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Thermal Sensitivity and Cardiovascular Reactivity to Stress in Healthy Males

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  10 January 2013

Pablo Antonio Conde-Guzón ,
María Teresa Bartolomé-Albistegui ,
Pilar Quirós  and
Raúl Cabestrero
Pablo Antonio Conde-Guzón*
Affiliation:
Universidad de León (Spain)
María Teresa Bartolomé-Albistegui
Affiliation:
Hospital Nuestra Señora de Regla (Spain)
Pilar Quirós
Affiliation:
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (Spain)
Raúl Cabestrero
Affiliation:
Universidad Nacional de Educación a Distancia (Spain)
*
Correspondence concerning this article should be addressed to Pablo Antonio Conde-Guzón. Área de Personalidad, Evaluación y Tratamiento Psicológicos. Departamento de Psicología, Sociología y Filosofía. Universidad de León. Campus de Vegazana s/n. 24071 León (Spain). Phone: +34-987782136. E-mail: pacong@unileon.es
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Abstract

This paper examines the association of cardiovascular reactivity with thermal thresholds (detection and unpleasantness). Heart period (HP), systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure of 42 health young males were recorded during a cardiovascular reactivity task (a videogame based upon Sidman's avoidance paradigm). Thermal sensitivity, assessing detection and unpleasantness thresholds with radiant heat in the forearm was also estimated for participants. Participants with differential scores in the cardiovascular variables from base line to task ≥ P65 were considered as reactors and those how have differential scores ≤ P35 were considered as non-reactors. Significant differences were observed between groups in the unpleasantness thresholds in blood pressure (BP) but not in HP. Reactors exhibited significant higher unpleasantness thresholds than non-reactors. No significant differences were obtained in detection thresholds between groups.

Este estudio investiga la relación entre la reactividad cardiovascular y la sensibilidad térmica (umbrales de detección y molestia). 42 varones jóvenes y sanos participaron en un experimento en el que se registraron el periodo cardiaco, la presión arterial sistólica y la presión arterial diastólica durante la realización de una tarea evocadora de reactividad cardiovascular (videojuego basado en el paradigma de evitación de Sidman). La sensibilidad térmica fue medida en todos los participantes mediante la estimación de los umbrales de detección y molestia en la piel del antebrazo con el método de calor radiante. Los participantes que presentaron valores diferenciales en las variables cardiovasculares respecto a la línea base ≥ P65 fueron considerados como reactores, mientras que los que obtuvieron valores diferenciales ≤ P35 se consideraron como no-reactores.

Se encontraron diferencias significativas en los umbrales de molestia entre los grupos de reactores y no-reactores en presión arterial, aunque no se encontraron diferencias en la reactividad del periodo cardiaco. El grupo de reactores presenta umbrales más elevados en la molestia que el grupo de no-reactores. No se encontraron diferencias en los umbrales de detección entre los grupos.

Keywords

cardiovascular reactivitythermal sensitivityunpleasantness thresholdreactividad cardiovascularsensibilidad térmicaumbral de molestia
Type
Research Article
Information
The Spanish Journal of Psychology , Volume 14 , Issue 2 , November 2011 , pp. 600 - 607
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 2011

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