TY - JOUR
T1 - Autonomic response to an experimental psychological stressor in healthy subjects: measurement of sympathetic, parasympathetic, and pituitary-adrenal parameters: test-retest reliability
AU - Jørgensen, L S
AU - Christiansen, P
AU - Raundahl, U
AU - Ostgaard, S
AU - Christensen, N J
AU - Fenger, M
AU - Flachs, H
PY - 1990
Y1 - 1990
N2 - A mental arithmetic test (the stressor; 15 min) significantly increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and plasma adrenaline by 11%, 12%, 28% and 152% respectively, with a prompt return to resting values after the test. Plasma noradrenaline and serum cortisol did not increase significantly during the 15 min of stress. Afterwards, however, the concentrations of both hormones increased, resulting in a total and significant increase averaging 19% and 23%, respectively. Plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) did not rise significantly, but it was only measured before and at the end of the stressor. As a measure of parasympathetic nervous function, the beat-to-beat variation of heart rate, expressed as the mean successive square difference (MSSD), was employed. Four to 14 months later, the investigation was repeated, and resting values of all measures were found to be stable. The increments in systolic blood pressure and heart rate were significantly lower at retest. MSSD at stress, but not at rest, was significantly lower at retest. The mental arithmetic stress test as described here produces a sufficient autonomic response to make it viable for laboratory stress research. However, if repeated examinations are desired, the lower response at retest should be taken into consideration.
AB - A mental arithmetic test (the stressor; 15 min) significantly increased systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate and plasma adrenaline by 11%, 12%, 28% and 152% respectively, with a prompt return to resting values after the test. Plasma noradrenaline and serum cortisol did not increase significantly during the 15 min of stress. Afterwards, however, the concentrations of both hormones increased, resulting in a total and significant increase averaging 19% and 23%, respectively. Plasma adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) did not rise significantly, but it was only measured before and at the end of the stressor. As a measure of parasympathetic nervous function, the beat-to-beat variation of heart rate, expressed as the mean successive square difference (MSSD), was employed. Four to 14 months later, the investigation was repeated, and resting values of all measures were found to be stable. The increments in systolic blood pressure and heart rate were significantly lower at retest. MSSD at stress, but not at rest, was significantly lower at retest. The mental arithmetic stress test as described here produces a sufficient autonomic response to make it viable for laboratory stress research. However, if repeated examinations are desired, the lower response at retest should be taken into consideration.
KW - Adrenocorticotropic Hormone
KW - Adult
KW - Blood Pressure
KW - Epinephrine
KW - Female
KW - Heart Rate
KW - Humans
KW - Hydrocortisone
KW - Male
KW - Middle Aged
KW - Parasympathetic Nervous System
KW - Reproducibility of Results
KW - Stress, Psychological
KW - Sympathetic Nervous System
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 1964746
SN - 0036-5513
VL - 50
SP - 823
EP - 829
JO - Scandinavian Journal of Clinical & Laboratory Investigation
JF - Scandinavian Journal of Clinical & Laboratory Investigation
IS - 8
ER -