Intoxicated behavioral disinhibition and the heart rate response to alcohol.

This study examined the association between the heart rate (HR) response to alcohol intoxication, which is thought to reflect sensitivity to alcohol-induced reward and alcohol-induced behavioral disinhibition. High- and low-HR responders to alcohol participated in a go/no-go task, under sober and intoxicated conditions. Errors of commission on this task have previously been related to behavioral disinhibition. High-HR responders made more intoxicated commission errors as compared with low-HR responders. High-HR responders also reported increased alcohol consumption, and controlling for the latter did not alter the significant association between high-HR responders and increased intoxicated errors of commission. These results are consistent with previous findings of an increased risk for addictive and disinhibited behavioral propensities in individuals with a high-HR response to alcohol intoxication. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Recording fetal heart rate as a behavioral measure.

Employed the fetal EKG with 4 electrodes placed on the maternal abdomen 1 just above the symphysis pubis, and the other across the abdomen at the level of the fundus uteri. The relationship between maternal and fetal heart rates were explored by also recording the maternal EKG. Difficulties in measuring fetal heart rate are discussed and possible solutions presented. It is concluded that fetal heart rate is a difficult but possible measure for exploration of fetal behavior. (17 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship between behavioral marital therapy outcome and process variables.

This study was conducted to identify therapist and client behaviors with a positive response to social learning-based behavioral marital therapy. A sample of 32 couples receiving treatment was examined. Immediately after each therapy session, the therapist, husband, and wife independently completed process ratings forms that measured therapist and client behaviors during the session. Composite scales, derived from these ratings, were entered into multiple regression equations to examine their relationship with posttherapy marital satisfaction. After controlling for pretherapy marital satisfaction and the other predictor variables, therapists', husbands', and wives' ratings of positive client behavior (i.e., collaboration, active participation, and homework compliance) were positively associated with therapy outcome. Implications for marital therapy and suggestions for future research are discussed. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Thought stopping and covert assertion in the treatment of phobias.

Discusses thought stopping as a technique for treating obsessive thoughts through anxiety reduction. 6 typical cases are described. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Components in a treatment of insect phobias.

Tested 3 components of a supportive but directive approach to overcoming mild aversion to insects. Ss were 28 female undergraduates in 3 treatment groups and 1 control group (n = 7 each). Treatment tapes used signal-safety conditioning messages, positive reinforcement, or negative reinforcement. Self-report and overt behavior measures of fear were recorded for 5 consecutive approach-assessment tests. Each treatment component was associated with significant (p     

Freedom of choice and behavioral change.

Used a 3?×?2 (Treatment?×?Population) factorial design with repeated measures (pretest/posttest) to evaluate the effects of perceived freedom of choice on behavior change in a therapy analog study. 90 Ss were assigned to 3 groups that varied in the amount of perceived choice given to Ss in determining the type of training procedure used for speed-reading enhancement. Experimental conditions were crossed with 2 populations of Ss to examine 2 levels of perceived freedom. Half of the Ss were psychology undergraduates required to participate in psychology experiments, and the remaining half were volunteers. The main dependent variable was the amount of change in reading rate. A marginally significant increase in reading speed was obtained by volunteers in comparison to psychology student participants. Ss who perceived that they were given a choice in training procedures improved significantly more in reading speed than Ss who lost the freedom of choice. No changes in reading comprehension were noted. Findings are discussed in terms of the relationship between freedom of choice and performance in a behavior change program. (22 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Weight loss and behavior change 1 year after behavioral treatment for obesity.

Reports a 1-yr follow-up study of 88 of the 1st 108 clients to complete a behavioral weight reduction program at Stanford University's Eating Disorders Clinic. On the average, Ss maintained their in-treatment weight loss over the follow-up period, but there was marked variability and a low correlation between in-treatment and posttreatment performance. Ss reported significant changes in their eating behavior after treatment, but these changes were only weakly related to weight changes. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Method for the analysis of the entrainment between heart rate and ventilation rate

A digital computer program was developed which allows to continuously represent the relation between heart rate and ventilation rate. Using this program, experiments in anesthetized rabbits were performed. We found periods of synchronization, periods of transient entrainment and escape, and periods of complete desynchronization. By testing the respective roles for the entrainment mechanism of ventilation rate and heart rate it was found that spontaneous adjustments of the ventilation rate play a more pronounced role. Thus, as soon as spontaneous or induced variations of the heart rate and/or the ventilation rate shift both rhythms close to synchronization, variations of the ventilation pattern, which seem to be of reflex nature, tend to induce entrainment.     

Effects of motivation on the relationship between heart rate and sensorimotor tasks.

Evaluated the effects of motivation on tonic and phasic heart rate (HR) changes during motor-perceptual tasks. 40 male undergraduates were randomly assigned to 2 groups. In Phase I of the experiment, Ss were given counterbalanced programmed series of reaction time and time estimation trials. While controls worked under the same conditions in Phase II, experimental Ss performed the same tasks under increased motivation, receiving 10-cent tokens for a good performance on each trial. Results indicate that the HR deceleration, already known to take place in the preparatory interval of the reaction time task, also occurs just before the response in time estimation trials. For both tasks, the Phase II motivation increase produces both a greater foreperiod deceleration and a large acceleration immediately after the motor response. Results are discussed in terms of the motivational significance of HR variations, with reference to the cardiosomatic hypothesis of P. A. Obrist (1976) and the intake-rejection hypothesis of J. I. Lacey and B. C. Lacey (1978). (21 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Autonomic control of heart rate during physical exercise and fractal dimension of heart rate variability

The objectives of the present study were to investigate autonomic nervous system influence on heart rate during physical exercise and to examine the relationship between the fractal component in heart rate variability (HRV) and the system's response. Ten subjects performed incremental exercise on a cycle ergometer, consisting of a 5-min warm-up period followed by a ramp protocol, with work rate increasing at a rate of 2.0 W/min until exhaustion. During exercise, alveolar gas exchange, plasma norepinephrine (NE) and epinephrine (E) responses, and beat-to-beat HRV were monitored. HRV data were analyzed by "coarse-graining spectral analysis" (Y. Yamamoto and R. L. Hughson. J. Appl. Physiol. 71: 1143-1150, 1991) to break down their total power (Pt) into harmonic and nonharmonic (fractal) components. The harmonic component was further divided into low-frequency (0.0-0.15 Hz) and high-frequency (0.15-0.8 Hz) components, from which low-frequency and high-frequency power (Pl and Ph, respectively) were calculated. Parasympathetic (PNS) and sympathetic (SNS) nervous system activity indicators were evaluated by Ph/Pt and Pl/Ph, respectively. From the fractal component, the fractal dimension (DF) and the spectral exponent (beta) were calculated. The PNS indicator decreased significantly (P < 0.05) when exercise intensity exceeded 50% of peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak). Conversely, the SNS indicator initially increased at 50-60% VO2peak (P < 0.05) and further increased significantly (P < 0.05) at > 60% VO2peak when there were also more pronounced increases in NE and E.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Participant modeling with or without cognitive treatment for phobias.

To determine whether cognitive treatment would enhance the effectiveness of participant modeling (PM) treatment for phobias, 36 subjects phobic to dogs and cats were given either PM alone, PM with self-instructional training, PM with self-verbalizations ("thinking aloud"), or placebo treatment. The three PM treatments produced substantial and equivalent improvement in behavior at posttest, in contrast to the placebo group, which did not change. At follow-up, the combined PM/self instructional training group showed more phobic behavior and lower self-efficacy than the other PM groups. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Telemetered heart rates of immunosympathectomized and/or adrenal-medullectomized mice during behavioral tasks.

