Role Of Parasympathetic Activity Research Articles

Immigration stress and maternal sensitivity in a Mexican immigrant sample: The role of parasympathetic activity and familism value.

The present study examined whether immigration stress was related to decreased capacities for psychophysiological stress regulation (as indexed by respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA]) and whether lower RSA, in turn, was related to decreased maternal sensitivity. The buffering effect of familism values was also evaluated, such that familism values were expected to minimize associations between immigration stress, RSA, and sensitivity. Data were drawn from a longitudinal study of Mexican immigrant mothers (N = 277; Mage = 28 years). Mothers self-reported immigration stress and familism values, and mothers' resting RSA and sensitivity were assessed during laboratory visits. Higher immigration stress was associated with higher RSA (B = .15, SE = .07, p = .04) but was unrelated to maternal sensitivity. Moreover, links between more immigration stress and higher RSA were more pronounced among mothers who reported stronger familism values (B = .20, SE = .07, p = .003). The present study contributes to our understanding of the sequelae of immigration stress in Mexican immigrant mothers and the cultural resiliency factors that may alter its effects. In contrast to hypotheses, findings suggested that mothers who endorse more immigration stress may also exhibit higher RSA, and links may be more pronounced among those with strong familism values. Further research is needed to advance understanding of resiliency processes that promote family functioning in vulnerable populations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

TO STUDY THE CHANGES IN AUTONOMIC NERVOUS ACTIVITY IN DIFFERENT SLEEPING POSITIONS ADOPTED BY PREGNANT FEMALES IN LAST TRIMESTER BY CARDIAC AUTONOMIC NEUROPATHY ANALYZER

Background- Pregnancy is associated with substantial changes in cardiovascular system. The action of the autonomic nervous system is thought to be essential for the circulatory adaptation seen in pregnancy and nourishing growing fetus. Aims and objective- The study was conducted to assess the changes in autonomic nervous activity in different sleeping positions adopted by pregnant females in last trimester and compare it with non pregnant females. Material and methods: A Comparative study was carried out amongst pregnant and non pregnant women in Department of Physiology. A total of 60 women (30 pregnant as study group and 30 non pregnant healthy women as control group) aged between 18- 30 years were included in study. Results: The present study showed the role of parasympathetic activity in controlling hemodynamic in late pregnancy and left lateral position is found to be better recumbent position for uteroplacental circulation. Conclusions: it was concluded that the supine position should be avoided and the left lateral decubitus position encouraged in late pregnancy, since the suppression of cardiac vagal activity and enhancement of cardiac sympathetic activity were greatest in the supine position and are least in the left lateral position.

Low frequency activation of the sphenopalatine ganglion does not induce migraine-like attacks in migraine patients.

Cephalic autonomic symptoms occur in 27‒73% of migraine patients during attacks. The role of parasympathetic activation in migraine attack initiation remains elusive. Low frequency stimulation of the sphenopalatine ganglion increases parasympathetic outflow. In this study, we hypothesized that low frequency stimulation of the sphenopalatine ganglion would provoke migraine-like attacks in migraine patients. In a double-blind randomized sham-controlled crossover study, 12 migraine patients with a sphenopalatine ganglion neurostimulator received low frequency or sham stimulation for 30 min on two separate days. We recorded headache characteristics, cephalic autonomic symptoms, ipsilateral mechanical perception and pain thresholds, mean blood flow velocity in the middle cerebral artery (VMCA) and diameter of the superficial temporal artery during and after stimulation. Five patients (42%) reported a migraine-like attack after low frequency stimulation compared to six patients (50%) after sham (p = 1.000). We found a significant increase in mechanical detection thresholds during low frequency stimulation compared to baseline (p = 0.007). Occurrence of cephalic autonomic symptoms and changes in mechanical perception thresholds, VMCA and diameter of the superficial temporal artery showed no difference between low frequency stimulation compared to sham (p = 0.533). Low frequency stimulation of the sphenopalatine ganglion did not induce migraine-like attacks or autonomic symptoms in migraine patients. These data suggest that increased parasympathetic outflow by the sphenopalatine ganglion neurostimulator does not initiate migraine-like attacks.Study protocol: ClinicalTrials.gov registration number NCT02510742.

