title: Breathing and affective picture processing across the adult lifespan.
abstract: The present study investigated differences between healthy younger, middle-aged, and older adults in their respiratory responses to pictures of different valence and arousal. Expiratory time shortened and end-tidal PCO2 decreased with increasing arousal in all age groups; yet, compared to younger adults, older adults' overall change from baseline was smaller for expiratory time and larger for end-tidal PCO2. Contrary to their younger counterparts, older adults' inspiratory time did not shorten with increasing arousal. Inspiratory duty cycle did not covary with affective ratings for younger adults, increased with unpleasantness for middle-aged adults, and increased with arousal for older adults. Thoracic breathing increased with increasing unpleasantness only among older adults. Age had no effects on mean inspiratory flow and minute ventilation, which both augmented as arousal increased. We discuss how age effects on respiratory response magnitude and pattern may depend on age-associated biological changes or reflect age-related differences in emotional processing.
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire Romand de Santé au Travail (Institute for Work and Health), University of Lausanne and University of Geneva, Switzerland. Electronic address: Patrick.gomez@hospvd.ch.
authors.forename: Patrick
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Gomez
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychology, University of Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Dimitra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Filippou
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire Romand de Santé au Travail (Institute for Work and Health), University of Lausanne and University of Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Bruno
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Pais
authors.affiliation: Service of Old Age Psychiatry, Department of Psychiatry, Lausanne University Hospital, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Armin
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: von Gunten
authors.affiliation: Institut Universitaire Romand de Santé au Travail (Institute for Work and Health), University of Lausanne and University of Geneva, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Brigitta
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Danuser
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000339:Affect / Q000502:physiology*; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D001143:Arousal / Q000502:physiology*; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010775:Photic Stimulation / Q000379:methods; D012119:Respiration; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Affective pictures; Age-related differences; Arousal; End-tidal carbon dioxide concentration; Respiration; Valence