Studied the effects of immunosympathectomy and/or adrenal medullectomy in Swiss-Webster mice in the open field and in each S's home environment. Heart rates (HRs) were monitored via telemetry. Mobility and defecation in the open field were not significantly affected by either immunosympathectomy or adrenal medullectomy. Adrenal medullectomy did affect the relationships between HR and mobility or defecation. The negative correlation between HR and activity of 23 adrenal-intact (AI) Ss became insignificantly positive for 17 adrenal-medullectomized (AM) Ss. Defecating control AI Ss had high HRs, and defecating immunosympathectomized (IS) AM Ss had low HRs. The IS Ss were able to achieve HRs as high as those of controls (>800 bpm) when stressed, but these HRs became significantly lower than those of controls in a short time. (23 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship between patient-therapist compatibility and treatment effectiveness.

Studied patient attraction to therapist, therapist attraction to patient, and patient change as a function of interpersonally oriented therapist-patient compatibility. Fundamental Interpersonal Relations Orientation scale scores were used to assign a high- and a low-compatibility psychiatric patient to each of 24 therapists. High-compatibility matched patients were found to have a significantly more favorable view of their therapists after both 3 and 11 wk. of interaction. However, therapists did not prefer relating to their high-compatibility over their low-compatibility match patients. There was no difference in the amount of behavioral change found in the high-compatibility, low-compatibility, and untreated-control groups. It is concluded that by use of such matching procedures a higher level of interpersonal attraction can be promoted between patients and their therapists, but the significance of therapist-patient attraction for treatment effectiveness remains to be demonstrated. (39 ref.) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Pacemaker rate in the behavioral theory of timing.

The assumption by the behavioral theory of timing that pacemaker rate is proportional to reinforcer density was tested in 2 experiments involving 5 homing pigeons. Ss discriminated between the 1st and 2nd halves of a 50-sec trial. Responses on a left key were reinforced at variable intervals for the 1st 25 sec of the trial, and right-key responses were reinforced at variable intervals during the 2nd 25 sec. In Exp 1, overall reinforcement rate was varied by manipulating the intertrial interval (ITI) duration. Pacemaker rate, estimated by fitting predictions to psychometric functions, was an inverse function of ITI. In Exp 2, reinforcer duration was manipulated as a means of altering reinforcer density. Pacemaker rate was found to be directly related to reinforcer duration. Results support the assumption that pacemaker rate is determined by reinforcer density. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Relationship of blood pressure, heart rate and behavioral mood state to norepinephrine kinetics in younger and older men following caffeine ingestion

OBJECTIVE: To examine age-related differences in blood pressure, heart rate, behavioral mood state and norepinephrine kinetics after caffeine ingestion in younger and older men. DESIGN: Placebo-controlled, double-blind study. SETTING: General Clinical Research Center, University of Vermont. SUBJECTS: 10 older (O) (65-80 y) and 10 younger (Y) (19-26 y) healthy men who were moderate consumers of caffeine (Y= 126+/-30 mg/d; O = 160 44 mg/d:NS; mean +/- s.e.m.). INTERVENTION: All volunteers were characterized for fasting plasma glucose, insulin and caffeine levels, body composition, anthropometry, physical activity, and energy intake. Before and after placebo and caffeine ingestion (5 mg/kg fat-free mass) test days, the following variables were measured in all subjects: heart rate, blood pressure, mood state, and norepinephrine concentrations (NEconc), appearance (NEapp) and clearance (NEcl). MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, mood state, and norepinephrine kinetic responses to placebo and caffeine ingestion. RESULTS: Following caffeine ingestion, plasma caffeine levels were similar in Y and O men. Systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure increased significantly (P < 0.01) from baseline by 9% (130+/-6 vs 142+/-6 mmHg) and 3% (75+/-3 vs 77+/-3 mmHg), respectively, in O men following caffeine ingestion, but remained unchanged in Y men. Self-reported feelings of tension (P < 0.05) and anger (P = 0.06) decreased in O men, while anger tended to increase in Y men (P < 0.06) following caffeine ingestion. Heart rates in both groups were unaltered following caffeine ingestion. No differences were noted at baseline between O and Y men for NEconc, NEapp and NEcl. After caffeine ingestion, NEconc were significantly greater in O than Y men, whereas NEapp and NEcl rates did not differ from baseline in either group. Blood pressure and subjective mood state effects of caffeine were not related to changes in norepinephrine kinetics. CONCLUSION: Age may play a role in augmenting blood pressure response and reducing subjective feelings of anger and tension following caffeine ingestion, suggesting that the elderly are more reactive to the pressor and less sensitive to the subjective effects of the drug. These effects do not appear to be mediated by changes in sympathetic nervous system activity.     

