Subjective and physiological reactivity to emotional stressors in somatic symptom disorder
- Objective: We examined whether autonomic flexibility to experimentally presented stressors is reduced in somatic symptom disorder (SSD) as this would point to reduced vagal control as a proposed indicator of emotion regulation deficits. Method: In this experimental study, the influence of health-related and social stressors on subjective and physiological reactivity was investigated in 29 subjects with SSD without any medical condition SSD(mc−), 33 subjects with SSD with medical condition SSD(mc+) and 32 healthy controls at the age from 18 to 70 years. Self-report and physiological variables were measured before and after/during stressor exposure, using state ratings of symptom intensity, disability, tension and mood, heart rate (HR), and heart rate variability (HRV). Results: Overall, the tension increased and the mood worsened after exposure to stressors compared to pre-exposure. Compared to HC, the two SSD groups showed higher symptom intensity, disability, tension and worse mood. The SSD(mc−) group revealed higher HR than HC (p = .012, d = −0.77). Compared to pre-exposure, symptom impairment increased after social stressor exposure in SSD(mc−) (p < .001, d = 1.36). HRV-root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) only decreased in HC during exposure (p = .003, d = −1.09), not in the SSD groups. The two SSD groups did not differ in their reactivity to stressors. Conclusion: HRV in SSD, seems to respond less flexibly to stressors, potentially reflecting overall physiological disturbance through reduced parasympathetic influence on HR. Stress reactivity in SSD(mc−) and SSD(mc+) do not seem to differ.
Author: | Harald Gitzen, Jennifer Schmidt, Alexandra Martin |
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DOI: | https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijpsycho.2023.112273 |
Parent Title (English): | International Journal of Psychophysiology |
Document Type: | Article |
Language: | English |
Date of Publication (online): | 2023/12/08 |
Year of first Publication: | 2024 |
Provider of the Publication Server: | FH Münster - University of Applied Sciences |
Release Date: | 2023/12/08 |
Volume: | 2024 |
Issue: | 195 |
First Page: | 112273 |
Last Page: | 112273 |
Faculties: | Gesundheit (MDH) |
Publication list: | Schmidt, Jennifer Sabrina |
Licence (German): | Bibliographische Daten |