title: Dissociated autonomic regulation during stress and physical complaints.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In order to evaluate the relevance of individual differences in the regulation of autonomic subsystems to psychosomatic processes, reactivity of the autonomic nervous system to an emotional stressor was related to the occurrence of physical complaints. In contrast to most other studies, the measures were related to the degree of actually experienced stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  In a large sample (n=111), electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate variability (HRV) were obtained at rest and during emotional stress. Physical complaints were assessed by a standardized symptom checklist providing subscales for different physiological systems.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Subjects who were actually stressed by the stress induction procedure but showed only weak reactivity of EDA, and subjects who were only slightly stressed but showed a marked EDA response reported a high amount of gastrointestinal complaints. A greater decrease of high-frequency HRV from the rest to the stress condition was associated with reports of relatively more cardiovascular complaints.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Findings indicate that the link between regulation of EDA and gastrointestinal functions has to be localized in higher brain structures and support the hypothesis that minor autonomic dysregulation may represent one pathway linking negative affect and the development of physical disorders.
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, Karl-Franzens University of Graz, Univ-Plaz 2, A-8010, Austria. ilona.papousek@uni-graz.at
authors.forename: Ilona
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Papousek
authors.forename: Günter
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schulter
authors.forename: Ernst
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Premsberger
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004213:Dissociative Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology