Medizinische Universität Graz Austria/Österreich - Forschungsportal - Medical University of Graz
Gewählte Publikation:
Hilgarter, K.
Cardiovascular reactivity – Validation of a new paradigm and its association with psychosocial factors
Doktoratsstudium der Medizinischen Wissenschaft; Humanmedizin; [ Dissertation ] Medizinische Universität Graz; 2021. pp. 134
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- Autor*innen der Med Uni Graz:
- Betreuer*innen:
- Lackner Helmut Karl
- Rössler Andreas
- Altmetrics:
- Abstract:
- Introduction: When measuring cardiovascular response to stress, an efficient stress paradigm is mandatory to draw valid conclusions for psychophysiological processes. However, psychological stress paradigm demonstrates some limitations and tends to produce inconsistent results through using different stressors which are non-validated prior to their application on healthy individuals. Therefore, the first research focus of this thesis includes the validation of a new psychological stress paradigm named the Grazer Cognitive and Emotional Stress Test (G-CEST) in healthy individuals, irrespective of their age and sex. Further, an inappropriate handling of psychosocial processes might cause long-term damage to the physiological system and seems to be predictable for physiological disorders. Therefore, the second research focus of this thesis aims to explore how tonic and phasic heart rate variability (HRV) is influenced by different facets of psychosocial factors. Method: In total, 95 healthy participants (34 males, 61 females; all Caucasian) aged between 20 and 70 years take part in this study. The validation of the G-CEST is through several physiological parameters during the main time points of rest, anticipation, stress and recovery. Regarding the second research focus, analyses were used to explore how tonic and phasic HRV were influenced by different facets of self-reported psychosocial factors. Results: The analysis determined that cardiovascular parameters showed a statistically significant difference along the main time points (rest, anticipation, stress, recovery) in heart rate and in blood pressure variables. However, impedance cardiography variables such as stroke index, cardiac index, pre-ejection period and left-ventricular ejection time seem to be largely influenced by baseline levels in this study. The findings of the second research focus showed that negative coping strategies (mental occupation) and low emotional competence (perception of one’s own emotions), controlled for sociodemographic variables, were associated with lower tonic HRV, whereas difficulties in the perception of emotions in others were linked with higher HRV. Conclusion: Overall, the results of the present study indicate that in healthy individuals the G-CEST is successful in producing stress and enables making visible cardiovascular changes. Moreover, the new paradigm provides an easy and effective way to induce moderate stress, irrespective of age and sex. Further, this study adds to a growing body of psychophysiological research and serves to deepen the understanding of HRV and its association with psychosocial factors by showing that coping strategy and emotional competence might modulate physiological states in healthy individuals.