scholarly journals Who’s the boss: determining the control pathways of cardiovascular and cellular immune responses to acute stress

2018 ◽  
Vol 42 (2) ◽  
pp. 374-379
Author(s):  
Kate M. Edwards ◽  
Nathan B. Morris
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Immune Cells ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Immune Cell ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Mental Arithmetic ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Autonomic Response ◽  
Blood Pressure Responses

Acute stress responses are known to include increases in heart rate and blood pressure, as well as increases in the number of circulating immune cells, all of which are governed by the autonomic nervous system. This laboratory practical measures cardiovascular and circulating immune cell responses to a passive (cold pressor) and active (mental arithmetic) acute stress task in student participants. The results allow them to examine the different patterns of autonomic response they elicit (approximated by heart rate and blood pressure responses), and knowledge of these responses can then be used to infer the governing autonomic aspect of the increases in circulating immune cells from the results. This activity can be either adapted from teacher-led methods to inquiry, asking students to design the details of the acute stress tasks, or developed by asking students to design a follow-up experiment that could be used to provide direct evidence for their conclusions. Data collected provide a platform for teaching data analysis and interpretation, as well as critical thinking.

Cardiovascular and norepinephrine responses of men and women to two cold pressor tests

1992 ◽  
Vol 70 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-42 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. K. McLean ◽  
P. Sathasivam ◽  
K. MacNaughton ◽  
T. E. Graham
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Gender Differences ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Latin Square ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Plasma Norepinephrine ◽  
Plasma Catecholamine ◽  
The Face ◽  
Blood Pressure Responses ◽  
Venous Plasma

Two types of cold pressor tests were used to study gender differences in cardiovascular and plasma catecholamine responses. Ten male and ten female, young, healthy Caucasian subjects participated. The tests consisted of (1) 5 °C air blown at 3.5–4 m/s onto part of the face for 4 min and (2) the open right hand immersed to the wrist in water at 5 °C for 4 min. Heart rate, blood pressure (BP), and venous plasma norepinephrine were collected before, during, and 5 min after the 4 min of cold exposures. Test order was decided by a Latin square design, and the subjects rested in a quiet room for 30 min between the two tests. All parameters demonstrated significant (p < 0.01) increases from rest during the cold tests. Gender differences were significant (p < 0.01) in diastolic and systolic BP in each test with the males having a greater response, but gender differences were not found in heart rate or norepinephrine concentration. The study demonstrated that gender differences exist in the blood pressure responses to local cold, but that the mechanisms involved do not include a parallel difference in heart rate or venous plasma norepinephrine concentration.Key words: blood pressure, gender differences, stroke volume.

Attenuated responses to sympathoexcitation in individuals with Down syndrome

2003 ◽  
Vol 94 (6) ◽  
pp. 2158-2165 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bo Fernhall ◽  
Mari Otterstetter
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Down Syndrome ◽  
Autonomic Dysfunction ◽  
Treadmill Exercise ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Normal Weight ◽  
Maximal Heart Rate ◽  
Isometric Handgrip ◽  
Blood Pressure Responses

This study evaluated blood pressure and heart rate responses to exercise and nonexercise tasks as indexes of autonomic function in subjects with and without Down syndrome (DS). Twenty-four subjects (12 with and 12 without DS) completed maximal treadmill exercise, isometric handgrip (30% of maximum), and cold pressor tests, with heart rate and blood pressure measurements. Maximal heart rate and heart rate and blood pressure responses to the isometric handgrip and cold pressor tests were reduced in subjects with DS ( P < 0.05). Both early (first 30 s) and late (last 30 s) responses were reduced. Obesity did not appear to influence the results, as both obese and normal-weight subjects with DS exhibited similar responses, and controlling for body mass index did not alter the results between controls and subjects with DS. Individuals with DS, without congenital heart disease, exhibit reduced heart rate and blood pressure responses to isometric handgrip exercise and cold pressor testing, consistent with autonomic dysfunction. Autonomic dysfunction may partially explain chronotropic incompetence observed during maximal treadmill exercise in individuals with DS.

Cognitive Aspects of Panic Attacks

1989 ◽  
Vol 155 (1) ◽  
pp. 86-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Zucker ◽  
C. B. Taylor ◽  
M. Brouillard ◽  
A. Ehlers ◽  
J. Margraf ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Panic Attack ◽  
Mental Arithmetic ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Panic Attacks ◽  
Arithmetic Task ◽  
Initial Event ◽  
Mental Arithmetic Task

Twenty patients with panic attacks and ten controls were given a standardised interview about thoughts occurring during times of anxiety or panic attacks. The interviewer was blind to the subject's diagnosis. The 20 panic patients underwent a psychophysiological test battery which included a cold pressor test, mental arithmetic task, and 5.5% CO2 inhalation. More patients than controls reported thoughts centred on fears of losing control and shame when anxious. Panic patients rated their thoughts as stronger and clearer than did controls and they had more difficulty excluding them from their minds. A feeling of anxiety preceded anxious thoughts in patients. This suggests that ‘faulty cognitions' are not the initial event in a panic attack, although anxious thoughts may exacerbate or maintain them. Significant correlations were found between the intensity of anxiety-related thoughts in anticipation of mental arithmetic and changes in diastolic blood pressure and heart rate during mental arithmetic.

