title: The complexity of electrodermal activity is altered in mental cognitive stressors.
abstract: The aim of this study was to evaluate potential changes in the electrodermal activity (EDA) to enable the detection of variations in the sympathetic nervous system during mental load and recovery period. Several EDA parameters were used: SCA (skin conductance amplitude), frequency of NS-EDR (nonspecific electrodermal responses), SIE (symbolic information entropy), and ApEn (approximate entropy). The cohort consisted of 50 healthy students (average age: 23.33±0.24yr., 25 women). The stress profile consisted of five phases: baseline (P1), Stroop test (P2), recovery (P3), mental arithmetic test (P4), and recovery (P5). All phases of the stress profile lasted six minutes. The results indicate that the three EDA indices have sufficient sensitivity to detect changes in the sympathetic nervous system. The SCA, SIE and ApEn were significantly increased during mental loads and decreased during recovery periods. However, SCA remained significantly elevated during recovery periods versus baseline, and SIE and ApEn decreased significantly during recovery versus baseline. The frequency of NS-EDR had no significant changes during stress. The EDA is a sensitive marker for evaluation of changes during the activation of sympathetic nervous system under the influence of a load. Detailed knowledge of EDA regulatory mechanisms associated with stress could provide important information associated with autonomic dysregulation.
authors: Comenius University in Bratislava, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin (JFM CU), Biomedical Center Martin JFM CU, Mala Hora 4C, 036 01 Martin, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: visnovcova@gmail.com.
authors: Zuzana
authors: Z
authors: Visnovcova
authors: Comenius University in Bratislava, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin (JFM CU), Biomedical Center Martin JFM CU, Mala Hora 4C, 036 01 Martin, Slovak Republic; Comenius University in Bratislava, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin (JFM CU), Department of Physiology JFM CU, Mala Hora 4C, 036 01 Martin, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: mestanik@gmail.com.
authors: Michal
authors: M
authors: Mestanik
authors: Department of Electromagnetic and Biomedical Engineering, University of Zilina, Univerzitna 1, 010 26 Zilina, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: michal.gala@fel.uniza.sk.
authors: Michal
authors: M
authors: Gala
authors: Comenius University in Bratislava, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin (JFM CU), Biomedical Center Martin JFM CU, Mala Hora 4C, 036 01 Martin, Slovak Republic; Comenius University in Bratislava, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin (JFM CU), Department of Physiology JFM CU, Mala Hora 4C, 036 01 Martin, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: andrea.mestanikova@gmail.com.
authors: Andrea
authors: A
authors: Mestanikova
authors: Comenius University in Bratislava, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin (JFM CU), Biomedical Center Martin JFM CU, Mala Hora 4C, 036 01 Martin, Slovak Republic; Comenius University in Bratislava, Jessenius Faculty of Medicine in Martin (JFM CU), Department of Physiology JFM CU, Mala Hora 4C, 036 01 Martin, Slovak Republic. Electronic address: ingrid.tonhajzerova@jfmed.uniba.sk.
authors: Ingrid
authors: I
authors: Tonhajzerova
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D019277:Entropy; D005260:Female; D005712:Galvanic Skin Response / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011581:Psychological Tests; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D013647:Task Performance and Analysis; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: And sympathetic nervous system; Approximate entropy; Electrodermal activity; Mental load; Skin conductance amplitude; Symbolic information entropy