title: Concordance between anxiety and autonomic nervous system activity in subjects at genetic risk for affective disorder.
abstract: Correlations between electrodermal and heart rate indices of autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity and measures of state and trait anxiety were examined in 22 high-risk subjects, who had a parent with bipolar affective disorder, and in controls. Relatively consistent and significant correlations between anxiety and ANS "arousal" at rest and under stress were found in high-risk subjects, but not in controls. Relationships between electrodermal laterality and anxiety, and between electrodermal activity and heart rate, were also observed only in the high-risk group. The data suggest a unique concordance between various manifestations of anxiety in high-risk persons which may effectively increase the salience of stressful events and the sensitization to stress.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Psychology and Psychopathology, National Institute of Mental Health, Bethesda, MD 20892.
authors.forename: T P
authors.initials: TP
authors.lastname: Zahn
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Nurnberger
authors.forename: W H
authors.initials: WH
authors.lastname: Berrettini
authors.forename: T N
authors.initials: TN
authors.lastname: Robinson
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D001143:Arousal / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D003866:Depressive Disorder / Q000235:genetics* / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010556:Personality Tests; D012307:Risk Factors; D012931:Social Environment