Observations on the Patterns of Anxiety

Physiologic Studies of Reaction to Stress in Anxiety and Early Schizophrenia

“…The failure to confirm this finding in the present study appears explainable largely in terms of certain methodologic considerations. 2 In the previous study the subject was grounded at a single point, whereas in the present one an additional ground lead was applied to the neck in order to eliminate 60-cycle interference in the muscle potential record. This additional ground apparently had the effect of increasing the average resting DC potential between palm and dorsum of the hand.…”

The Psychobiology of Emotions

“…Another plausible explanation for the joint occurrence of autonomic and skeletal muscle activity in samples of anxiety patients is that elevated autonomic arousal may be characteristic of some patients, whereas elevated skeletal activity may be characteristic of other patients. Consistent with this individual response stereotypy hypothesis, Cameron (1944) found that, although the majority of anxiety patients reported skeletal muscle symptoms, a significant minority of patients reported only cardiovascular or gastrointestinal symptoms. Cameron also observed that when the patients' level of anxiety increased, most patients experienced global physiological arousal.…”

“…Pathological family relationships may increase the probability that the child will learn maladaptive behaviors such as vomiting. Cameron (1944) observed that intestinal complaints (constipation, diarrhea, excess gas) were commonly reported by anxiety patients. Later researchers refer to these symptoms as the irritable bowel syndrome (ffiS) that we will discuss later in this chapter.…”

“…However, due to the similarities in neurological and neurohormonal controls and the biological constraints of physiological systems, different people may acquire the same cognitive-physiological pattern for a given emotional state. For example, Cameron (1944) found that anxiety patients tended to display one of three patterns of physiological responses: skeletal muscle tension, cardiovascular symptoms, or gastrointestinal symptoms. Thus similar physiological responses were observed within each cluster of patients, but different patterns of responses were observed across the entire sample.…”

Psychologic Tension and Serum Iodine Levels in Psychiatric Patients without Evidence of Thyroid Disease

“…inability to perform daily tasks effectively), as well as motor and autonomic activity at simpler integrative levels. The observations used, listed in Tables I and II, included many frequently noted by Cameron (5,6,7). In view of the difficulty in measuring finer degrees of tension, the subjects were divided into two groups: those with "higher" and those with "lower" degrees of psychologic tension, neuromuscular tension, autonomic lability, and signs of VOL.…”