The Assessment of the Autonomic Response to Acute Stress Using Electrodermal Activity

Abstract

A b s t r a c tThe response of autonomic nervous system to mental stress is currently studied as a key role factor in the pathophysiology of stress related diseases. Altered autonomic regulation can result in increased morbidity, potentially affecting (directly or indirectly) any of the organs. Cardiovascular system (CVS) is one of the most sensitive systems to the effect of autonomic outputs. The predictive value of the laboratory stress tests was proved in several studies with CVS pathology. In this study we aimed to assess the autonomic reactivity to different mental stressors (cognitive and emotional) in healthy subjects using electrodermal activity (EDA) as a sensitive psychophysiological marker of sympathetic activity. We found significantly increased EDA in response to all the mental tasks with decrease of the values during recovery periods. However, EDA did not return to the baseline values during recovery periods, potentially indicating the sympathetic arousal during complete stress profile protocol. We suggest EDA presents a well applicable marker of the sympathetic activation, offering a different information about central regulation processes regarding the sympathetic activity compared to cardiac autonomic indices.

Validity of Commonly Used Heart Rate Variability Markers of Autonomic Nervous System Function

“…The complex central regulatory system of EDA has not yet been fully elucidated, but the areas believed to be involved in central control of the EDA include PFC areas, the amygdala, and the ACC [70]. These areas have been shown to be part of the CAN, and so the effect of stressors that are able to activate the CAN, and thereby result in global sympathetic activation, can be quantified via the EDA.…”

Personality features and vulnerability to stress: a case study on hyperhidrosis

“…In fact, Erica's physiological profile is characterized by higher values than normal people especially in the baseline condition. Because high values of EDA in baseline and EDA changes from baseline to stress resulted in sympathetic activity (Boucsein, 1992;Ionescu-Tirgovişte & Pruna, 1993;Mestanik, Visnovcova & Tonhajzerova, 2014;Papez, 1937), by using the R-PAS we obtained important information on which way Erica may cope her difficulties related to her hyperhidrosis occurring during social and/or stressful condition. A, Erica seems to have empathic features more intense with characters in movies or novels characterized by fantastic relationships; this result is consistent with other findings obtained by the Rorschach test.…”