old); a control group included 9 patients aged 5–11 years old (the median age was 8 years old). Patients from the experimental group were preliminarily taught a set of exercises aimed at practicing ontogenically determined standing up which they should further perform during a day in their isolation rooms. The control group patients received recommendations on how to maintain physical activity in their isolation rooms. Their physical activity during a day was then monitored by the researchers. All study subjects underwent an orthoclinostatic test (i.e., transition from lying to standing and back) for the evaluation of the autonomic nervous system function on Day 1 of pre-transplant conditioning therapy and at the time of discharge from the HSCT Department. During the entire stay at the HSCT Department, the patients from both groups were daily assessed using the ADL (activities of daily living) scale. At the time of discharge from the HSCT Department, the experimental group patients showed more adaptive autonomic nervous system responses than the control group patients. Our interim analysis showed that the patients from the experimental group had higher scores of activities of daily living than the control patients. Orthoclinostatic test results confirmed that patients undergoing HSCT for acute leukemia were predisposed to develop maladaptive conditions or even orthostatic hypotension. A set of exercises including those for the training of ontogenetically determined process of standing up was shown to be an effective tool for the prevention of insufficient autonomic nervous system responses. Even a short (30 min) face-to-face session with a physical therapist significantly increased a patient's daily physical activity.

The association between cortisol-AA coordination in response to stress, negative urgency, and antisocial behavior in an urban adult sample

Prior study has found that the interplay of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and the autonomic nervous system (ANS) influences behavior problems in youth. Yet, little is known regarding this relationship in adults and traits related to the coordination of the stress systems. This study aims to extend the findings of a youth sample that the coordination between HPA and ANS, measured as cortisol and alpha-amylase (AA) respectively, was associated with antisocial behavior in adults. Additionally, this study tests whether cortisol-AA coordination was associated with a conceptually relevant trait, negative urgency. A heterogeneous sample of 124 adults (college students, active offenders, and demographically matched controls) was recruited from a southern city. Participants filled out instruments for negative urgency and antisocial behavior, completed a modified Trier Social Stress Test (mTSST), and provided four saliva samples before and after mTSST to assay for cortisol and AA. Results showed that cortisol-AA stress coordination was stronger among offenders than other groups. Cortisol-AA stress coordination was also positively associated with antisocial behavior and with negative urgency. This study found support for the interpretation that cortisol-AA stress coordination may indicate an overshooting ANS response at high emotional distress, and highlight the importance of the multisystem approach in gaining new insights into behavior research.