title: Forearm vascular conductance during mental stress is related to the heart rate response.
abstract: The forearm vasodilator response to mental stress is multifactorial and widely variable among individuals. We evaluated the association between the heart rate and forearm vascular conductance (FVC) responses to a color word test in 101 healthy adults. We found a striking correlation between heart rate and FVC (r = 0.66, P < 0.001), which remained significant when controlling for subject characteristics, blood pressure, and catecholamines. This suggests that the mechanical stimulation is one of the key factors that contribute to the increase in FVC during mental stress.
authors.affiliation: Clinical Research Unit, Department of Anesthesiology, Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, 200 First St. S.W., Rochester, MN 55905, USA.
authors.forename: Tasha L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Pike
authors.forename: Rachel L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Elvebak
authors.forename: Modupef'Oluwa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Jegede
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Gleich
authors.forename: John H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Eisenach
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005542:Forearm / Q000098:blood supply*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult