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Involvement of cardiac, respiratory and gastrointestinal functions in neural responses to stressful events

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Abstract

In the stress concept, fight and flight situations as well as other CNS-controlled reaction patterns for alertness to danger have to be followed by or integrated with a restorative “build-up” process in order to maintain homeostasis. The “build-up” process can be studied physiologically for example after regular exercise or training. Under these conditions there is a decrease in resting sympathetic adrenergic activity and an increase in the parasympathetic vagal activity.

A theoretical model for the “build-up” process in psychosomatic gastroenterology has previously been presented. The present paper deals with the “build-up” process in cardiovascular and respiratory tract diseases seen in athletes. Anorexia nervosa related to excess physical training is also discussed as well as the “build-up” process in severe obesity and psychosomatic gastroenterological disorders.

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  1. University of Göteborg, Sweden

    Gerhard Dotevall M.D.

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  1. Gerhard Dotevall M.D.
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Dotevall, G. Involvement of cardiac, respiratory and gastrointestinal functions in neural responses to stressful events. Integrative Physiological and Behavioral Science 29, 374–382 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02691357

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