47 different from that observed in anaesthetized animals, and that variations in RSA do not necessarily reflect proportional changes in PC.
on the right hands correlated positively auditory thresholds at 8000 Hz. Situational asymmetries are discussed.
AUTONOMIC, SOMATIC CHANGES PRECEDING PERFORMANCE
RESPIRATORY PATIENTS
AND BRAIN SLOW WAVE TIME-LOCKED SKILLFUL
N. Konttinen and H. Lyytinen University of JyvaskylaC, Jyvaskyla,
Maria S. Kopp and A. Temesviry Dept. of Psychiatry, Semmelweis Hungary
Finland
Autonomic, somatic and cortical slow wave responses were recorded from competitive marksmen (N = 12) while preparing for triggering a rifle. The present paper focuses on covariation patterns. Slow waves were recorded from midline (Fz, Cz and Oz) EEG-electrodes. Heart rate and respiration represented the autonomic and EMG from trapezius and subIimis muscles the somatic variables. The data consisted of 7.5 s pretrigger recording of these variables from at least 200 shots per subject. Consistent increases of slow wave negativity and heart rate deceleration occurred during the last seconds preceding the pulling of the trigger. Larger increases of frontocentral slow wave negativity were found during shots preceded by heart rate deceleration compared to no-HR-change trials. Also shots preceded by larger trapezius EMG increases revealed larger slow wave negativity.
ELECTRODERMAL ANXIETY PATIENT
LATERAL ASYMMETRIES GROUPS AND CONTROLS
Maria S. Kopp, Patrik Semmelweis Medical dapest, Hungary
Buza University,
Dept.
CONTROL
of Psychiatry.
IN
with the influences
TREATMENT
Medical
OF
School,
left-ear on ed.
PANIC
Budapest,
87 patients with panic syndrome or agoraphobia with panic were treated by the modified version of respiratory control treatment of Salkovskis and Clark. Outcome measures included anxiety and panic frequency diaries and autonomic measurements. Respiratory rate, transcutaneous arterial CO, tension, heart rate, electrodermal responses, surface integrated EMG were documented in patients and in 12 controls undergoing hyperventilation provocation tests and in patients before and after treatment. At the end of the sixth week of the therapy the decrease in attacks per week showed a highly significant negative correlation with the sixth week resting respiratory rate, and a positive correlation with the transcutaneous COz level. Before treatment the resting respiratory rate of patients was significantly higher compared to controls. The hyperventilation induced arterial CO, tension and heart rate responses were more pronounced and prolonged in panic patients than in controls. As for the effect of respiratory control treatment there was a significant increase in transcutaneous COZ in patients. These results support the central role of respiratory control methods in preventing panic attacks.
Bu-
Bilateral electrodermal ted.1 response amplitudes, nonspecific ed. responses and auditory thresholds were recorded in 41 panic patients, in 23 generalized anxiety (G.A.) patients and in 18 controls. After 7 min of relaxation subjects were presented a set of 10 verbal stimuli and three 95 dB auditory stimuli. Ed. response amplitudes to the first verbal stimulus on the right hand correlated positively with the right-ear auditory thresholds at 8000 Hz in both patient groups. In contrast to the panic patients and controls G.A. patients responded with higher right- than left-hand ed. responses to the first verbal stimulus. The bilateral resting nonspecific ed. activity was significantly more pronounced in G.A. patients than in panic patients and in controls. In panic groups the resting nonspecific ed. activity was higher on the left hand. At 8000 Hz panic and G.A. patients showed opposite asymmetries of auditory thresholds with a left-ear advantage for G.A. and a right-ear advantage for panic patients. These results suggest a relative right hemispheric activation dominance in G.A. patients compared to panic patients and controls. Ed. response amplitudes to the first, unexpected auditory stimulus
ARTIFICIAL MATERNAL AND IMMUNE FUNCTION L. Koranyi, Postgraduate
BEHAVIOR,
HORMONES
Sz. Walentin and E. Endroczi Medical School, Budapest, Hungary
Rosenblatt’s technique was used to induce maternal behavior (MB) in virgin female and in male rats. Sensory signals in the form of pup presentation elicited behavioral and hormonal changes in adult animals. The first exposure reduced avoidance of pups and activation of pituitaryadrenocortical system. The completely developed MB was accompanied by moderate prolactin (PRL) release in female but not in male rats. The question was raised how pup-induced catecholamine and PRL release modified the activity of dipeptidyl peptidase IV, DP IV. in T-cell suspension of adrenalectomized Wistar rats. It was found that in the avoidance phase the DP IV activity change could be prevented by propranolol pretreatment. PRL released during artifical MB resulted in an increase of DP IV activity, which did not develop following dopaminergic manipulations. Our studies suggest that olfactory and auditory stim-