The role of parasympathetic activity in the relationship between worry and neural indicators of attentional control.

The role of parasympathetic activity in the relationship between worry and neural indicators of attentional control.

Overcoming Selfishness: Reciprocity, Inhibition, and Cardiac-Autonomic Control in the Ultimatum Game

The processes underlying decision-making in response to unfair offers in the ultimatum game (UG) have recently been discussed in light of models of reciprocity and fairness-related behavior. It has been suggested that behavior following norm-oriented, internalized expectations of reciprocity requires overcoming economic self-interest. In this study we investigated both, behavioral and peripheral-physiological indicators of inhibitory capacity related to neuronal networks that are likely to be involved in the behavioral response to unfair offers. Both heart-rate variability as an index of inhibitory capacity, and performance in a motor response inhibition task predicted rejection of unfair offers in an UG, suggesting an important role of inhibitory processes in overcoming economic temptations and regulating behavior conforming to social norms of reciprocity and fairness. The role of parasympathetic activity as a physiological trait-marker predicting inter-individual differences in the rejection of unfair offers is discussed.

Role of Parasympathetic Activity in Heart Rate Recovery After Maximal Exercise in Cardiac Patients

1471 An abnormal heart rate recovery (HRR), defined as less than an 18 bpm reduction during the first minute of recovery after maximal exercise stress test (GXT), has recently been found to be a powerful, independent predictor of cardiovascular (CV) mortality. It has been suggested, yet not proven that an abnormal HRR is associated with reduced parasympathetic activity. PURPOSE: To investigate parasympathetic activity during recovery from GXT in cardiac patients and in subjects with CV risk factors. METHODS: 18 patients with an abnormal HRR from a prior GXT (in the previous 3–9 months) underwent a second GXT using the Bruce Protocol on a treadmill. 12-lead ECG and respiration were acquired continuously at 500 Hz during: 10 min rest, GXT and 10 min of recovery. A modified Continuous Wavelet (CWT) transform designed in our lab was used to perform time-dependent spectral analysis during the non steady state conditions created by GXT. We focus on the instantaneous fluctuations in HR in two regions of power: a high frequency (HF) peak, located around the respiratory frequency (0.18–0.7 Hz during exercise) and a low frequency (LF) peak centered around 0.1 Hz. HF peak reflects primarily vagal activity while LF fluctuations are an estimate of combined vagal and β sympathetic activity to the heart. Comparisons were made using two-way repeated measures ANOVA and ttests. RESULTS: Thirteen of the 18 patients displayed normal HRR upon the repeat GXT. Patients with abnormal HRR (n = 5, 12.5 ± 4.4 bpm reduction vs. 28.8 ± 8.5 bpm, p<0.001) had higher resting HR (97 ± 19 bpm vs. 73 ± 9 bpm, p<0.001) and reached similar peak exercise HR (145 ± 15 bpm vs. 142 ± 17 bpm, p = NS), compared to patients with normal HRR. Time-dependent frequency decomposition (by CWT) shows that patients with abnormal HRR displayed significantly lower HF fluctuations (p<0.05) at one-min post exercise, than did those with normal HRR. CONCLUSIONS: Investigation of autonomic function by Heart Rate Variability analysis reveals that abnormal HRR after GXT is indeed associated with reduced vagal function, and patients with abnormal HRR may have chronic autonomic dysfunction. It is important to note the high prevalence of patients with previous abnormal HRR after GXT, who demonstrate a “normal” HRR upon a second GXT.

