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Forcecardiography (FCG) is a novel technique that measures the local forces induced on the chest wall by the mechanical activity of the heart. Specific piezoresistive or piezoelectric force sensors are placed on subjects' thorax to measure these very small forces. The FCG signal can be divided into three components: low-frequency FCG, high-frequency FCG (HF-FCG) and heart sound FCG. HF-FCG has been shown to share a high similarity with the Seismocardiogram (SCG), which is commonly acquired via small accelerometers and is mainly used to locate specific fiducial markers corresponding to essential events of the cardiac cycle (e.g., heart valves opening and closure, peaks of blood flow). However, HF-FCG has not yet been demonstrated to provide the timings of these markers with reasonable accuracy. This study addresses the detection of the aortic valve opening (AO) marker in FCG signals. To this aim, simultaneous recordings from FCG and SCG sensors were acquired, together with Electrocardiogram (ECG) recordings, from a few healthy subjects at rest, both during quiet breathing and apnea. The AO markers were located in both SCG and FCG signals to obtain pre-ejection periods (PEP) estimates, which were compared via statistical analyses. The PEPs estimated from FCG and SCG showed a strong linear relationship (r > 0.95) with a practically unit slope, and 95% of their differences were found to be distributed within ± 4.6 ms around small biases of approximately 1 ms, corresponding to percentage differences lower than 5% of the mean measured PEP. These preliminary results suggest that FCG can provide accurate AO timings and PEP estimates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Local oscillation of the chest wall in response to events during the cardiac cycle may be captured using a sensing modality called seismocardiography (SCG), which is commonly used to infer cardiac time intervals (CTIs) such as the pre-ejection period (PEP). An important factor impeding the ubiquitous application of SCG for cardiac monitoring is that morphological variability of the signals makes consistent inference of CTIs a difficult task in the time-domain. The goal of this work is therefore to enable SCG-based physiological monitoring during trauma-induced hemorrhage using signal dynamics rather than morphological features. Methods: We introduce and explore the observation that SCG signals follow a consistent low-dimensional manifold structure during periods of changing PEP induced in a porcine model of trauma injury. Furthermore, we show that the distance traveled along this manifold correlates strongly to changes in PEP (Δ PEP). Results: Δ PEP estimation during hemorrhage was achieved with a median R2 of 92.5% using a rapid manifold approximation method, comparable to an ISOMAP reference standard, which achieved an R2 of 95.3%. Conclusion: Rapidly approximating the manifold structure of SCG signals allows for physiological inference abstracted from the time-domain, laying the groundwork for robust, morphology-independent processing methods. Significance: Ultimately, this work represents an important advancement in SCG processing, enabling future clinical tools for trauma injury management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cardiovascular risk may be increased in astronauts after long term space flights based on biomarkers indicating premature vascular aging. We tested the hypothesis that 60 days of strict 6° head down tilt bed rest (HDTBR), an established space analog, promotes vascular stiffening and that artificial gravity training ameliorates the response. Methods: We studied 24 healthy participants (8 women, 24–55 years, BMI = 24.3 ± 2.1 kg/m2) before and at the end of 60 days HDTBR. 16 subjects were assigned to daily artificial gravity. We applied echocardiography to measure stroke volume and isovolumetric contraction time (ICT), calculated aortic compliance (stroke volume/aortic pulse pressure), and assessed aortic distensibility by MRI. Furthermore, we measured brachial-femoral pulse wave velocity (bfPWV) and pulse wave arrival times (PAT) in different vascular beds by blood pressure cuffs and photoplethysmography. We corrected PAT for ICT (cPAT). Results: In the pooled sample, diastolic blood pressure (+8 ± 7 mmHg, p < 0.001), heart rate (+7 ± 9 bpm, p = 0.002) and ICT (+8 ± 13 ms, p = 0.036) increased during HDTBR. Stroke volume decreased by 14 ± 15 ml (p = 0.001). bfPWV, aortic compliance, aortic distensibility and all cPAT remained unchanged. Aortic area tended to increase (p = 0.05). None of the parameters showed significant interaction between HDTBR and artificial gravity training. Conclusion: 60 days HDTBR, while producing cardiovascular deconditioning and cephalad fluid shifts akin to weightlessness, did not worsen vascular stiffness. Artificial gravity training did not modulate the response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Traditionally, impedance derived measures of cardiac autonomic balance (CAB) and regulation (CAR) are calculated using indices of heart rate variability (HRV) that primarily reflect parasympathetic nervous system activity (e.g., high-frequency HRV | HF-HRV) and pre-ejection period (PEP; a systolic time interval and measure of sympathetic activity). However, HF-HRV and PEP are considered measures of chronotropic and inotropic cardiac influence, respectively. Left ventricular ejection time (LVET) is a systolic time interval that reflects sympathetic chronotropic influence, and therefore may be a more appropriate measure for calculating CAB and CAR compared to PEP. Thus, the current study evaluates both PEP and LVET in the calculation of CAB and CAR. Data from 158 healthy participants (mean age = 19.09 years old, SD = 1.84 years) were available for analyses. CAB and CAR values were calculated using both HF-HRV and the root mean square of successive differences, in addition to both PEP and LVET, in accordance with previously established guidelines. Analyses showed that correlations were significantly weaker between CAB and CAR calculated using LVET for both HF (z = 5.12, p < 0.001) and RMSSD (z = 5.26, p < 0.001) than with PEP. These data suggest that LVET, compared to PEP, provides better "autonomic space" as evidenced by a lack of correlation between CAB and CAR computed using LVET. We stress that future research consider calculating CAB and CAR using chronotropic measures for both parasympathetic and sympathetic activity, as doing so may yield more accurate and independent measures of cardiac autonomic activity compared to a mixture of inotropic (i.e., PEP) and chronotropic (i.e., HF-HRV) measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous research has suggested reduced parasympathetic cardiac regulation during cognitive activity in major depressive disorder (MDD). However, little is known about possible abnormalities in sympathetic control and cardiovascular reactivity. This study aimed to provide a comprehensive analysis of autonomic cardiovascular control in the context of executive functions in MDD. Thirty six MDD patients and 39 healthy controls participated. Parameters of sympathetic (pre‐ejection period, PEP) and parasympathetic control (high and low frequency heart rate variability, HF HRV, LF HRV; and baroreflex sensitivity, BRS) as well as RR interval were obtained at rest and during performance of executive function tasks (number‐letter task, n‐back task, continuous performance test, and Stroop task). Patients, as compared to controls, exhibited lower HF HRV and LF HRV during task execution and smaller shortenings in PEP and RR interval between baseline and tasks. They displayed longer reaction times during all conditions of the tasks and more omission errors and false alarms on the continuous performance test. In the total sample, on‐task HF HRV, LF HRV and BRS, and reactivity in HF HRV, LF HRV, and PEP, were positively associated with task performance. As performance reduction arose independent of executive function load of the tasks, the behavioral results reflect impairments in attention and processing speed rather than executive dysfunctions in MDD. Abnormalities in cardiovascular control during cognition in MDD appear to involve both divisions of the autonomic nervous system. Low tonic parasympathetic control and blunted sympathetic reactivity imply reduced physiological adjustment resources and, by extension, provide suboptimal conditions for cognitive performance. This study investigated autonomic cardiovascular control during cognitive activity in MDD. In addition to impaired cognitive performance, patients showed reduced HRV, smaller decreases in pre‐ejection period and RR interval during task execution. On‐task HRV and reactivity in HRV, baroreflex sensitivity, and pre‐ejection period correlated positively with task performance. The study, for the first time, documented that that low tonic parasympathetic control and blunted sympathetic reactivity characterizing MDD may provide suboptimal conditions for cognitive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pre-professional and professional dancers (n = 60) participated in this ambulatory psychophysiology study that investigated performance flow and heart rate and autonomic nervous system (ANS) function during three time periods: baseline rest, performance, and post-performance rest. To gather these results, the psychophysiology laboratory traveled to the concert hall to collect data on dancers. The self-report Flow State Scale (FSS) measured global flow, challenge–skill balance, sense of control, and autotelic experiences; it addresses important features of the creative experience of performing artists. These data were collected immediately following the performance. The flow measures were compared with physiologic responses to performance [heart rate, pre-ejection period (PEP), root mean square differences of successive R-R (heartbeat) intervals (RMSSD), cardiac autonomic balance, and cardiac autonomic regulation]. The regression analyses indicated that greater sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activation with performance (PEP change from base to performance) explained 8.8% of the variance in sense of control, whereas less cardiac autonomic regulation explained 13.8% of the variance in autotelic experiences. The sample was then divided into high and low flow groupings and four autonomic groups. During performance, the high autotelic group and high sense of control group had a higher distribution of dancers with co-inhibition of both ANS branches than had the low autotelic and sense of control groups who employed more co-activation of both ANS branches (chi-square analyses). These novel findings add to the growing information about the interaction of both branches of the ANS during creative performance flow states. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Men who misuse alcohol tend to experience negative affect, which may entail difficulties in regulating emotions to cope effectively with stressful or anxiety-provoking situations, thus increasing the risk of alcohol relapse. This dysphoric state has been associated with alexithymia, which compromises an individual's abilities to acknowledge, recognize, and regulate emotional states. A physiological correlate of emotional regulation is autonomic flexibility, as shown by emotional dysregulation in men who misuse alcohol being correlated with reduced parasympathetic activation to control heart rate variability during stress and/or conflict situations. Hence, the main aim of this study was to investigate whether long-term abstinent alcoholic (LTAA) men exhibit higher levels of negative affect and sympathetic activation (cardiovascular and electrodermal) in response to acute standardized laboratory stress than non-alcoholic controls. In addition, we hypothesized that the higher the alexithymic traits, the greater would be the increase in negative affect and sympathetic activation in response to stress, especially in LTAAs. Our data demonstrated that LTAAs experienced slightly greater increases in anxiety, states of anger, and worsening of mood than controls. Moreover, they exhibited lower high-frequency heart rate variability, respiratory sinus arrhythmia values, shorter pre-ejection periods, and higher respiratory rates than controls. Finally, alexithymic traits imply greater worsening of mood and sympathetic predominance (shorter pre-ejection periods and smaller magnitude of response), with the associations being stronger in LTAAs. These findings indicate a different emotional and cardiovascular response to psychosocial stress in LTAA than non-alcoholic men. Improving our knowledge of the way this population reacts to stress may help identify risk factors for alcohol relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: The current study investigated both sympathetic and vagal autonomic patterns during a daytime sleep in 25 healthy adults (23.2 ± 2.4 years). Pre‐ejection period (PEP; related inversely to beta‐adrenergic sympathetic activity), the interval between consecutive R‐waves (RR) and frequency‐domain heart rate variability (HRV) were computed during pre‐nap wakefulness and undisturbed sleep stages. Results showed sleep‐related changes in RR and HRV measures, whereas PEP decreased significantly from pre‐nap to sleep, showing no differences across sleep stages. Moreover, pre‐nap PEP and HFnu (the normalized unit of the high‐frequency component of HRV) were associated negatively with sleep latency and wake after sleep onset. These results indicate a marked autonomic output reduction during daytime sleep, with different stage‐dependent fluctuations for sympathetic and vagal activity. Importantly, pre‐nap autonomic activity seems to modulate subsequent sleep quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Sample entropy (SampEn) gives an estimate of signal complexity in cardiac time series and can give information beyond linear heart rate variability. Lower cardiac SampEn is associated with psychopathology in adults. Emotional dysregulation is widely present in adult psychopathology and a forerunner to later mental problems in children. Therefore, this study investigated whether SampEn relates to emotional dysregulation in children. Methods Participants were 32 children between 9 and 13 years with internalizing difficulties and 25 controls. Parents filled out the “Emotional Problems” subscale in the Strengths and Difficulties questionnaire and the “Lability/Negativity” scale in the Emotion Regulation Checklist. SampEn, root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD), normalized power of high frequency (HFnu) components of the cardiac signal and pre-ejection period (PEP) were computed at rest. The study investigated the predictive power of SampEn, RMSSD and HFnu on the measures of emotional dysregulation. It also tested whether RMSSD or PEP were related to SampEn. Results SampEn was a significant predictor of both measures of emotional dysregulation, while RMSSD and HFnu were not. RMSSD and PEP were both significant predictors of SampEn. Conclusions SampEn is a potential marker of dysregulation in the underlying neurovisceral processes vital for emotion regulation, and an important complementary measure to linear cardiac indices, explaining more of the variance in emotional dysregulation than RMSSD and HFnu in this study. Lower SampEn can also be linked to both higher vagal and sympathetic activation via RMSSD and PEP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity plays a significant role in cardiovascular control. Preejection period (PEP) is a noninvasive biomarker that reflects SNS activity. In this paper, unobtrusive estimation of PEP of the heart using ballistocardiogram (BCG) and electrocardiogram (ECG) signals is investigated. Although previous work has shown that the time intervals from ECG R-peak to BCG I and J peaks are correlated with PEP, relying on a single BCG beat can be prone to errors. An approach is proposed based on multiple regression and use of initial training data sets with a reference standard, impedance cardiography (ICG). For evaluation, healthy subjects were asked to stand on a force plate to record BCG and ECG signals. Regression coefficients were obtained using leave-one-out cross-validation and the true PEP values were obtained using ECG and ICG. Regression coefficients were averaged over two different recordings from the same subjects. The estimation performance was evaluated based on the data, via leave-one-out cross-validation. Multiple regression is shown to reduce the mean absolute error and the root mean square error, and has a reduced confidence interval compared with the models based on only a single feature. This paper shows that the fusion of multiple timing intervals can be useful for improved PEP estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This paper presents a wearable vital signs monitor at the ear. The monitor measures the electrocardiogram (ECG), ballistocardiogram (BCG), and photoplethysmogram (PPG) to obtain pre-ejection period (PEP), stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), and pulse transit time (PTT). The ear is demonstrated as a natural anchoring point for the integrated sensing of physiological signals. All three signals measured can be used to obtain heart rate (HR). Combining the ECG and BCG allows for the estimation of the PEP, while combining the BCG and PPG allows for the measurement of PTT. Additionally, the J-wave amplitude of the BCG is correlated with the SV and, when combined with HR, yields CO. Results from a clinical human study on 13 subjects demonstrate this proof-of-concept device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To better understand the psychophysiological correlates of peritraumatic dissociation (PD), the present study examined the relationship between reports of prior PD and sympathetic and parasympathetic functioning in response to a laboratory stress paradigm in 39 traumatized female undergraduates. Participants were asked to talk about their most distressing traumatizing experience while continuous measures of heart rate, pre-ejection period, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia were taken. Overall, high dissociators had significantly larger increases in heart rate and larger decreases in pre-ejection period and respiratory sinus arrhythmia during trauma recall. In opposition to our hypothesis, these results suggest that female trauma victims reporting high levels of PD during a prior trauma may be more reactive to traumatic reminders than victims who report lower levels of PD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Depression and hostility have been separately related to indicators of sympathetic hyperactivation and parasympathetic hypoactivation. We examined the associations of depressive symptoms, hostility, and their interaction with pre-ejection period (PEP) and high frequency heart rate variability (HRV), specific indices of sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiac control, respectively. Healthy, young adults (N =120) completed questionnaires assessing depressive symptoms and hostility and underwent autonomic testing. Although main effects were not observed, a depressive symptoms×hostility interaction was detected for PEP (β =.25, p =.01). Simple slope analyses revealed that hostility was negatively related to PEP among individuals with low depressive symptoms but was not associated with PEP among those with mild-to-moderate depressive symptoms. No interaction effect was detected for high frequency HRV. Our findings suggest that depressive symptoms may moderate the link between hostility and sympathetic activation such that hostility is accompanied by sympathetic hyperactivation only when depressive symptoms are minimal. