Cephalic Vasomotor Response Research Articles

The effects of discrimination training on voluntary control of cephalic vasomotor activity.

ABSTRACTThe present study was conducted to test Brener's calibration theory of visceral learning. It was hypothesized that training in discrimination of cephalic vasomotor responses would enhance acquisition of voluntary and biofeedback control of cephalic vasomotor response. Four groups were given discrimination training to detect either constriction, dilation, both constriction and dilation, or given false feedback. All groups were then given biofeedback training in constriction. All groups were assessed on discrimination accuracy, acquisition of biofeedback control of constriction, and voluntary control of dilation and constriction.The results indicated that discrimination of cephalic vasomotor responses can be learned and that this skill facilitates the acquisition of biofeedback and voluntary control of vasomotor responses. This facilitation occurs only if discrimination training is given for the specific response to be learned. The data suggest that discrimination of the relevant response is a necessary but not sufficient condition for acquisition of voluntary control in biofeedback learning.

Psychophysiological comparisons of three kinds of headache subjects during and between headache states: Analysis of post-stress adaptation periods

Twenty-eight chronic headache sufferers of three headache types (migraine, tension and combined migraine-tension) selected on the basis of explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria and matched on five demographic characteristics were assessed in a headache and non-headache state on a number of psychophysiological measures (frontalis, forearm and neck EMG; cephalic vasomotor response; hand surface temperature; heart rate and skin resistance level) and a number of stimulus conditions (baseline, self-control, cognitive and physical stressors). Results indicated no significant differences between the three headache groups or headache states on any measure during baseline condition. Analyses of post-stress adaptation periods led to the area of most significant differences, with a number of findings lending support for Sternbach's inadequate homeostatic responding hypothesis of migraine, but not tension, headache. No support was found for the sustained levels of muscle tension hypothesis of the etiology of tension headache. Implications for the etiology and treatment of headache are discussed.

Inter- and intrasession reliability of psychophysiological poststress adaptation periods

This study examined the intersession and intrasession reliability of poststress adaptation periods. Fifteen undergraduates were assessed four times on measures of cephalic vasomotor response, electromyography (EMG; frontal and forearm flexor), hand surface temperature, heart rate, and skin resistance level. The results indicated no consistent intersession reliability of these measures and good intrasession reliability of all measures except frontal EMG. A 3- min poststress adaptation period was all that was necessary for most measures, again with the exception of frontal EMG, to return to a baseline quiescent state. These results are discussed in terms of the effect these findings have on theories of psychophysiological disorders which postulate impaired recovery processes.

Psychophysiological responding as a function of age: The importance of matching

Few studies in the past which have employed psychophysiological measures have controlled for age. We have studied the effects of age on the heart rate, hand surface temperature, cephalic vasomotor response, and frontal electromyographic activity (EMG) of 73 normal individuals who varied in age from 18 to 68 years and were evenly divided into younger, middle, and older age groups. Comparisons were made between groups across eight conditions — baseline, relax body, warm hand, relax facial muscles, mental arithmetic, positive imagery, negative imagery, and cold pressor. Results indicated a direct linear relationship between age and electromyographic activity during relax facial muscles and mental arithmetic conditions. There was also a linear relationship between age and hand surface temperature during stressor conditions. Most important, significant interactions were found for both frontal EMG and heart rate measures with age. Post hoc analyses revealed differences on the frontal EMG levels between younger and older age groups during negative imagery, warm hand, and cold pressor conditions. Heart rate differences were found during positive imagery between the younger age group and the medium age group and during cold pressor between the younger age group and both the medium and the older groups. The implications of these findings are discussed.

Reliability of psychophysiological assessment

In order to assess the reliability of psychophysiological recording, 15 subjects were assessed on multiple response measures (forehead EMG and forearm flexor EMG, heart rate, skin resistance level, hand surface temperature and cephalic vasomotor response), under multiple stimulus conditions (baseline, self-control, cognitive and physical Stressors), on multiple occasions (Days 1, 2, 8 and 28). Three forms of reliability coefficients were computed for each response measure: coefficients on absolute scores, coefficients on change scores from baseline to stressful conditions and coefficients on percent change from baseline. Only frontal EMG appeared to have consistently high absolute reliability coefficients, with hand surface temperature having high reliability if sessions are repeated within 1 week. Heart rate was less consistently reliable. Treating the responses as relative measures did not increase their reliability; indeed, hand surface temperature was completely unreliable when examined in this fashion. Implications of this study for behavioral medicine, biofeedback and anxiety-based disorders research, as well as Lang's tripartite response system model of fear and emotion, are discussed.