Resting Plasma Lipids and Cardiovascular Reactivity to Acute Psychological Stress

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (3) ◽  
pp. 99-106
Author(s):  
Anthony W. Austin ◽  
Michael R. Kushnick ◽  
Michael J. Knutson ◽  
Mark L. McGlynn ◽  
Stephen M. Patterson
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Plasma Lipids ◽  
Mental Arithmetic ◽  
Blood Pressure Response ◽  
Peripheral Resistance ◽  
Density Lipoprotein ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Lipoprotein Cholesterol ◽  
Lipid Levels ◽  
Blood Pressure Responses

Abstract. Prior research suggests that hyperlipidemia is associated with elevated blood pressure responses to acute stress but whether lipid levels influence underlying cardiac and vascular determinants of blood pressure during stress is not known. Thus, we examined whether lipids were associated with stress-induced blood pressure responses and responses of stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), and total peripheral resistance (TPR). In 19 healthy university students (15 men), blood was drawn to measure lipid levels (triglycerides, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol [LDL-c], high-density lipoprotein cholesterol [HDL-c], total cholesterol) after a 10-min rest period. Participants then completed a 6-min mental arithmetic stressor and a 3-min cold pressor (separated by a 10-min recovery). This procedure was repeated twice, approximately 6 weeks apart. Lipids and hemodynamic values were averaged across the two sessions. Multiple linear regression analyses revealed that a model including LDL-c, HDL-c, and triglycerides significantly predicted diastolic blood pressure (DBP), R2adj = .45, p = .007, and systolic blood pressure (SBP) cold pressor reactivity, R2adj = .35, p = .023. Individually, only LDL-c significantly predicted DBP, β = .64, p = .003, and SBP cold pressor reactivity, β = .64, p = .005. The same model marginally predicted CO, R2adj = .24, p = .069, and TPR, R2adj = 21, p = .091, reactivity to mental arithmetic, but only triglycerides were independently associated with CO, β = −.63, p = .012, and TPR, β = .54, p = .029 reactivity. Lipids were not associated with heart rate (HR) or SV reactivity. LDL-c was positively associated with the blood pressure response to the cold pressor, whereas triglycerides were positively and negatively associated with the TPR and CO responses, respectively, to mental arithmetic. Endothelial dysfunction and greater release of vasoconstrictors in those with high lipids may explain these relationships.

Short-term reproducibility of a mental arithmetic stress test

1991 ◽  
Vol 81 (5) ◽  
pp. 593-601 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sverker Jern ◽  
Martin Pilhall ◽  
Christina Jern ◽  
Sven G. Carlsson
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Stress Responses ◽  
Mental Arithmetic ◽  
Stress Test ◽  
Plasma Catecholamine ◽  
Subjective Stress ◽  
Stress Levels ◽  
Highly Correlated ◽  
Plasma Catecholamine Concentrations

1. To evaluate the short-term reproducibility of heart rate, oscillometrically determined blood pressure, ante-cubital venous plasma catecholamine concentrations and subjective responses to strictly standardized mental arithmetic, we performed two identical tests 1 h apart in 14 young, healthy and normotensive male subjects (age 22–35 years) 2. Heart rate and blood pressure responses to the two stress tests were highly correlated, when expressed both as correlations between levels attained during stress (rs >0.80 throughout) and as absolute reactivity measures (all rs >0.75). Also, subjective stress responses were highly correlated, when considering both levels during stress and reactivity (r = 0.97 and r = 0.85, respectively). Stress levels of catecholamines were correlated, but the change scores (reactivity) were unrelated. 3. The measurement error sd for heart rate was 2.6 and 3.0 beats/min for reactivity and stress levels, respectively. The corresponding sd for blood pressure ranged between 2.7 and 4.4 mmHg. Subjective stress experience showed an sd of a similar magnitude. The responses of plasma catecholamine concentrations were subject to considerable variability. 4. It is concluded that haemodynamic and subjective stress responses and stress levels during the mental arithmetic stress test show acceptable reproducibility and high test-retest correlations. However, stress-induced changes in venous plasma catecholamine concentrations show low reproducibility.

