Physiological response to a speech stressor presented in a virtual reality environment.
The feasibility of using virtual reality (VR) technology to induce a physiological response to stress was assessed in 12 volunteers during a laboratory session in which each participant completed a speech task within a VR environment and a math task outside the VR environment. Both tasks were effective in eliciting a physiological response with significant increases observed in response to each stress task in systolic and diastolic blood pressure and heart rate. Increases in plasma epinephrine and norepinephrine concentrations were observed during the speech task and in plasma epinephrine concentrations during the math task although these differences did not reach statistical significance. The use of VR technology may be a viable alternative to methods currently employed in presenting stressful tasks with the potential advantage of decreased variability in the audience response to the participants' performance.
Kotlyar
Michael
M
Department of Experimental and Clinical Pharmacology, College of Pharmacy, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Minneapolis, Minnesota 55455, USA. kotly001@umn.edu
Donahue
Christopher
C
Thuras
Paul
P
Kushner
Matt G
MG
O'Gorman
Natalie
N
Smith
Erin A
EA
Adson
David E
DE
D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000097:blood; D003196:Computer Graphics; D003198:Computer Simulation; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D012931:Social Environment; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000523:psychology*
D002395:Catecholamines; D006854:Hydrocortisone