title: Cardiovascular reactions to psychological stress and abuse history: the role of occurrence, frequency, and type of abuse.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Extreme cardiovascular reactions to psychological stress have been associated with traumatic life experiences. Previous studies have focused on the occurrence or frequency of abuse rather than type of abuse. We examined how occurrence, frequency, and the type of abuse history are related to cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) to acute psychological stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study consisted of between group and continuous analyses to examine the association between occurrence, type, and frequency of abuse with cardiovascular reactions to acute psychological stress.
  
  
  METHODS
  Data from 64 participants were collected. Heart rate, systolic blood pressure, and diastolic blood pressure were measured at baseline and during a standard mental arithmetic stress task.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Individuals who experienced abuse showed diminished CVR to acute psychological stress; this was driven specifically by the history of sexual abuse. Frequency of abuse did not relate to stress reactions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  These findings accord with previous work suggesting a relationship between traumatic life experience and hypoarousal in physiological reactivity and extend previous findings by suggesting the relationship may be driven by sexual abuse.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Psychiatry , University of Pittsburgh , Pittsburgh , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Annie T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Ginty
authors.affiliation: b Neuroscience Program , Allegheny College , Meadville , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Nicole A
authors.initials: NA
authors.lastname: Masters
authors.affiliation: c Schools of Medicine & Psychology and Neuroscience , University of St Andrews , St Andrews , UK.
authors.forename: Eliza B
authors.initials: EB
authors.lastname: Nelson
authors.affiliation: d Department of Psychology , Brandeis University , Waltham , MA , USA.
authors.forename: Karen T
authors.initials: KT
authors.lastname: Kaye
authors.affiliation: b Neuroscience Program , Allegheny College , Meadville , PA , USA.|e Department of Psychology , Allegheny College , Meadville , PA , USA.|f Global Health Studies Program , Allegheny College , Meadville , PA , USA.
authors.forename: Sarah M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Conklin
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008016:Life Change Events; D008297:Male; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Physical trauma; adversity; cardiovascular reactivity(CVR); diminished reactivity; emotional trauma