1,720,989 research outputs found
Frontal alpha asymmetry neurofeedback for the reduction of negative affect and anxiety
Full text linkFrontal alpha asymmetry has been proposed to underlie the balance between approach and withdrawal motivation associated to each individual's affective style. Neurofeedback of EEG frontal alpha asymmetry represents a promising tool to reduce negative affect, although its specific effects on left/right frontal activity and approach/withdrawal motivation are still unclear. The present study employed a neurofeedback training to increase frontal alpha asymmetry (right - left), in order to evaluate discrete changes in alpha power at left and right sites, as well as in positive and negative affect, anxiety and depression. Thirty-two right-handed females were randomly assigned to receive either the neurofeedback on frontal alpha asymmetry, or an active control training (N = 16 in each group). The asymmetry group showed an increase in alpha asymmetry driven by higher alpha at the right site (p < 0.001), as well as a coherent reduction in both negative affect and anxiety symptoms (ps < 0.05), from pre-to post-training. No training-specific modulation emerged for positive affect and depressive symptoms. These findings provide a strong rationale for the use of frontal alpha asymmetry neurofeedback for the reduction of negative affect and anxiety in clinical settings
Unravelling the relationship between anxiety, autonomic nervous system dysfunction and fibromyalgia: a systematic review
No full textFibromyalgia (FM) is a chronic condition characterised by widespread musculoskeletal pain accompanied by various somatic and psychological debilitating symptoms. Dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), as measured by heart rate variability (HRV), including reduced HRV at rest and dysfunctional HRV response patterns, has been consistently reported in patients with FM. Additionally, FM patients commonly exhibit elevated anxiety symptoms and comorbid anxiety disorders. This systematic review aimed to explore the potential relationship between elevated anxiety symptoms and reduced HRV in patients with FM. Through a comprehensive analysis of the literature, the association between anxiety symptoms and HRV was investigated in FM patients under resting conditions and in response to various interventions. The results suggest that the association between reduced HRV and elevated anxiety symptoms in FM patients at rest is widely supported by most studies. Interventions focused on improving HRV, such as exercise, psychotherapy, and mind-body therapies, also appear to be effective in reducing symptoms of anxiety. These findings suggest the presence of a possible common underlying mechanism contributing to the high comorbidity of ANS dysregulation and elevated anxiety symptoms in FM. The observed interconnection between anxiety and HRV highlights the need to develop targeted, multimodal interventions aimed at simultaneously reducing anxiety and improving HRV to enhance the overall quality of life for individuals affected by this complex condition. Collectively, this systematic review underscores the importance of recognising and addressing the intricate interplay between psychological and physiological factors in the management of FM
Psychophysiological regulation and classroom climate influence first and second graders’ well-being: The role of body mass index
Full text linkThis study examines the associations between physical and emotional well-being and classroom climate, cardiac vagal response, and body mass index (BMI) in a sample of 6-to-8-year-olds. Specifically, we expected a direct link between classroom climate, vagal withdrawal, BMI and children’s physical and emotional comfort. Furthermore, we explored whether these individual and environmental characteristics influenced well-being in an interactive fashion. Participants were 142 (63 boys, 44%) first and second graders living in the North of Italy who were interviewed on their emotional and physical comfort. Heart rate and a measure of vagal influence on the heart (cardiac vagal tone) were recorded at rest and during an oral academic test. Height and weight were collected. Classroom climate was positively linked with physical well-being, whereas emotional well-being was negatively related with BMI. In addition, an inverted U-shaped effect of cardiac vagal withdrawal (i.e., cardiac vagal tone during stress minus resting vagal tone) on emotional well-being was found. Two regression models highlighted the role played by BMI when interacting with vagal withdrawal in predicting children’s physical and emotional well-being. The interplay between BMI and cardiac vagal withdrawal played an important role in primary school children’s well-being. From a clinical perspective, preventive training to improve autonomic regulation in concert with interventions promoting healthy eating attitudes might be critical for supporting primary school children’s emotional and physical health
Cardiac vagal tone and executive functions: Moderation by physical fitness and family support
No full textExecutive functions (EFs) are crucial for academic success and have recently been linked to the ability to self-regulate in terms of cardiac vagal tone. The current study used a sample of 131 first-and second graders to examine whether the expected association between cardiac vagal tone (indexed by rMSSD) and EFs (inhibitory control and cognitive flexibility) was moderated by children's physical fitness and perceived family support. Linear regression analyses revealed that the cardiac vagal tone-inhibitory control link was moderated by physical fitness. Specifically, children with low cardiac vagal tone performed worse on the inhibitory control task when their physical fitness was low. Furthermore, family support moderated the association between cardiac vagal tone and cognitive flexibility: children with high cardiac vagal tone performed better on the cognitive flexibility task when family support was high. Implications for theory and educational practice are discussed
Under the surface: Low cardiac vagal tone and poor interoception in young adults with subclinical depressive symptoms
Full text linkIntroduction: Depressive symptoms are associated with alterations in central and autonomic nervous system activity, including misperception of bodily activity (e.g., low interoception), somatic symptoms and decreased vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV). However, there is a lack of studies that examine both perception of bodily activity and autonomic function in depression. The present study investigated the association between interoception, vmHRV, and subclinical depressive symptoms. Method: Eighty-eight students were enrolled and vmHRV was calculated from a 5-minute resting electrocardiogram. Interoceptive accuracy (heartbeat tracking task; heartbeat discrimination task), interoceptive sensibility (Body Perception Questionnaire), and depressive symptoms (Depression, Anxiety and Stress Scale - 21 Items) were assessed. Results: Interoceptive accuracy and sensibility positively correlated with vmHRV and negatively correlates with depressive symptoms. Cluster analysis perform..