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The relationships between road and rail traffic noise with pre-ejection period (PEP) and with respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) during sleep, as indices of cardiac sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system tone, were investigated in the field (36 subjects, with 188 and 192 valid subject nights for PEP and RSA, respectively). Two analyses were conducted. The first analysis investigated the overall relationships across the entire sleep period. A second analysis investigated differences in the relationships between the first and second halves of the sleep period. Separate multilevel linear regression models for PEP and RSA were employed. Potential covariates for each model were selected from the same pool of variables, which included: gender, age, body-mass index, education level, traffic noise source type, intake of medication, caffeine, alcohol and cigarette smoke, and hindrance during sleep due to the ambulatory recordings. RSA models were adjusted for respiration rate. Mean indoor traffic noise exposure was negatively related to mean RSA during the sleep period, specifically during the second half of the sleep period. Both respiration rate and age were negatively associated with RSA. No significant relationships were observed for PEP. The results indicate that higher indoor traffic noise exposure levels may lead to cardiac parasympathetic withdrawal during sleep, specifically during the second half of the sleep period. No effect of indoor traffic noise on cardiac sympathetic tone was observed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Our previous study showed elevation of plasma adrenomedullin (ADM) during static handgrip in patients with heart failure (HF). It is hypothesized that ADM increases with left ventricle dysfunction during handgrip and thus plays a compensatory role. In the present study pre-ejection period (PEP) and left ventricular ejection time (LVET) were used to assess cardiac performance in 24 male HF patients (II/III class NYHA) during two 3-min bouts of handgrip at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) performed alternately with each hand without any break between the bouts. Plasma ADM, noradrenaline (NA), adrenaline (A), heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) and stroke volume (SV) were determined. During handgrip plasma ADM, NA, A, HR, BP, PEP/LVET increased, PEP was prolonged and LVET shortened. The increases in plasma ADM correlated with changes in: PEP ( r = −0·881), LVET ( r = 0·713), PEP/LVET ( r = −0·769), SV ( r = 0·836), diastolic BP ( r = 0·700), total peripheral resistance (TPR) ( r = 0·718) and noradrenaline ( r = 0·756). The study demonstrated that in HF patients changes in plasma ADM during handgrip are related to cardiac performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stress is a well-known factor affecting cardiac contractility through the cardiac sympathetic nerves. A positive inotropic effect of the cardiac sympathetic nerves on the myocardium is reflected by pre-ejection period (PEP) shortening. Patients with Parkinson disease (PD) and neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (NOH) (PD + NOH) or with pure autonomic failure (PAF) have markedly decreased myocardial 6-[18F]Fluorodopamine-derived radioactivity, reflecting cardiac sympathetic denervation. The functional effects of the cardiac sympathetic denervation have been unknown. We measured PEP and heart rate–corrected PEP (PEPI) responses to i.v. tyramine (1 mg/min) in 13 patients (9 PD + NOH and 4 PAF) with low 6-[18F]Fluorodopamine-derived radioactivity and in subjects with normal radioactivity (15 multiple system atrophy with NOS patients (MSA + NOS). Baseline PEP and PEPI did not differ between the groups. By 10 min after initiation of tyramine infusion, PEP and PEPI were significantly lower ( P < 0.01) in MSA + NOS, compared to base line, whereas PEP and PEPI remained unchanged in the PD + NOH/PAF group. The PEP and PEPI decrease was larger in the MSA + NOS group than in the PD + NOH/PAF group ( P < 0.05). One of the functional consequences of cardiac sympathetic denervation is failure to increase contractility in response to stimuli that depend on endogenous norepinephrine release. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study investigated the differential psychophysiological correlates of narcissistic and antisocial personality features in a college student sample. Skin conductance (SC), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and pre-ejection period (PEP) were monitored while participants watched a countdown to an aversive noise blast and viewed emotionally valenced slides. Results indicated that narcissistic personality features were unrelated to SC reactivity during the countdown, whereas antisocial personality features were negatively related to SC reactivity. Narcissistic personality features were also related to RSA decreases and PEP shortening while viewing happy slides, whereas antisocial personality features were not. Taken together, these findings suggest differential endophenotypic markers of narcissistic and antisocial personality features despite their clinical similarities. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Relative to watching in a natural manner, people asked to suppress or exaggerate their facial response to a negative emotional stimulus experience greater activation of the sympathetic nervous system but report a similar subjective emotional experience. The present research extends prior research on response modulation in two important ways. First, discrete indicators of cardiac vagal and sympathetic control (respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and pre-ejection period (PEP), respectively) were included as dependent measures along with interbeat interval (IBI) and skin conductance (EDR). Second, to help generalize results across response-focused modulation techniques, participants suppressed, exaggerated, or exerted no control over their responses while watching a disgust-eliciting film (for control purposes, a fourth group was asked to watch a neutral film naturally). Response modulation was associated with significantly decreased PEP (increased cardiac sympathetic control) relative to those in the natural-watch conditions. All participants evidenced increased EDR while watching the disgusting clip, but facial modulation did not produce EDR reactivity beyond that of watching the disgusting film naturally. Exaggerators experienced decreased IBI during modulation (perhaps due to increased muscle contraction) whereas all other groups showed increased IBI (i.e., the orienting response). Neither emotional experience nor facial modulation reliably impacted RSA, respiration rate, or inspiratory depth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary Heart rate (HR), blood pressure (BP) and autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity vary diurnally, with a reduction in HR and BP, and a shift to vagal dominance during the dark phase. However, the cause of these changes, particularly the relative influence of sleep and circadian mechanisms, remains uncertain. The present study assessed the effect of sleep onset on HR, BP, high frequency (HF) component of heart rate variability (HRV), low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio and pre-ejection period (PEP). Sleep onset was dissociated from circadian influences by having subjects go to sleep at two different circadian phases, their normal time of sleep onset (normal sleep onset, NSO), and after a delay of 3 h (delayed sleep onset, DSO). The assumption was that changes caused by sleep onset would occur in association with sleep onset, irrespective of its timing, while circadian effects would have a consistent circadian phase and be independent of when sleep onset occurred. Thirteen and 17 subjects were run in the NSO and DSO conditions, respectively. Following a 1-h adaptation period, data collection began 2 h before subjects’ normal time of sleep onset and continued until morning awakening. The lights were turned out after 2 h in the NSO condition and 5 h in the DSO condition. Subjects were required to maintain a supine position throughout the experimental sessions. The night-time decrease in HR was found to be due to both sleep onset and a circadian influence, with the circadian component being more prominent. In contrast, the fall in BP was largely due to a sleep onset effect. Increased vagal activity, as reflected in the HF component and a shift to vagal dominance in the LF/HF ratio, appeared to be primarily a function of the sleep system, while sympathetic activity, as assessed by PEP, reflected a circadian influence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large amount of literature has demonstrated that Perceived Criticism (PC)—that is, how critical a person believes a given relative is of him or her—is associated with negative clinical outcomes in a broad range of psychiatric disorders (e.g., relapse or recurrence of symptoms). A possible mechanism behind the predictive value of PC might be its association with the stress regulation process. This is the first study to investigate differences in the psychophysiological response to a social stress task in young women (mean age = 21.66, SD = 4.33) with high (n = 40) and low (n = 39) PC. The physiological response was investigated by measuring two markers of sympathetic activity mediated by acetylcholine (skin conductance levels; SCL) and adrenaline (pre-ejection period; PEP) levels, respectively, and one marker of the vagally-mediated parasympathetic system (heart rate variability; HRV). Moreover, we investigated the anticipation and perception of social threat, in the form of criticism, during the stressor. No differences in HRV and SCL were observed. However, individuals high in PC mobilized fewer cardiovascular resources to deal with the stressor, reflected in an attenuated beta-adrenergic response (i.e., lower PEP response). Women high in PC also expected and perceived more criticism during the stress task. Together, our results indicate that women high in PC make heightened social threat anticipation and interpretations, and they tend to engage in less active coping when exposed to socially evaluated stressful events. Our findings indicate that PC is associated with underlying stress-related psychobiological vulnerabilities that may contribute to its association with negative clinical outcomes. • Perceived criticism (PC) is a reliable predictor of clinical outcomes in several psychiatric disorders. • We investigated the psychophysiological response to a social stress task in young women with high and low PC. • Women high in PC showed an attenuated beta-adrenergic response to stress (i.e., lower Pre-Ejection