title: Hemodynamic Profiles of Functional and Dysfunctional Forms of Repetitive Thinking.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The ability of the human brain to escape the here and now (mind wandering) can take functional (problem solving) and dysfunctional (perseverative cognition) routes. Although it has been proposed that only the latter may act as a mediator of the relationship between stress and cardiovascular disease, both functional and dysfunctional forms of repetitive thinking have been associated with blood pressure (BP) reactivity of the same magnitude. However, a similar BP reactivity may be caused by different physiological determinants, which may differ in their risk for cardiovascular pathology.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To examine the way (hemodynamic profile) and the extent (compensation deficit) to which total peripheral resistance and cardiac output compensate for each other in determining BP reactivity during functional and dysfunctional types of repetitive thinking.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty-six healthy participants randomly underwent a perseverative cognition, a mind wandering, and a problem solving induction, each followed by a 5-min recovery period while their cardiovascular parameters were continuously monitored.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Perseverative cognition and problem solving (but not mind wandering) elicited BP increases of similar magnitude. However, perseverative cognition was characterized by a more vascular (versus myocardial) profile compared to mind wandering and problem solving. As a consequence, BP recovery was impaired after perseverative cognition compared to the other two conditions.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Given that high vascular resistance and delayed recovery are the hallmarks of hypertension the results suggest a potential mechanism through which perseverative cognition may act as a mediator in the relationship between stress and risk for developing precursors to cardiovascular disease.
authors: Neuroimaging Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, via Ardeatina 306, 00142, Rome, Italy. cristina.ottaviani@uniroma1.it.
authors: Cristina
authors: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5240-4387
authors: C
authors: Ottaviani
authors: Leiden University, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors: Jos F
authors: JF
authors: Brosschot
authors: Neuroimaging Laboratory, Santa Lucia Foundation, via Ardeatina 306, 00142, Rome, Italy.|Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Antonia
authors: A
authors: Lonigro
authors: Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors: Barbara
authors: B
authors: Medea
authors: University of Leuven, Leuven, Belgium.
authors: Ilse
authors: I
authors: Van Diest
authors: The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH, USA.
authors: Julian F
authors: JF
authors: Thayer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001288:Attention / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D007092:Imagination / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D011340:Problem Solving / Q000502:physiology*; D000074222:Rumination, Cognitive / Q000502:physiology*; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cardiac output; Hemodynamic profile; Mind wandering; Perseverative cognition; Problem solving; Total peripheral resistance