Negative affect and 24-hour ambulatory physiological recordings as predictors of spontaneous improvement of medically unexplained symptoms

The predictive value for spontaneous improvement in individuals suffering from medically unexplained symptoms (MUS) was explored of (1) anxiety and depression obtained from questionnaires, (2) negative affective states obtained from experience-sampling, and (3) ambulatory-assessed real-life physiological recordings. Sixty-seven individuals with MUS and 61 healthy controls were included. Twenty-four hour ambulatory recordings of cardiac autonomic activity, respiration, end-tidal CO(2) and saliva cortisol were combined with experience-sampling of somatic complaints and mood. Complaints were assessed again after one year. Although a reduction in symptoms (25%) was found, this could not be predicted from initial anxiety and depression. Improvement was somewhat related to relatively low diary reports of fatigue, especially in the late-afternoon and evening (3% variance explained). From the physiological measures only relatively high PetCO(2) values in the morning predicted improvement (5% explained). It was concluded that spontaneous recovery from MUS is hard to predict from self-reported distress and ambulatory physiological recordings.     

Cortisol and Children’s Adjustment: The Moderating Role of Sympathetic Nervous System Activity

We examined relations among cortisol, markers of sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity (including salivary alpha-amylase and skin conductance level), and children's adjustment. We also tested the Bauer et al. (Journal of Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics, 23(2), 102-113, 2002) hypothesis that interactions between the SNS and cortisol would be associated with internalizing and externalizing problems. Saliva samples were obtained from 8- to 9-year-olds before and after a laboratory assessment battery, and were assayed for cortisol and alpha-amylase (sAA). Basal skin conductance level (SCL) was measured during resting conditions. Parents reported on child adjustment. Interactions between basal SNS and cortisol levels explained moderate amounts of unique variance in children's externalizing and internalizing problems. More specifically, higher basal cortisol levels were positively associated with higher internalizing and externalizing problems among children with higher SNS activity, as compared to children with lower SNS activity. Findings underscore the utility of including information about the coordination between hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) and SNS activity in biosocial models of atypical child development.     

Using temporal distancing to regulate emotion in adolescence: modulation by reactive aggression

Adopting a temporally distant perspective on stressors reduces distress in adults. Here we investigate whether the extent to which individuals project themselves into the future influences distancing efficacy. We also examined modulating effects of age across adolescence and reactive aggression: factors associated with reduced future-thinking and poor emotion regulation. Participants (N?=?83, aged 12–22) read scenarios and rated negative affect when adopting a distant-future perspective, near-future perspective, or when reacting naturally. Self-report data revealed significant downregulation of negative affect during the distant-future condition, with a similar though non-significant skin conductance pattern. Importantly, participants who projected further ahead showed the greatest distress reductions. While temporal distancing efficacy did not vary with age, participants reporting greater reactive aggression showed reduced distancing efficacy, and projected themselves less far into the future. Findings demonstrate the importance of temporal extent in effective temporal distancing; shedding light on a potential mechanism for poor emotional control associated with reactive aggression.     

A randomized controlled trial of the effect of D-cycloserine on extinction and fear conditioning in humans

Previous research has shown that D-cycloserine (DCS) facilitates extinction of Pavlovian fear conditioning in rats and enhances exposure therapy in humans. The aim of this study was to test the effect of DCS on extinction of fear conditioning in humans. In three experiments, 238 participants were given either DCS (50 or 500 mg) or placebo 2-3 h before extinction training following a differential shock conditioning paradigm. Clear extinction and recovery (return of fear) effects were observed on both skin conductance and self-reported shock expectancy measures in three studies. DCS had no influence on these effects. The same pattern was observed when the analysis was restricted to aware participants or to good conditioners, when fear-relevant cues (pictures of snakes) were used as the conditioned stimuli, or when analysis was restricted to heightened snake-fearful participants. These results suggest that DCS may not enhance the extinction, or prevent the recovery, of learned fear in a differential Pavlovian conditioning paradigm in humans. Further experimental research is needed to better understand the mechanisms underlying the therapeutic effects of DCS.     

