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A high resolution, liquid-displacement apparatus for monitoring salivary flow is described, and details of its construction from standard laboratory items are provided. The results of a quantitative evaluation indicate: (1) sensitivity to variations in intraglandular pressure of less than 1 mm Hg: (2) instrument time lag of less than 500 msec; and (3) resolution of 0.003 ml. A comparison with previously described liquid-displacement sialometers indicates an increase in resolution by a factor of 3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thirteen human subjects (Ss) were given immediate auditory feedback concerning their salivary rates and were asked both to increase and to decrease their rates during a series of 30-sec trials. Significant decreases, but not increases, in salivary rate were obtained relative to baseline. During the second half of the experiment, when feedback was omitted until the end of each trial, Ss maintained significant differential response rates between increase and decrease trials, but the reliability of decreases from expected baseline was reduced. Thirteen control Ss, who received feedback only at the end of each trial during both halves of the experiment, were unable to alter their rates during either half. Salivation on increase and decrease trials was not systematically correlated with changes in either heart rate or breathing rate in the immediate feedback group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tested twelve hypotheses derived from psychophysiological theory underlying the systematic desensitization method of reducing phobic anxiety. Subjects with phobias imagined threatening scenes and neutral scenes under relaxed or non-relaxed conditions while cardiac, respiratory, digital vasomotor, and skin conductance activity was recorded. Seven hypotheses were confirmed for one or more response measures. The results indicated that (a) imagining threatening scenes produces autonomic arousal in direct proportion to degree of subjective threat associated with the scenes, (b) autonomic reactions do not extinguish and countercondition faster to weak stimuli than to strong stimuli, and (c) muscle relaxation has a demonstrable but limited effect on counteracting autonomic fear reactions. Desensitization theory was partially supported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the first of two studies, subjects (Ss) were required to either raise or lower heart rate (HR) relative to pre-trial baseline by altering a tone which changed frequency with HR. Reliable increases but no decreases in HR were found. In a second study extended training of a single S with visual feedback resulted in consistent sustained HR increases of 15 to 35 beats per minute (bpm), but only slight decreases. Sustained elevated rate was accompanied by anxiety. No reliable changes in breathing occurred in either study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study assessed the effect of enabling a subject to hear himself salivate while trying to increase or decrease his salivary rate. Two groups of ten subjects were instructed to try to increase their salivary rate when a light to the left was lighted and decrease when a light to the right was lighted. Acetic acid was administered periodically to the right lateral margin of the tongue, and saliva was collected by a parotid capsule and measured by a liquid displacement sialometer. Ten subjects in the feedback group (F) received a 0.2 set, 1000-cps tone for each drop collected during a trial. Subjects in the no feedback group (NF) received no indication of their salivary rate. Three out of 10 F subjects were able to produce a significantly different (p < .OS) number of drops between increase and decrease periods, and the group as a whole achieved a significant difference between in-crease and decrease periods. No NF subject, nor the NF group as a whole produced a significant difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An experiment was performed to test the effect of changing the CS-US interval on the pattern of conditioned salivation. Each of 6 subjects (Ss) received 60 reinforced trials on each of 3 CS-US intervals: 10, 20, and 40 sec. For each CS-US interval 10 test trials were given to determine the change in pattern of response with change in the CS-US interval. An additional session included 2 test trials in which an extraneous stimulus was given simultaneously with the CS. The results showed little evidence of inhibition of delay in the longer intervals or of disinhibition when the extraneous stimulus was applied. The most significant result was a response which followed CS offset in the 20- and 40-sec intervals. The question of the nature of this response remains to be answered by use of a different experimental design. Significance of the level of conditioning remained high (p < .00001) over the manipulation of CS-US interval. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study tested the hypothesis that the relative amount of swallowing and mouth movement affects the amplitude, latency, and temporal course of the salivary unconditioned reflex (UR). Twenty-four subjects were given three identical stimuli, which consisted of 3 cc of 0.5% citric acid, delivered to the left lateral margin of the posterior half of the tongue. The stimuli were administered under three different conditions for each subject: (1) swallowing and mouth movements permitted for the first 30 sec and prohibited for the second 30 sec following stimulation, (2) swallowing and mouth movements prohibited for the first 30 sec and permitted for the second 30 sec following stimulation, and (3) swallowing and mouth movements permitted for 60 sec following stimulation. Saliva was collected by a parotid capsule and measured by a sensitive, liquid displacement sialometer. Motor activity was monitored by electromyogram. There was a significantly greater (P < 0.01) amount of saliva secreted during periods of motor activity, regardless of time since stimulation. Voluntary inhibition of swallowing immediately after acid stimulation resulted in significantly longer and more variable UR latencies. Implications of these findings for studies on salivary conditioning are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]