Role of Parasympathetic Activity in Heart Rate Recovery After Maximal Exercise in Cardiac Patients

Role of Parasympathetic Activity in Heart Rate Recovery After Maximal Exercise in Cardiac Patients

Embarrassment and social phobia: the role of parasympathetic activation

The few studies on the psychophysiology of embarrassment have suggested involvement of parasympathetic activation. However, blushing, the hallmark of embarrassment and a prominent symptom in social phobia, is more likely to be produced by cervical sympathetic outflow. Hitherto, there has been no evidence of parasympathetic innervation of the facial blood vessels. In this study, a group of social phobics and control participants watched, together with a 2-person audience, a previously made videotape of themselves singing a children’s song. Self-report measures confirmed that this task induced embarrassment. While two measures of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) during the task did not indicate heightened parasympathetic tone, increased heart rate (HR) and skin conductance marked sympathetic activation. Thus, our data do not support the notion that an increase in parasympathetic activation plays a significant role in social phobia and embarrassment. Social anxiety and embarrassment both resulted in sympathetic activation.

Effects of worry and progressive relaxation on the reduction of fear in speech phobia: An investigation of situational exposure

Previous research has demonstrated the facilitative effects of relaxation and inhibitory effects of worry on the emotional processing of imaginal fear exposures. The present study was designed to determine whether these same effects occur in the emotional processing of in vivo exposures to feared stimuli. Forty-two speechanxious college students were randomly assigned to one of three experimental induction conditions. Participants engaged in either progressive muscle relaxation, a neutral control procedure, or worry immediately before each of five repeated speech presentations while heart period and self-reported fear were monitored. Relative to the relaxation condition, the worry group demonstrated greater subjective anxiety across exposures, despite the fact that all three groups displayed strong and equivalent cardiovascular response to the first speech presentation and showed equivalent heart rate decreases across the repeated presentations. The role of parasympathetic activity in fear reduction was also documented, with decreased parasympathetic activity occurring during initial fear exposure and increased activity across repeated presentations. Implications for the role of relaxation and worry during real-life exposure to feared social situations are discussed.

Effect of stress on postprandial gastric myoelectrical activity and role of parasympathetic activity

Effect of stress on postprandial gastric myoelectrical activity and role of parasympathetic activity

Interrelationships among measures of autonomic activity and cardiovascular risk factors during orthostasis and the oral glucose tolerance test

Overstimulation of sympathetic nervous system activity is related to atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk, but the role of parasympathetic activity in this association is not clear. This study evaluated sympathetic and parasympathetic function by spectral analysis of heart rate variability and plasma levels of norepinephrine (NE) epinephrine (EPI), dihydroxyphenylglycol (DHPG), dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and dihydroxyphenylacetic acid (DOPAC). It also examined the interrelationships among these parameters and established atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors in 53 men (mean age 59.5 years). During supine rest, low-frequency power correlated positively with high-frequency power (r = 0.58, p < 0.001), plasma NE correlated with plasma DHPG (r = 0.41, p < 0.001) and plasma DOPA with DOPAC (r = 0.47, p < 0.001) but neither low- nor high-frequency power was correlated with plasma levels of any catechol. Among risk factors, plasma NE correlated with fasting insulin and mean arterial blood pressure, and urine NE correlated with body mass index. Both low- and high-frequency power correlated positively with insulin levels. Orthostasis decreased high-frequency power and increased low-frequency power and plasma NE levels. During the oral glucose tolerance test, both high- and low-frequency power increased, plasma NE levels were unchanged, and plasma EPI levels decreased [88.5 +/- 18 (SEM) versus 52.5 +/- 12 pM, p = 0.001]. The results suggest that orthostasis decreases and the oral glucose tolerance test increases parasympathetic outflows, whereas both stimuli increase sympathetic outflows. Among all atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease risk factors, hyperinsulinaemia showed the strongest association with autonomic nervous system activity, especially parasympathetic activity. Estimates of sympathetic responses obtained from power spectral analysis of heart rate variability agree poorly with those from plasma levels of catechols, possibly because of a parasympathetic contribution to low-frequency power and independence of sympathoneural outflows to the arm and heart.