Going Beyond Counting First Authors in Author Co-citation Analysis
Full text linkThe present study examines one of the fundamental aspects of author co-citation analysis (ACA) - the way co-citation
counts are defined. Co-citation counting provides the data on which all subsequent statistical analyses and mappings
are based, and we compare ACA results based on two different types of co-citation counting - the traditional type that
only counts the first one among a cited work's authors on the one hand and a non-traditional type that takes into
account the first 5 authors of a cited work on the other hand. Results indicate that the picture produced through this non-traditional author co-citation counting contains more coherent author groups and is therefore considerably clearer. However, this picture represents fewer specialties in the research field being studied than that produced through the traditional first-author co-citation counting when the same number of top-ranked authors is selected and analyzed. Reasons for these effects are discussed
Social anxiety influences the stress-buffering potential of social presence: Evidence from cardiovascular and affective reactivity under stress
Full text linkSocial presence and social support are fundamental instrumental sources of interpersonal emotional regulation, playing a crucial role in mitigating the impact of stress and negative emotions. This study aims to improve our understanding of the role of relationship type and individual differences in social anxiety in the stress-buffering provided by co-presence of others during stress. A dyadic version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) was employed to experimentally induce stress in a sample of 40 dyads, each comprising a target participant who was paired with a second participant, acting as a supporter. In half of the dyads the target and the supporter were in a romantic relationship (Partner Group), while in the other half they were randomly paired (Stranger Group). Heart rate and psychological stress reactivity were collected during the TSST. Results revealed that participants in the Partner Group exhibited a lower heart rate during the acute stress compared to the participants in the Stranger Group, highlighting that the buffering of the physiological stress activity is stronger within close relationships. Nonetheless, participants in the Partner Group reported more anxiety and stress during the task. Furthermore, social anxiety showed a positive correlation with subjective stress reactivity in the participants in the Partner Group, suggesting that it may hinder the perceived benefit of social support. These findings increase our understanding of stress-buffering mechanisms, emphasizing the interplay between social support, stress reactivity, and interpersonal affective processes, also highlighting the need for additional research characterizing individual differences in social regulation of stress
The longitudinal negative impact of early stressful events on emotional and physical well-being: The buffering role of cardiac vagal development
Full text linkEarly stressful events negatively affect emotional and physical well-being. Cardiac vagal tone (CVT), which is associated with better emotional and physical well-being, usually gradually increase in early childhood. Nonetheless, children's CVT developmental trajectories are greatly variable, such that CVT can increase or decrease across the years. The present study examines the longitudinal effects of early stressful events and the role of 4 years CVT developmental trajectory on children's emotional and physical well-being. Forty-two 4-year-old children were enrolled. Number of stressful events and resting electrocardiogram (ECG) were collected at T1. ECG was registered again after one (T2), two (T3) and three (T4) years. Children's emotional and physical well-being were assessed at T4 through the Child Health and Illness Profile – Child Edition (CHIP–CE). CVT development was calculated as the angular coefficient, reflecting the developmental trajectory of CVT across the four timepoints. Results yielded that higher experienced stressful events predicted poorer emotional and physical well-being after 4 years. The interaction between the number of stressful events and CVT development emerged on physical well-being. Early stressful events negatively affect long-term children's emotional and physical well-being while a positive CVT development seems to mitigate the negative effects of early stressful events on physical well-being
Variations on the Author
Full text link“Variations on the Author” discusses two of Eduardo Coutinho’s recent films (Um Dia na Vida, from 2010, and Últimas Conversas, posthumously released in 2015) and their contribution to the general question of documentary authorship. The director’s filmography is characterized by a consistent yet self-effacing form of authorial self-inscription: Coutinho often features as an interviewer that rather than express opinions propels discourses; an interviewer that is good at listening. This mode of self-inscription characterizes him as an author who is not expressive but who is nonetheless markedly present on the screen. In Um Dia na Vida, however, Coutinho is completely absent form the image, while Últimas Conversas, on the contrary, includes a confessional prologue that moves the director from the margins to the center of his films. This article examines the ways in which these works stand out in the filmography of a director who offers new insights into the notion of cinematic authorship
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