Gohichi Tanaka

The effects of depressive symptoms on cardiovascular and catecholamine responses to the induction of depressive mood.

We examined the effects of depressive symptoms on cardiovascular and catecholamine responses to the induction of different mood states. Fifty-five healthy men and women (mean age 23.4 +/- 3 years) were recruited. Depressive symptoms were evaluated using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CES-D) and participants were classified into high depressive (CES-D*16) or low depressive symptoms (CES-D < 16) groups. Following a baseline period, participants were required to complete two separate speech tasks where they were asked to recall life events that made them feel angry or depressed. The tasks were separated by a 30-min recovery period and the order was randomised between participants using a counterbalanced design. Cardiovascular function was monitored continuously using a Finometer device and saliva was collected for the assessment of 3-methoxy-phenylglycol (MHPG, the major metabolite of norephinephrine). Blood pressure (BP), heart rate, and total peripheral resistance (TPR) were significantly increased in response to both tasks (p = .001). Averaged over conditions, higher diastolic BP and higher MHPG levels were observed in high depressive symptoms participants. MHPG levels did not change in response to mood induction in the low depressive symptoms group. However, the high depression symptoms group showed significantly higher levels of MHPG during recovery from the depressed mood induction task and increased levels immediately after the anger induction task. These findings suggest depressive symptoms are associated with heightened central adrenergic activation during negative mood induction, but that the time course of responses is dependent on the type of emotion elicited.

Normalized pulse volume (NPV) derived photo-plethysmographically as a more valid measure of the finger vascular tone

Normalized pulse volume (NPV) was advocated as a more valid measure for the assessment of finger vascular tone. Based on the optical model in the finger tip expressed by Lambert--Beers law, NPV is expressed as Delta I(a)/I. Here, Delta I(a) is the intensity of pulsatile component superimposed on the transmitted light (I). Theoretically, NPV seems to be superior to the conventional pulse volume (PV; corresponding to Delta I(a)). Firstly, NPV is in direct proportion to Delta V(a), which is the pulsatile component of the arterial blood volume, in a more exact manner. Relatedly, NPV can be processed as if it is an absolute value. Secondly, the sensitivity of NPV during stressful stimulations is expected to be higher. These expectations were supported experimentally using 13 male students. Firstly, the correlation between cutaneous vascular resistance in the finger tip (CVR) and NPV was higher than that between CVR and PV among all the subjects, although there was not much difference between these correlations within each subject. Secondly, NPV decreased much more than PV during mental stress. Some limitations of the present study were addressed, including the point that certain factors can violate the direct proportional relationship of NPV and PV to Delta V(a).

Beat-by-beat double-normalized pulse volume derived photoplethysmographically as a new quantitative index of finger vascular tone in humans

Abstract Near-infrared finger photoplethysmograms were recorded and double-normalized pulse volumes (DNPV = ΔVb/Vb; Vb = total blood volume in the fingertip, ΔVb = pulsatile component of Vb) were calculated in ten subjects during, immersion of the contralateral hand in water at three different temperatures (44°C, 22°C, 11°C). The DNPV from the left finger was compared beat-by-beat with cutaneous vascular resistance (CVR) derived by dividing mean blood pressure of the left third finger by cutaneous blood flow of the left fourth finger. The correlations overall at the three temperatures between log DNPVLF and log CVRLF (LF, low frequency component of DNPV and CVR) ranged from −0.89 to −0.96 among the subjects. After adjusting for a maximal extension of the vascular wall (DNPVmax), the correlations became stronger. It was concluded that DNPV was a reliable and valid indicator of vascular tone in the finger.

A novel photoplethysmography technique to derive normalized arterial stiffness as a blood pressure independent measure in the finger vascular bed

Stiffening of the small artery may be the earliest sign of arteriosclerosis. However, there is no adequate method for directly assessing small arterial stiffness. In this study, the finger arterial elasticity index (FEI) was defined as the parameter n which denotes the curvilinearity of an exponential model of pressure (P)-volume (V(a)) relationship (V(a) = a - b exp (-nP)). For the original estimation, the FEI was calculated from a compliance index from the finger photoplethysmogram whilst occluding the finger. A simple estimation of the FEI was devised by utilizing normalized pulse volume instead of the compliance index. Both estimations yielded close agreement with the exponential model in healthy young participants (study 1: n = 19). Since the FEI was dependent on finger mean blood pressure, normalized finger arterial stiffness index (FSI) was defined as standardized residual from their relationship: mean and standard deviation (SD) of the FSI were 50 ± 10 (study 2: n = 174). The mean coefficient of variation of the FSI for four measurements was 5.72% (study 3: n = 6). The mean and SD of the FSI in seven arteriosclerotic patients were 100.0 ± 13.5. In conclusion, the FEI and FSI by simple estimation are valid and useful for arteriosclerosis research.

Mirror Tracing and the Provocation of Vascular-Dominant Reaction Pattern Through Heightened Attention

Abstract After a hint from Lang et al.s (1997) defence cascade, researchers considered cognitive process experienced when encountering mental stress to be composed of four elements: (serially) fir...

Examination of normalized pulse volume-blood volume relationship: toward a more valid estimation of the finger sympathetic tone.

The pulsatile ac component (DeltaI) superimposed on the transmitted dc components (I: tissue plus blood) are obtained from a near-infrared finger photoplethysmogram using a wavelength of 810 nm. Only the dc component is given in an ischaemic circulatory state (I(t): tissue only). Based on Lambert-Beers law, normalized pulse volume (NPV; =DeltaI/I) and blood volume [BV; =ln(I(t)/I)] have recently been advocated as quantitative measures. In this study, the NPV-BV relationship was examined using the finger occlusion method during rest and mental arithmetic in 16 female undergraduates. Finger vascular tone during stress was evaluated by the distance of the linear and parallel NPV-BV regression lines (D(NB)) between rest and stress conditions. A reference standard was provided by the linear regression lines of compliance index (CI=NPV/pulse pressure) and BV to the transmural pressure. The estimates at 40 mmHg of transmural pressure, as an arbitrarily chosen reference point, were calculated (CI40 and BV40). D(NB) correlated well with them (r=0.81 and 0.94, respectively). The multiple regression with mean blood pressure indicated that the combination of D(NB) and the reactivities in heart period could explain approximately 50% of valiance in pressor response. In conclusion, D(NB) is easily obtainable from the NPV-BV function and seems to be more specific and valid than NPV as an index of finger sympathetic tone, since it adjusts the mechanical effect of arterial distending pressure.