Development of bidirectional operant modification of the cephalic vasomotor response employing a positive reinforcer

The purpose of the present investigation was to assess the effectiveness ofa positive reinforcer in the bidirectional operant conditioning of the cephalic vasomotor response and to study the development, across sessions, of operant control over this response. To this end, 24 male, Caucasian subjects participated in five daily sessions (two shaping sessions and three operant control sessions) during which they were reinforced for producing either vasodilations ( N = 12) or vasoconstrictions ( N = 12) of the temporal artery. The results clearly demonstrated that the cephalic vascular responses can be brought under some degree of operant control employing a positive reinforcement paradigm and further that such control over cephalic vasoconstriction developed more rapidly than did operant control of cephalic vasodilation. Some evidence is presented to support a cognitive mediation effect.

Cephalic vasomotor and electromyographic feedback in the treatment of combined muscle contraction and migraine headaches in a geriatric case.

SYNOPSISThe effects of cephalic vasomotor response (CVMR) feedback and electromyographic (EMG) feedback on control of CVMR, frontalis EMG and temporal artery vasospasms in muscle contraction and migraine headaches were investigated in a 67 year old woman. Systematic reductions in EMG activity were not achieved during EMG feedback. The frequency of temporal artery vasospams declined. No changes in amplitude of blood volume pulse (BVP) were observed during EMG feedback. A decrease in headache activity was associated with EMG feedback which may have been due to the reduction in temporal artery vasospasms. A treatment withdrawal condition was introduced after six EMG feedback sessions during which an increase in headache activity occurred. When CVMR feedback was introduced, the patient achieved significant BVP reductions. This control was related to the largest reduction in headache frequency and duration. Ratings representing subjective perception of the degree of disability because of headache also decreased during EMG feedback, CVMR feedback, and follow‐up. At follow‐up, there was a moderate increase in headache activity which was partially attributed to limited home practice.This case demonstrates the successful use of biofeedback therapy in the treatment of combined vascular and muscle contraction headaches in an elderly patient and suggests that age not be a criterion for eliminating patients from this treatment. In addition, this case further supports the use of cephalic vasomotor feedback as an alternative to temperature training in the treatment of migraine.

Cephalic and digital vasomotor orienting responses: the effect of stimulus intensity and rise time.

ABSTRACTThis study evaluated the effects of rise‐decay time and intensity (70dB; 90dB| of pure tones on cephalic and finger vascular responses. Cephalic dilation responses similar to those reported by Sokolov were obtained, as well as cephalic dilation response*, which were interpreted as attributable to startle. Cephalic constriction responses were observed at 90dB only and occurred more frequently for slow rise than for fast rise tunes which were conducive to the production of startle. The negative results with respect to (he cephalic vasomotor response, reported by most American investigators, can be rationalized from the results of the present study.

Bidirectional operant conditioning of the cephalic vasomotor response

Bidirectional operant conditioning of the cephalic vasomotor response

Cardiovascular components of orienting and defensive responses.

ABSTRACTData from an earlier study of physiological responses to affective visual stimulation were reanalyzed in an attempt to delineate the cardiovascular components of the OR and the DR. A HR response profile to unpleasant stimulation was obtained for each of 49 Ss by computing his average beat‐by‐beat HR response to slides of homicide victims. A hierarchical grouping procedure was then used to group these profiles in terms of similarity. An optimum grouping of three distinct groups of profiles emerged. Group A consisted of 9 Ss whose HR responses were accelerative in nature, Group D of 12 Ss who gave marked decelerative responses, and Group MD of 28 Ss who gave moderate decelerative responses. The cephalic vasomotor response given by Grup A to the homicide slides was vasoconstriction, while the response of Groups D and MD was vasodilation. The results provide some support for the suggestion that the OR consists of HR deceleration and cephalic vasodilation, while the DR consists of HR cceleration and cephalic vasoconstriction. However, it is possible that these “classic” patterns of cardiovascular activity occur in only some Ss and only under certain conditions, and that they may be obscured by the use of undifferentiated group data.

AUTONOMIC RESPONSES TO AFFECTIVE VISUAL STIMULATION

ABSTRACTPhysiological responses were recorded while 48 male Ss viewed a series of 30 slides of homicide scenes, nude females, or ordinary objects. Half the Ss saw the same slide 30 times while the others saw a different slide on each trial. The physiological responses given by all six groups involved were those generally associated with an OR—increase in skin conductance, cardiac deceleration, and digital vasoconstriction. In addition, a biphasic cephalic vasomotor response, consisting of constriction followed by dilation, was observed. Stimulus presentation was also accompanied by a sharp reduction in eyeblink rate.The physiological and eyeblink responses given by Ss who saw a different homicide scene on each trial were generally greater and more resistant to habituation than were those given by other Ss. Ss repeatedly shown the same homicide scene gave relatively small cardiac and cephalic vasomotor responses, and showed rapid habituation of the electrodermal response.