Period response). • Women high in PC anticipated and perceived more criticism during the stress task. • PC is associated with psychobiological vulnerabilities that may explain its association with negative clinical outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A sample of 174 men aged 18-22 years were divided into thirds based on self-reported levels of weekly aerobic exercise. Heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and pre-ejection period responses of these low, moderate, and high exercise groups were compared during a pretask rest and a later acclimated rest, a bicycle exercise task, a purported shock-avoidance reaction time task, and the cold pressor test. The Low exercise subjects showed higher heart rates and marginally higher diastolic blood pressures than the high exercise subjects at rest. The low exercise subjects also showed greater myocardial responses to the mild exercise task and the reaction time task than the high exercise subjects, as reflected by group differences in heart rate, systolic blond pressure, and pre-ejection period measures after covariance adjustment for baseline differences. Group differences observed in response to the cold pressor test were smaller and generally nonsignificant. These results were interpreted as evidence that aerobic exercise training may decrease beta-adrenergic myocardial responses to physical and behavioral challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A comparison of pre-ejection period (PEP), heart rate (HR), and systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure responses to the cold pressor test and a pseudo-shock avoidance reaction time task was performed in 183 young men. Then tasks differ in the extent to which they evoke enhanced myocardial and vascular adrenergic activity. Decreases in PEP were more pronounced during the reaction time task, while DSP increased more during the cold pressor test. HR and SBP responses did not differentiate the two tasks. PEP decreases occurred in the absence of any apparent Increase in cardiac preload or decrease in afterload. Parental hypertension as determined by physician reports was associated with higher SBP across all conditions. A subgroup of individuals (15%) showed SBP levels ≥140 mmHg when typical clinical stethoscopic determinations were made, but less than half as many showed such elevations during more extended resting baseline using remotely operated devices. High stethoscopic SBP was associated with greater cardiovascular responses to the stressors, while high SBP during the extended baseline was not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Schwartz and Weiss's (1983) paper purports to be a response to Furedy and Heslegrave (1983), it does not address the central thesis of that paper: that the recent criticisms of the T-wave amplitude (TWA) index of sympathetic activity were invalid. Instead, Schwartz and Weiss (1983) prefer to raise further criticisms concerning the validity of the TWA index. In this reply, we provide some clarifications and evaluations of these further points. Our conclusion remains that these further criticisms are insufficient to support abandoning TWA, and that rather the available evidence supports continuing the critical appraisal of TWA along with other candidate sympathetic indices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cardiovascular responses of 72 young men were assessed during an appetitive reaction time task where winning money incentives was either easy, difficult, or impossible. The impossible condition led to reduced responses (e.g., longer pre-ejection period (PEP) and pulse transit time (PTT) and greater falls in systolic and diastolic pressures) as well as reports of trying less hard than the easy or the difficult condition. Regardless of task difficulty, subjects showing greater heart rate (HR) increases at task onset maintained higher HR levels than low HR reactors throughout the task. Overall, these high HR reactors also showed higher SBP and shorter PEP, PTT and left ventricular ejection time than low HR reactors, although these differences were less pronounced by the end of the task. Based on their responses to various standardized inventories, high and low HR reactors did not differ in behavioral traits such as Type A, suppressed hostility, or active coping as the preferred coping style. However, a subsample of subjects with extreme scores indicating suppressed hostility (N = 12) did show elevated HR and systolic pressure during both relaxation and the appetitive task. