Complex sympathetic arousal during negative emotional stress

Introduction The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a key role in maintenance of the homeostasis and adaptability of the body to different stimuli. The disturbances of ANS, especially sympathetic dysregulation in stress response, are associated with various disorders. Objectives Thus, we aimed...

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Main Authors: Z. Visnovcova, N. Ferencova, L. Bona Olexova, I. Tonhajzerova
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Cambridge University Press 2021-04-01
Series:European Psychiatry
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821012992/type/journal_article
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author Z. Visnovcova
N. Ferencova
L. Bona Olexova
I. Tonhajzerova
author_facet Z. Visnovcova
N. Ferencova
L. Bona Olexova
I. Tonhajzerova
author_sort Z. Visnovcova
collection DOAJ
description Introduction The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a key role in maintenance of the homeostasis and adaptability of the body to different stimuli. The disturbances of ANS, especially sympathetic dysregulation in stress response, are associated with various disorders. Objectives Thus, we aimed to study the sympathetic arousal in response to negative emotional stress and during recovery using heart rate variability (HRV) nonlinear analysis (symbolic dynamics parameter 0V%) and skin conductance level (SCL) as sympathetically-mediated indices in healthy students. Methods Seventy students (age: 23.1±0.2yr., 39 females) were examined during complex stress response: baseline – negative emotional stress – recovery. RR intervals (for HRV analysis) and electrodermal activity were continuously recorded during each period lasting six minutes. Evaluated parameters: HRV nonlinear analysis - symbolic dynamics index 0V% as cardiac sympathetic index, skin conductance level (SCL) as sympathetic cholinergic index. Results Regarding electrodermal activity, the parameter SCL significantly increased in response to negative emotional stress (p<0.001) and remained higher after stress (recovery phase, p<0.001). Symbolic dynamics index 0V% was without significant changes. Conclusions Our findings revealed increased sympathetically-mediated index SCL in response to negative emotional stress and in recovery phase indicating higher sympathetic arousal during complex stress response in young people. Surprisingly, cardiac sympathetic index 0V% was not sensitive to detect discrete changes in sympathetic arousal to negative emotion. We suggest that detailed knowledge about complex sympathetic regulatory mechanisms to emotional stress in healthy probands represents the first step for understanding of pathomechanisms leading to abnormal stress response in mental disorders. Conflict of interest This study was funded by the Slovak Scientific Grant Agency under grants VEGA 1/0044/18; VEGA 1/0190/20 and Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic under the project registration number 2018/20-UKMT-16.
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spelling doaj.art-a4fcb7dac8b64f3dbf7aa0fe0360f31e2023-11-17T05:07:22ZengCambridge University PressEuropean Psychiatry0924-93381778-35852021-04-0164S486S48610.1192/j.eurpsy.2021.1299Complex sympathetic arousal during negative emotional stressZ. Visnovcova0N. Ferencova1L. Bona Olexova2I. Tonhajzerova3Biomedical Center Martin, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in MartinComenius University in Bratislava, Martin, Slovak RepublicDepartment Of Physiology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine Comenius University, Martin, Slovak RepublicDepartment Of Physiology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine Comenius University, Martin, Slovak RepublicDepartment Of Physiology, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine Comenius University, Martin, Slovak Republic Introduction The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a key role in maintenance of the homeostasis and adaptability of the body to different stimuli. The disturbances of ANS, especially sympathetic dysregulation in stress response, are associated with various disorders. Objectives Thus, we aimed to study the sympathetic arousal in response to negative emotional stress and during recovery using heart rate variability (HRV) nonlinear analysis (symbolic dynamics parameter 0V%) and skin conductance level (SCL) as sympathetically-mediated indices in healthy students. Methods Seventy students (age: 23.1±0.2yr., 39 females) were examined during complex stress response: baseline – negative emotional stress – recovery. RR intervals (for HRV analysis) and electrodermal activity were continuously recorded during each period lasting six minutes. Evaluated parameters: HRV nonlinear analysis - symbolic dynamics index 0V% as cardiac sympathetic index, skin conductance level (SCL) as sympathetic cholinergic index. Results Regarding electrodermal activity, the parameter SCL significantly increased in response to negative emotional stress (p<0.001) and remained higher after stress (recovery phase, p<0.001). Symbolic dynamics index 0V% was without significant changes. Conclusions Our findings revealed increased sympathetically-mediated index SCL in response to negative emotional stress and in recovery phase indicating higher sympathetic arousal during complex stress response in young people. Surprisingly, cardiac sympathetic index 0V% was not sensitive to detect discrete changes in sympathetic arousal to negative emotion. We suggest that detailed knowledge about complex sympathetic regulatory mechanisms to emotional stress in healthy probands represents the first step for understanding of pathomechanisms leading to abnormal stress response in mental disorders. Conflict of interest This study was funded by the Slovak Scientific Grant Agency under grants VEGA 1/0044/18; VEGA 1/0190/20 and Ministry of Health of the Slovak Republic under the project registration number 2018/20-UKMT-16. https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821012992/type/journal_articlesympathetic nervous systemelectrodermal activityheart rate variabilitynegative emotional stress
spellingShingle Z. Visnovcova
N. Ferencova
L. Bona Olexova
I. Tonhajzerova
Complex sympathetic arousal during negative emotional stress
European Psychiatry
sympathetic nervous system
electrodermal activity
heart rate variability
negative emotional stress
title Complex sympathetic arousal during negative emotional stress
title_full Complex sympathetic arousal during negative emotional stress
title_fullStr Complex sympathetic arousal during negative emotional stress
title_full_unstemmed Complex sympathetic arousal during negative emotional stress
title_short Complex sympathetic arousal during negative emotional stress
title_sort complex sympathetic arousal during negative emotional stress
topic sympathetic nervous system
electrodermal activity
heart rate variability
negative emotional stress
url https://www.cambridge.org/core/product/identifier/S0924933821012992/type/journal_article
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AT itonhajzerova complexsympatheticarousalduringnegativeemotionalstress