Biological psychology
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Biological psychology · Jan 1996
ReviewNeurobiology of visceral afferent neurons: neuroanatomy, functions, organ regulations and sensations.
Visceral organs are innervated by vagal and spinal visceral afferent neurons which serve as interface between visceral domain and brain. They have multiple functions, one of which is the encoding of mechanical and chemical events and the relay of these messages to the CNS. Vagal afferent neurons project viscerotopically to the nucleus of the solitary tract in the medulla oblongata. ⋯ Normally mechano-insensitive spinal visceral afferents which are chemosensitive may be recruited in pathophysiological conditions. Visceral events which lead to the generation of distinct organ regulations, reflexes and sensations may be encoded by functionally specific sets of afferents or by the intensity-coding in afferents or by both. Pain elicited from some visceral organs may not be associated with the activation of specific sets of 'visceral nociceptors' but with the intensity of discharge in spinal visceral afferents.
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Biological psychology · Aug 1993
Use of impedance cardiography for assessing cardiovascular control in humans: orthostatic and Valsalva tests.
The purpose of this paper is to review our experience with impedance cardiography when used to evaluate cardiovascular control mechanisms in humans. We used the Minnesota impedance cardiograph and the Kubicek stroke volume formula, modified by using spot electrodes instead of band electrodes, a constant rho of 135, and careful attention to standardized procedures. ⋯ More complete definition of cardiovascular function can be obtained by the use of this technique. We describe novel cardiovascular data with the use of impedance cardiography in humans.
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Biological psychology · Oct 1990
Facial electromyographic reactions and autonomic activity to auditory stimuli.
This study explored whether high- and low-intensity auditory stimuli evoke different facial electromyographic reactions and autonomic responses. Subjects were repeatedly exposed to 95-dB and 75-dB tones (1000 Hz, 40 ms rise and fall times) while their facial electromyograms from the corrugator and zygomatic muscle regions, heart rate, skin conductance responses, skin conductance half recovery time and ratings were measured. ⋯ The 75-dB tone elicited an orienting response indicated by a distinct heart rate deceleration and fast habituating skin conductance responses with a relatively short recovery time. Thus, the present study demonstrated that the facial electromyographic technique is sensitive to simple environmental stimuli such as auditory stimuli and that the facial response is consistent with the autonomic response patterns and the experience of the stimuli.
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This study explored whether males and females differ in facial muscle reactivity when exposed to facial expressions. The study also examined whether the sex of the stimulus faces differentially influences the response patterns to facial stimuli. Thus, the sex was manipulated in a 2 x 2 factorial design by exposing males and females to slides of angry and happy faces displayed by both sexes. ⋯ Interestingly, there were no facial EMG effects for gender of stimulus. It was further found that males and females perceived the stimuli similarly. The results are consistent with previous findings indicating that females are more facially reactive than are males.
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In reply to Collet (1989) it is argued that principal component analysis (PCA) of event-related potentials is not invalidated or disproved by the arguments of his comment. The main points of this reply are as follows. ⋯ Third, his model does not allow specific predictions and does not lead to real data reduction, which reverses Collet's argument based on the principle of parsimony. Fourth, his model is less general than PCA, as it could apply (if at all) to slow brain potentials only.