Respiratory sinus arrhythmia in blood phobic subjects.
12 blood-phobic subjects, selected according to the Fear Survey Schedule and the Mutilation Questionnaire, and 50 control subjects performed a paced respiration task during which heart rate and respiration were recorded. Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia (RSA) was analyzed as an autonomic index of vagal influence on the heart. Analysis showed a larger RSA in the blood-phobic group than the controls and points to a difference in vagal activity at rest between the groups.
Angrilli
A
A
Dipartimento di Psicologia Generale, Padova, Italy. angirilli@psico.unipd.it
Sarlo
M
M
Palomba
D
D
Schincaglia
M
M
Stegagno
L
L
D001146:Arrhythmia, Sinus / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001769:Blood; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D010555:Personality Inventory; D010698:Phobic Disorders / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012119:Respiration / Q000502:physiology*; D019462:Syncope, Vasovagal / Q000503:physiopathology; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology