ACUTE STRESSOR AND THE PHYSIOLOGICAL, NEUROENDOCRINE, AND IMMUNE FUNCTION IN HEALTHY WOMEN AND WOMEN WITH IRRITABLE BOWEL SYNDROME.
Contributors: University of Washington.
Published: 1993
Number of pages: 236
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Psychology, Physiological.
Description: The primary aims of the study were threefold: (1) describe the immune and neuroendocrine responses of women to an acute cognitive stressor over time; (2) explore the relationships between (a) the physiological, neuroendocrine, and immune responses, (b) appraisal of the acute stressor and the neuroendocrine responses, and (c) selected psychosocial variables, physiological, neuroendocrine, and immunological responses; and (3) within a case study context, explore neuroendocrine and immune responses to an acute stressor in women with irritable bowel syndrome relative to the normal sample.

The Profile of Mood States, Symptoms of Stress Inventory, Self Efficacy Scale, Stroop Appraisal Questionnaire, COPE, and the PRQ-85 Social Support Questionnaire were given to 17 women to measure the psychosocial variables. Urine and blood samples during the mid-follicular phase of the menstrual cycle were taken to examine catecholamine and cortisol concentrations and natural killer cell activity immediately before, immediately after, and hourly for 6 hours after the Stroop Test. During the Stroop Test, heart rate, skin conductance, peripheral skin temperature, and blood pressure were measured.

Skin conductance, heart rate, and blood pressure increased from the pre-Stroop rest to the first Stroop Test period. Peripheral skin temperature dropped from the plain Stroop Test to the first audio interference Stroop Test. Neuroendocrine values did not increase in response to the Stroop Test. Cortisol secretion decreased after the Stroop Test and appeared to follow the normal circadian rhythm. Natural killer cell activity was variable among individual participants but tended to increase over time.

Those who appraised the Stroop Test as threatening missed more incorrect responses while those who appraised the Stroop Test as challenging missed fewer responses. Higher anger and anxiety scores were significantly correlated with increased reported gastrointestinal symptoms. Participants exhibiting higher urinary norepinephrine concentrations in response to the Stroop Test reported more upper respiratory, gastrointestinal, muscle tension, and habitual pattern symptoms during stressful situations.

While it is difficult to draw conclusions with two subjects, the women with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) appeared to exhibit lower natural killer cell activity and urinary norepinephrine values than the nonsymptomatic group. No other differences were observed between the IBS group and the nonsymptomatic group. The findings from this study support many of the relationships proposed in the resistance model developed for this study. Although further work is needed to determine significant relationships among the variables, this study provided several fruitful areas for further investigation.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 54-12, Section: B, page: 6130.

Thesis (PH.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF WASHINGTON, 1993.

School code: 0250.