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Because of its ventricular origin, T-wave amplitude (TWA) has been suggested as a plausible candidate index for assessing myocardial sympathetic activity. This idea received some support in the literature but recent (1979-1980) papers from three independent laboratories have criticized the validity of TWA, and have at least implicitly suggested that TWA should he abandoned as a noninvasive sympathetic index. This paper examines these criticisms and finds them to he of questionable validity and certainly not of sufficient strength to support abandoning TWA. Instead, the conclusion drawn here is that we should continue to critically assess both TWA and other noninvasive candidate sympathetic indices by using invasive myocardial indices as criterion measures and both behavioral and pharmacological interventions as manipulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Habituation and recovery of the cardiac defense response were investigated. • The sympathetic nervous system is involved in habituation and recovery. • The sympathetic contribution is limited to the second response component. • Different autonomic mechanisms mediate specific stages of the cardiac defense. The cardiac defense response (CDR) to intense auditory stimulation is characterized by two acceleration-deceleration heart rate (HR) components. This study investigated contributions of sympathetic cardiac control to habituation and recovery of the CDR. Fifty-six healthy subjects were presented with noise stimuli eliciting the CDR. Three stimuli were presented with short and long (2.5 min and 12.5 min) inter-trial intervals (ITIs). The pre-ejection period was recorded as an index of sympathetic cardiac control, in addition to HR. Repeated stimulation at short ITI was associated with marked habituation of the HR and sympathetic responses; both responses exhibited a degree of recovery with long ITI. Regarding the time course, the first acceleration-deceleration was accompanied by a decline and subsequent increase in sympathetic cardiac control. During the second acceleration-deceleration, the parameters exhibited parallel courses. These results suggest that the sympathetic contribution to the habituation and recovery is limited to the second HR component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• HF-HRV was inversely associated with HR during a marital conflict task in the lab. • HF-HRV-HR association did not vary across task periods that differed in respiratory patterns. • HF-HRV is a valid index of parasympathetic functioning during marital conflict. • Wives displayed sympathetic influence on HR before and after a marital conflict task. Psychosocial factors predict the development and course of cardiovascular disease, perhaps through sympathetic and parasympathetic mechanisms. At rest, heart rate (HR) is under parasympathetic control, often measured as high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV). During stress, HR is influenced jointly by parasympathetic and sympathetic processes, the latter often quantified as pre-ejection period (PEP). In studies of cardiovascular risk factors that involve social interaction (e.g. marital conflict), HF-HRV might be altered by speech artifacts, weakening its validity as a measure of parasympathetic activity. To evaluate this possibility, we tested associations of HF-HRV and PEP with HR at rest and across periods of marital conflict interaction that varied in experimentally-manipulated degrees of speech in 104 couples. At rest, only HF-HRV was independently related to HR, for both husbands and wives. During speaking, listening, and recovery periods, husbands' and wives' HF-HRV and PEP change independently predicted HR change. These findings support interpretation of HF-HRV as a parasympathetic index during stressful social interactions that may confer risk for cardiovascular disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Facets of cardiovascular functioning have been used to index pro-social attitudes and behaviors. A recent study found that participants who engaged in prototypically (yet harmless) violent acts showed a vascular stress response, suggesting that individuals find some acts immoral even without harmful consequences (Cushman et al., 2012). The present research replicates and expands upon that study by (1) utilizing beta-adrenergic and vagally-mediated cardiac markers of actions, (2) assessing the aversiveness of each individual action, and (3) validating a trait-like measure of action aversion. Participants performed either a series of simulated acts of harm or physically identical (but emotionally neutral) actions. Overall, participants reported greater negative reactions to the aversive acts compared to physically identical neutral acts. In addition, sympathetically-mediated cardiac responses were observed for participants who performed simulated acts of harm. However, the vagally-mediated measure of cardiac activity did not significantly predict self-reported aversion to performing actions. The present study partially validates the paradigm introduced in Cushman et al. (2012) and provides further evidence that some individuals have an automatic adverse reaction to prototypical acts of harm in and of themselves. It also highlights the limitations of using vagally-mediated markers to index self-regulation or pro-social attitudes. • Action aversion to harm can be captured by self-report and physiology. • Resting heart rate variability is not a significant predictor of action aversion. • Not all acts in the current paradigm for action aversion are viewed as aversive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]