International journal of psychophysiology : official journal of the International Organization of Psychophysiology
-
The concept of defense relates to the idea that organisms react physiologically to the presence of danger or threat in order to protect themselves from potential injury or death. This article reviews the literature on cardiac defense, a specific defense reaction that has a long tradition in psychophysiological research. ⋯ A critical analysis of these assumptions follows centered on evidence from a systematic research of the cardiac response to intense acoustic stimulation. Finally, an integrative model of cardiac defense is presented which emphasizes the dynamic nature of this defense reaction - characterized by a complex pattern of heart rate changes with accelerative and decelerative components, with sympathethic and parasympathetic influences, and with both attentional and motivational significance - providing a new framework in which the two opposite traditional approaches can be reconciled.
-
Int J Psychophysiol · Dec 2007
Affective modulation of eyeblink reactions to noxious sural nerve stimulation: a supraspinal measure of nociceptive reactivity?
Research suggests affective picture-viewing modulates subjective and physiological reactions to noxious stimulation (pain report, heart rate acceleration, skin conductance response, nociceptive flexion reflex). Because the nociceptive flexion reflex (a spinal reflex) is modulated by picture-viewing, this suggests affective processes are able to modulate afferent nociception at spinal levels. This highlights the importance of assessing nociceptive reactivity from physiological measures mediated at different levels of the neuraxis (spinal vs. supraspinal) to help elucidate the mechanisms associated with pain regulation. ⋯ Eyeblinks were larger during highly arousing unpleasant pictures (attack) than highly arousing pleasant pictures (erotica), but low arousal pictures (loss, food) did not lead to significant modulation. Affective modulation was independent of picture duration or the perceived painfulness of noxious stimulation. This study suggests eyeblink reactions can serve as a supraspinal outcome in procedures used to study affective modulation of pain and nociception.