Pico-Alfonso M Angeles, Mastorci Francesca, Ceresini Graziano, Ceda Gian Paolo, Manghi Massimo, Pino Olimpia, Troisi Alfonso, Sgoifo Andrea
Department of Evolutionary and Functional Biology, Stress Physiology Laboratory, University of Parma, Italy.
Psychoneuroendocrinology. 2007 Jun;32(5):451-63. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2007.02.009. Epub 2007 Apr 10.
Theoretical statements, as well as clinical and experimental data, suggest that the amplitude of cardiovascular reactivity to acute stressors can be a good predictor of preclinical and clinical cardiovascular states. The aim of the present study is to investigate the role of estrogens, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenocortical activity, and the behavioral profile in individual cardiac autonomic reactivity to brief laboratory stressors in women. Thirty-six adult, healthy women were exposed to a stress interview and a mental task test, each lasting 5 min. They were assigned to two experimental groups: D4, i.e. 4 days after menses beginning (follicular phase, n=18), and D14, i.e. 14 days after menses beginning (ovulatory phase, n=18). The cardiac measurements in the baseline, stress and recovery periods consisted in heart rate (average R-R interval) and parasympathetic tone (r-MSSD) quantification, while the HPA axis activity and stress reactivity were assessed via plasma cortisol and dehydroepiandrosterone concentrations. The ethological profile during the interview was drawn by means of non-verbal behavior analysis. The cardiac, adrenocortical and behavioral responses to the two stressors were similar in groups D4 and D14, despite significantly higher estradiol levels in the latter. Subjects with higher pre-stress cortisol levels had higher heart rate and lower vagal activity in the baseline, stress and recovery phases. Women showing higher level of submission were characterized by higher heart rate acceleration and vagal withdrawal during both the interview and the recovery phase. In addition, the subjects that exhibited greater displacement during the interview were also characterized by lower heart rate increments and less pronounced vagal suppression during post-stress recovery. In conclusion, the present results do not support a clear buffering role of estrogens in cardiovascular response to acute stressors. However, they confirm that baseline HPA axis activity can be predictive of cardiac autonomic activity and stress responsiveness. They also highlight the modulating role of the individual style of behavioral coping in cardiac sympathovagal stress reactivity. Therefore, the objective assessment of the individual behavioral profile via the analysis of non-verbal communication patterns might represent a powerful tool for identifying subjects with higher risk of cardiac events.
理论陈述以及临床和实验数据表明，心血管系统对急性应激源的反应幅度可能是临床前和临床心血管状态的良好预测指标。本研究的目的是调查雌激素、下丘脑 - 垂体 - 肾上腺皮质活动以及行为特征在女性对简短实验室应激源的个体心脏自主反应中的作用。36名成年健康女性接受了一次持续5分钟的应激访谈和一项心理任务测试。她们被分为两个实验组：D4组，即月经开始后4天（卵泡期，n = 18）；D14组，即月经开始后14天（排卵期，n = 18）。在基线期、应激期和恢复期的心脏测量包括心率（平均R - R间期）和副交感神经张力（r - MSSD）的量化，而通过血浆皮质醇和脱氢表雄酮浓度评估HPA轴活动和应激反应性。通过非言语行为分析得出访谈期间的行为特征。尽管D14组的雌二醇水平明显更高，但D4组和D14组对这两种应激源的心脏、肾上腺皮质和行为反应相似。应激前皮质醇水平较高的受试者在基线期、应激期和恢复期的心率较高，迷走神经活动较低。在访谈和恢复期，表现出较高顺从水平的女性的特点是心率加速较高和迷走神经撤离。此外，在访谈期间表现出更大位移的受试者在应激后恢复期间的心率增加较低且迷走神经抑制不太明显。总之，目前的结果不支持雌激素在心血管对急性应激源反应中的明确缓冲作用。然而，它们证实基线HPA轴活动可以预测心脏自主活动和应激反应性。它们还强调了个体行为应对方式在心脏交感迷走神经应激反应中的调节作用。因此，通过分析非言语交流模式对个体行为特征进行客观评估可能是识别心脏事件高风险受试者的有力工具。
