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Cardiodynamic response to psychological and cold pressor stress: Further evidence for stimulus response specificity and directional fractionation

Biofeedback and Self-regulation volume 16, pages 45–53 (1991)Cite this article

Abstract

In the present study 36 police officers were exposed to a psychological stressor (IQ quiz) and to cold pressor stress while several cardiovascular variables were monitored. Impedance cardiography was used to provide measures of heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, myocardial contractility, and total peripheral resistance. In addition, measures of systolic and diastolic blood pressure and peripheral skin temperature were obtained. A multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicated that significant increases in diastolic and systolic blood pressure during the cold pressor test were mediated by large increases in total peripheral resistance, whereas blood pressure elevation during the IQ quiz were accompanied by significant increases in heart rate and, to a lesser extent, cardiac output. Peripheral skin temperature decreased in response to each stressor. Additional analysis indicated a degree of stimulus specificity for several variables. For example, diastolic blood pressure showed greater increases to cold pressor than quiz, whereas systolic blood pressure increased more with the psychological than the physical stressor. Directional fractionation occurred for both myocardial contractility and cardiac output.

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Author information

Affiliations

  1. Stress Medicine Group at Pleasantville, New York

    Bruce L. Wilson

  2. Baruch College of The City University of New York, USA

    Glenn L. Albright Ph.D. & John L. Andreassi

  3. Clinical Technologies Associates, Inc., Elmsford, New York

    Solomon S. Steiner

Authors
  1. Bruce L. Wilson
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  2. Glenn L. Albright Ph.D.
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  3. Solomon S. Steiner
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  4. John L. Andreassi
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Wilson, B.L., Albright, G.L., Steiner, S.S. et al. Cardiodynamic response to psychological and cold pressor stress: Further evidence for stimulus response specificity and directional fractionation. Biofeedback and Self-Regulation 16, 45–53 (1991). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01000445

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01000445

Descriptor key words

  • stimulus response specificity
  • directional fractionation
  • stress
  • impedance cardiography
  • diastolic blood pressure
  • systolic blood pressure
  • cardiac output
  • stroke volume
  • heart rate
  • total peripheral resistance