Autonomic reactivity to cognitive and emotional stress of low, medium, and high hypnotizable healthy subjects: testing predictions from the high risk model of threat perception.

Full Abstract

This study tested hypotheses derived from Wickramasekera's High Risk Model of Threat Perception (HRMTP) by comparing autonomic and affective responses to a cognitive and an emotional stress task in high, medium, and low hypnotizables. Electrodermal activity (EDA) was used as a measure of sympathetic activity, and the high frequency (HF) spectral component of heart rate variability as a measure of parasympathetic activity. High hypnotizables exhibited greater EDA at baseline and slower EDA recovery following both tasks than did medium and lows. Medium hypnotizables responded with greater decreases in normalized HF power than did highs and lows during the emotional stress task. The results suggest diminished EDA variability in high hypnotizables and the potential for HF power as an indicator of autonomic dysregulation in low and high hypnotizables, compared to mediums. The results are discussed in relation to predictions based on the HRMTP.

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Author information

Author/s: Jørgensen, Michael Martini (MM); Zacharia, Robert (R);

Affiliation: Aarhus University Hospital, Denmark. micma@aaa.dk

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

Journal: The International journal of clinical and experimental hypnosis (Int J Clin Exp Hypn), published in United States. (Language: eng)

Reference: 2002-Jul; vol 50 (issue 3) : pp 248-75

Dates: Created 2002/06/28; Completed 2002/08/19; Revised 2006/11/15;

PMID: 12088332, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 11/6/2008)

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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MeSH headings (categories)

This article was linked to the MESH Headings shown below.

Adult
Arousal
Blood Pressure
Cognition
Emotions
Fear
Female

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