Chaotic patterns of autonomic activity during hypnotic recall.
Chaotic neural dynamics likely emerge in cognitive processes and may present time periods that are extremely sensitive to influences affecting the neural system. Recent findings suggest that this sensitivity may increase during retrieval of stressful emotional experiences reflecting underlying mechanism related to consolidation of traumatic memories. In this context, hypnotic recall of anxiety memories in 10 patients, simultaneously with ECG measurement was performed. The same measurement was performed during control cognitive task in 8 anxiety patients and 22 healthy controls. Nonlinear data analysis of ECG records indicates significant increase in the degree of chaos during retrieval of stressful memory in all the patients. The results suggest a role of chaotic neural dynamics during processing of anxiety-related stressful memories.
Bob
Petr
P
Center for Neuropsychiatric Research of Traumatic Stress and Department of Psychiatry, 1st Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. petrbob@netscape.net
Siroka
Ivana
I
Susta
Marek
M
D000328:Adult; D001008:Anxiety Disorders / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004562:Electrocardiography; D005071:Evoked Potentials; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D006990:Hypnosis; D008297:Male; D008568:Memory / Q000502:physiology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D017711:Nonlinear Dynamics; D012815:Signal Processing, Computer-Assisted; D013313:Stress Disorders, Post-Traumatic / Q000503:physiopathology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015854:Up-Regulation / Q000502:physiology