Behavioral and heart rate pattern differences between breast-fed and bottle-fed neonates.

Behavioral and physiological differences between 61 breast-fed and 39 bottle-fed neonates were assessed between 17 and 56 hr postpartum (M age?=?37 hr). Ten minutes of baseline heart rate pattern and respiration data were recorded during sleep, and the Neonatal Behavioral Assessment Scale (NBAS) was administered subsequently. Perinatal and demographic information was collected by maternal interview and delivery records. Results indicate that breast-fed infants had significantly longer heart periods, elevated heart period variability, and higher vagal tone than bottle-fed infants. Behaviorally, breast-fed infants were significantly more irritable, more difficult to console, and more often unable to complete the alert orientation portion of the assessment. These results could not be attributed to perinatal status or maternal variables. These findings suggest that breast-feeding is associated not only with more optimal physiological organization in the early neonatal period, but also with increased irritable reactivity. The relevance of several nutritional and interactional factors is evaluated. The data indicate that method of feeding should be considered an important dimension in studies of neonatal functioning. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Multiple somatic measures and heart rate during classical aversive conditioning in the cat.

In 2 experiments, a total of 9 freely moving cats were subjected to classical aversive conditioning under either a delay or a trace paradigm using a tone conditioned stimulus (CS) and a shock unconditioned stimulus (UCS). During a 7- or 9-sec CS-UCS interval, heart rate (HR) decelerated and concomitantly, general activity, neural activity in the pyramidal motor system, respiration amplitude, and neck muscle electromyogram (EMG) decreased. General activity and pyramidal activity were more related to HR than were respiration and EMG. The close correspondence between HR and the various measures of somatic activity are interpreted as showing the dependence of HR change on the metabolic demands of the organism. The concomitance demonstrated between HR change and somatic change provides further evidence against HR change as a direct index of emotional or motivational processes. (24 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Stress-induced recovery of fears and phobias.

Asserts that the characteristics of human phobias resemble the kind of learning found during the amnesic period of infancy. As certain neural systems mature, conditioning begins to exhibit adult characteristics such as context dependency, sharp generalization, and rapid extinction. The adult learning system seems to be structured at least partially through the lasting influence of infantile experience. Under (hormonal) stress, residues of early experience are reinstated and incorporated into adult memory where they directly control behavior, and this control exhibits infantile characteristics. Evidence suggests that once acquired, such conditional fears might never be eliminated using traditional extinction or counterconditioning procedures. This view leads to a renewed emphasis on the role of experience in human development. (5 p ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Fear-reduction research and clinical phobias.

Reviews research concerning the behavioral treatment of clinical phobias, and compares findings with related analog studies of Ss with mild fears. Despite the frequently expressed need for caution in generalizing from one population or type of fear to another, earlier reviews based largely on analog studies have tended to ignore this problem. Conclusions regarding the effects of nonspecific treatment variables, anxiety levels during treatment, imaginal or real exposure to phobic situations, and motivational variables in changing phobic behavior are qualified by reference to research with clinical populations. These findings suggest that analog studies may give misleading impressions of the relative importance of different components operating in clinical treatments. (66 ref) (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)