David A. Paskewitz

Aversive Situational Effects on Alpha Feedback Training

Anticipation of electric shock did not depress alpha activity in a feedback situation though it was associated with reported anxiety and heightened arousal indexed by greatly increased heart rate and number of spontaneous skin conductance responses. Contrary to previous reports, a reduction in alpha activity is not a necessary consequence of apprehension or heightened arousal.

Psychological aspects of cardiac arrhythmia.

A review of data from a wide spectrum of research studies suggests that psychological-emotional factors can significantly influence and alter the incidence of cardiac arrhythmia. While the existing data are, in many cases, difficult to interpret because of theoretical and methodological problems, sufficient evidence does exist to warrant a concerted investigation into the total involvement of psychological factors in cardiac arrhythmia.

Human contact and cardiac arrhythmia in a coronary care unit.

&NA; In a sample of 225 coronary care patients it was observed that a significant reduction in ventricular arrhythmias occurred following pulse palpation. These data suggest that significant changes in ventricular arrhythmia can occur as a result of even minimally arousing psychosocial interactions.

Interpersonal aspects of blood pressure control.

Recent observations of large, consistent increases in blood pressure during human communication prompted a reassessment of the role of interpersonal factors in the behavioral control of hypertension. It was noted that the conceptual framework around which earlier behavioral studies have been carried out, as well as in the physical methods of pressure determination themselves, have contributed to a general lack of information about the role of interpersonal interactions in hypertension. An awareness of the relationship between speaking and pressure elevations has led to the development of a new conceptual approach to understanding the etiology and treatment of hypertension. Using techniques developed out of transactional psychophysiology, hypertensive patients have been able to observe the importance of interpersonal communications in the regulation of their own blood pressure. Evidence from the clinical use of such information suggests that a new way can be developed to help patients lower their blood pressure.

SOME ASPECTS OF SLEEP DISTURBANCE IN CORONARY PATIENTS

Of 42 coronary care patients studied during 10 hr. of poly-graphically recorded sleep, 28 were in an open-ward coronary care unit and 14 were in a semi-private telemetry unit. The observed sleep disturbances were not a function of type of unit, length of hospitalization, sex, or medications. Sleep was significantly less fragmented in those patients judged less severe in pathology. These results indicate that alterations in normal sleep patterns occur routinely within coronary care environments, even in the absence of disturbing environmental stimuli and suggest that a closer analysis be made of sleep in these settings in light of the known relationships between sleep and cardiac function.

Inter-session stability of human alpha rhythm densities ☆

Abstract The density of occipital alpha activity was recorded in 30 subjects under standard conditions for two or three sessions. The results indicated that stable measures of alpha densities could be obtained from session to session, provided that situational effects were considered.

Sleep-waking changes in cardiac arrhythmia in a coronary care patient.

&NA; A single case is reported in whom ventricular cardiac arrhythmias were related to the occurrence of polygraphically verified sleep. A strong relationship was found to exist between the heart rate in any one minute and the number of premature ventricular contractions, with higher rates associated with a greater number of these ectopic beats.

Learning Theories: Pavlovian Paradigm

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the learning theories regarding Pavlovian paradigm. Russian physiologist, I. P. Pavlov, was interested in studying integrated physiology in healthy animals. One of Pavlovs interests was to understand the physiology of digestion and he was concerned that such methods were not adequate to allow a proper observation of this living system. By developing a fistula system, and by the development of the Pavlov pouch, he was able to begin observing various reflex stomach secretions involved in the ongoing digestive process. This method for studying normal physiological reflexes led Pavlov to observe a new and strange reflex physiology that had not previously been seen. His discoveries have been extended beyond the gastric secretions or salivary reflexes he studied, however, the principles remain the same. Pavlovs contribution to behavior through his work on the conditional reflex was based on precise measurement. His interest in the conditional reflex (CR) as a way of studying cortical function led him to propose a physiological theory of conditioning phenomena that involved the processes of cortical excitation and inhibition.