Sex Differences in Cardiovascular Reactivity

2009 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 77-84 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew C. Whited ◽  
Kevin T. Larkin
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Sex Differences ◽  
Gender Roles ◽  
Cardiovascular Reactivity ◽  
Task Type ◽  
Conflict Task ◽  
Men And Women ◽  
Conflicting Evidence ◽  
Blood Pressure Responses

Sex differences in cardiovascular reactivity to stress are well documented, with some studies showing women having greater heart rate responses than men, and men having greater blood pressure responses than women, while other studies show conflicting evidence. Few studies have attended to the gender relevance of tasks employed in these studies. This study investigated cardiovascular reactivity to two interpersonal stressors consistent with different gender roles to determine whether response differences exist between men and women. A total of 26 men and 31 women were assigned to either a traditional male-oriented task that involved interpersonal conflict (Conflict Task) or a traditional female-oriented task that involved comforting another person (Comfort Task). Results demonstrated that women exhibited greater heart rate reactions than men independent of the task type, and that men did not display a higher reactivity than women on any measure. These findings indicate that sex of participant was more important than gender relevance of the task in eliciting sex differences in cardiovascular responding.

Exploring the effects of oily fish consumption on measures of acute and long-term stress in healthy 8-9-year-old children: The FiSK Junior randomized trial

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-26
Author(s):  
Marie N Teisen ◽  
Stine Vuholm ◽  
Jesper M Rantanen ◽  
Jeppe H Christensen ◽  
Camilla T Damsgaard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Fish Consumption ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Heart Beat ◽  
Autonomic Response ◽  
Hair Cortisol ◽  
Oily Fish ◽  
Fish Group

Abstract Long-chain n-3 PUFA (n-3 LCPUFA) have been shown to reduce blood pressure, heart rate and vagal tone, but potential stress-mitigating effects of n-3 LCPUFA are not well investigated. We aim to explore the effects of oily fish consumption on long-term stress and the stress response in schoolchildren. Healthy 8-9-year-old children were randomized to receive ~300 g/week of oily fish or poultry for 12 ± 2 weeks. At baseline and endpoint, we measured erythrocyte n-3 LCPUFA, hair cortisol and the response to a 1-min cold pressor test (CPT) on saliva cortisol, blood pressure, and continuous electrocardiogram recordings. Of the 199 randomized children, 197 completed the trial. Hair cortisol did not differ between the groups, but a sex-interaction was indicated (Psex*group = 0.074, difference between means -0.9 (95% CI: -2.9,1.0) ng/g and 0.7 (-0.2,1.6) ng/g in boys and girls, respectively). The children in the fish group tended to be less prone to terminate CPT prematurely (OR 0.20 [0.02,1.04]). The mean heart beat interval during CPT was 18.2 (0.3,36.6) ms longer and the high frequency power increased (159 (29,289) ms2) in the fish versus the poultry group. The cardiac autonomic response in the 10 min following CPT was characterized by a sympathetic peak followed by a parasympathetic peak, which was most pronounced in the fish group. This exploratory study does not support a strong effect of oily fish consumption on stress, but indicates that oily fish consumption may increase vagal cardiac tone during the physiological response to CPT. These results warrant further investigation.

Variability of the haemodynamic responses to laboratory tests employed in assessment of neural cardiovascular regulation in man

1985 ◽  
Vol 69 (5) ◽  
pp. 533-540 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gianfranco Parati ◽  
Guido Pomidossi ◽  
Agustin Ramirez ◽  
Bruno Cesana ◽  
Giuseppe Mancia
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Test Performance ◽  
Blood Pressure Response ◽  
Cold Pressor Test ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Cardiovascular Regulation ◽  
Pressor Test ◽  
Carotid Baroreceptor ◽  
Baroreceptor Stimulation

1. In man evaluation of neural cardiovascular regulation makes use of a variety of tests which address the excitatory and reflex inhibitory neural influences that control circulation. Because interpretation of these tests is largely based on the magnitude of the elicited haemodynamic responses, their reproducibility in any given subject is critical. 2. In 39 subjects with continuous blood pressure (intra-arterial catheter) and heart rate monitoring we measured (i) the blood pressure and heart rate rises during hand-grip and cold-pressor test, (ii) the heart rate changes occurring during baroreceptor stimulation and deactivation by injection of phenylephrine and trinitroglycerine, and (iii) the heart rate and blood pressure changes occurring with alteration in carotid baroreceptor activity by a neck chamber. Each test was carefully standardized and performed at 30 min intervals for a total of six times in each subject. 3. The results showed that the responses to any test were clearly different from one another and that this occurred in all subjects studied. For the group as a whole the average response variability (coefficient of variation) ranged from 10.2% for the blood pressure response to carotid baroreceptor stimulation to 44.2% for the heart rate response to cold-pressor test. The variability of the responses was not related to basal blood pressure or heart rate, nor to the temporal sequence of the test performance. 4. Thus tests employed for studying neural cardiovascular control in man produce responses whose reproducibility is limited. This phenomenon may make it more difficult to define the response magnitude typical of each subject, as well as its comparison in different conditions and diseases.

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