奖惩线索对停止信号任务中抑制能力和心率、皮肤电的影响

采用不同类型强化刺激(中性刺激,奖励刺激,惩罚刺激,以及奖励、惩罚刺激并存)来改变可获得奖励和惩罚的强度和频度,分别考察不同类型强化条件对停止信号任务中抑制能力、心率和皮肤电的影响.结果显示:与奖惩混合条件相比,在奖励条件下,被试的反应速度快,但正确抑制率明显低于惩罚条件和奖惩混合条件;在奖励条件下,被试在任务完成过程中的心率明显高于反馈条件、惩罚条件和奖惩混合条件.四种条件下被试的皮肤电活动无差异.     

Moments That Matter? On the Complexity of Using Triggers Based on Skin Conductance to Sample Arousing Events Within an Experience Sampling Framework

To sample situations that are psychologically arousing in daily life, we implemented an experience sampling strategy in which 82 Dutch young adults (M_age = 20.73) were triggered based on random time intervals and based on physiological skin conductance scores across a period of 5 days. When triggered, participants had to fill in short surveys on affect, situational characteristics and event characteristics on their smartphone. We found theoretically expected relationships between the skin conductance signal on the one hand and self-reported arousal and positive energy (e.g. energetic and enthusiastic) on the other hand, although effect sizes were small. Unexpectedly, none of the negative affective scales (i.e. irritation, anxiety, and negative valence) were predicted by skin conductance levels. Despite the (partial) validity of the signal, a simple algorithm that triggered the survey based on relative increases of skin conductance levels produced counterintuitive results due to a dependence between level and slope. Additional exploratory analyses highlighted other skin conductance signal characteristics (i.e. autocorrelation, number of peaks, and change points) that might be worth examining when designing future algorithms to sample arousing moments. Overall, our experiences highlight not only the promise but also the complexity of real-time measurement of physiological processes in daily life. © 2020 The Authors. European Journal of Personality published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of European Association of Personality Psychology     

负性情绪抑制对社会决策行为的影响

利用心理生理实验法, 通过将情绪抑制操作引入最后通牒博弈实验范式, 探讨负性情绪抑制的主观情绪体验、生理反应及其对社会决策行为的影响。以40名大学生为被试, 采用MP150型16导生理记录仪记录皮肤电反应和心率。实验为2 (组别：情绪抑制组、自然观看组) × 2 (性别：男、女) × 2 (博弈对手：人、计算机) × 4 (分配方案：￥5：￥5、￥7：￥3、￥8：￥2、￥9：￥1)的混合设计, 其中组别和性别为被试间因素, 博弈对手和分配方案为被试内因素。结果发现：(1)对负性情绪进行抑制没有减少被试相应的主观体验, 情绪抑制使皮肤电反应性增强; (2)负性情绪抑制的主观体验和生理反应不存在性别差异; (3)在面对不公平的分配方案时, 情绪抑制组被试比自然观看组更倾向于拒绝接受。结果表明在最后通牒博弈中,情绪抑制影响回应者的行为反应,使他们更倾向于做出不理智的决策。     

Social stimuli increase physiological reactivity but not defensive responses

Emotional reactions are crucial in survival because they provide approach and withdrawal behaviors. However, an unsolved question is whether the social content of the affective stimuli has a specific effect on emotional responses. We studied whether the social content of affective pictures influenced the defensive response and response mobilization. For this purpose, we recorded startle blink reflex (a defensive response) and skin conductance responses (a measure of unspecific physiological reactivity or arousal) in 73 participants while they viewed a series of 81 pictures of varying affective valence and social content. Our results revealed that defense response, as indicated by increases in the magnitude of the startle blink reflex, was mainly dependent on threatening or unpleasant cues, but was unrelated to the social content of the pictures. The social content, however, had an influence on pleasant stimuli, provoking an increase in resource mobilization, as reflected by changes in electrodermal activity. Hence, the social content of the affective stimuli may increase the physiological arousal elicited by pleasant stimuli, and it appears to be unrelated to the defense reactivity provoked by unpleasant stimuli.