Beta-adrenergic receptors predict heart rate reactivity to a psychosocial stressor.
We examined the ability of baseline measures of receptors (lymphocyte beta-adrenergic) and nonreceptors (plasma catecholamines, heart rate, and blood pressure) to predict cardiovascular responses to a mental arithmetic task. Twenty-five male volunteers served as subjects. Nonreceptor measures predicted the heart rate response to stress poorly (p = 0.67). However, beta receptor density and sensitivity explained 48.4% of the variance in heart rate response (p = 0.007). When both receptor and nonreceptor measures were used together, they predicted 76.6% of the variance (p = 0.005), which was more than was explained by either receptor or nonreceptor baseline measurements alone (p = 0.001). Receptor measures may thus greatly improve the prediction of reactivity.
Mills
P J
PJ
Department of Psychiatry, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093.
Dimsdale
J E
JE
Ziegler
M G
MG
Berry
C C
CC
Bain
R D
RD
D000328:Adult; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology; D004837:Epinephrine / Q000097:blood; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000097:blood; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology; D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta / Q000502:physiology*; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000150:complications*
D011943:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta; D009638:Norepinephrine; D004837:Epinephrine