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Modulation of Physiological Responses as Indices of Attentional Bias in Dysphoria

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Abstract

The experimental results on attentional bias in depression have been contradictory. Research on physiological correlates that validate attentional bias have been scarce. The aim of the present study was to evaluate physiological responses associated with attentional bias in dysphoria. Heart rate and the galvanic skin response were recorded in 30 dysphoric individuals and 30 nondysphoric individuals while they performed an emotional Stroop task. Dysphoric individuals exhibited attentional bias and heart rate deceleration in response to unpleasant words. Nondysphoric individuals exhibited attentional bias toward pleasant words, accompanied by a higher skin conductance response. These results suggest that heart rate deceleration in response to unpleasant words correlated with attentional bias in dysphoric individuals.

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Notes

  1. Pleasant words: kiss, orgasm, love, caress. Neutral words: pencil, paper, board, cell. Unpleasant words: war, bomb, abuse, torture.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Psychology, University of San Buenaventura, Cr 8 H # 172-20, Bogotá, Colombia

    Carlos Gantiva, Andrés Araujo, Narayana Aragão & Nohelia Hewitt

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  1. Carlos Gantiva
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  2. Andrés Araujo
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  3. Narayana Aragão
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  4. Nohelia Hewitt
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Correspondence to Carlos Gantiva.

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Funding for this study was provided by the University of San Buenaventura (Ref. PSI 011-015).University of San Buenaventura, had no role in the study design, collection, analysis or interpretation of the data, writing the manuscript, or the decision to submit the paper for publication.

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Gantiva, C., Araujo, A., Aragão, N. et al. Modulation of Physiological Responses as Indices of Attentional Bias in Dysphoria. Int J Ment Health Addiction 16, 328–338 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11469-017-9774-7

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