To investigate the hypothesis of a right hemispheric superiority in negative emotional processing, event-related potentials (ERPs) were recorded from 17 sites (Fz, Cz, Pz, F3/4, F7/8, C3/4, T7/8, P3/4, P7/8, O1/2) in a visual half-field paradigm. While maintaining fixation, right-handed women viewed pictures of patients with dermatological diseases before (negative) and after (neutral) cosmetic surgery. A principal components analysis with Varimax rotation performed on ERPs revealed factors identified as N1, N2, early P3, late P3, and slow wave. Repeated measures analyses of variance performed on factor scores revealed a significant effect of emotional content for all factors except for N1. However, asymmetries in emotional processing were restricted to N2 and early P3, with maximal effects over the right parietal region. N2-P3 amplitude was augmented for negative and reduced for neutral stimuli over right hemisphere regions. Visual field presentation interacted with these asymmetries in enhancing amplitudes contralaterally for early but ipsilaterally for late ERP components. Overall, findings for N2 and P3 support theories of an asymmetry in emotional processing.

This study measured reactivity to an emotional stressor in IBS. It provides evidence that there is a specific alteration of stress responses in IBS patients, but no overall exaggerated stress response. IBS patients showed a broader and less specific response to emotional stress than healthy controls. Rectal sensitivity was unchanged under emotional stress both in IBS patients and healthy controls.

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In order to examine the effects of beta‐adrenergic arousal on emotional reactions, 84 male students received either 40 mg of the beta‐adrenergic blocking agent oxprenolol, placebo, or 20 mg of the beta‐stimulating agent orciprenaline. They were placed in one of two situations designed to induce either angerlike or no emotional reactions (neutral control). Dependent variables were heart rate, blood pressure, galvanic skin response, and self reports of bodily and emotional state. The drugs as well as the “anger situation” influenced bodily changes. Reports of anger were increased only under the placebo condition. Under oxprenolol the “anger situation” had no effects on reported emotions, whereas under orciprenaline the “anger situation” led to an increase in reports of anxiety. Characteristics of the “anger situation” and of the sympathetic response pattern induced by orciprenaline are discussed as possible explanations for the latter result.