Pupillary and digital vascular responses to stress in migrainous and non-migrainous subjects
| dc.contributor.author | Bednarczyk, George S. | |
| dc.contributor.examiningcommittee | Janisse, Michel (Psychology) Jordan, Larry (Physiology) Schallow, John, Wilson, Roger (Psychology) | en_US |
| dc.contributor.supervisor | Marcuse, Fred (Psychology) | en_US |
| dc.date.accessioned | 2013-10-02T17:04:08Z | |
| dc.date.available | 2013-10-02T17:04:08Z | |
| dc.date.issued | 2013-10-02 | |
| dc.degree.discipline | Psychology | en_US |
| dc.degree.level | Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) | en_US |
| dc.description.abstract | he vasoconstriction phase of the migraine sequence is presumed to be the result of aberrant sympathetic responsiveness to stress. The present study examined migraine and control group responses to two stressful conditions, word-naming and cold pressor. Twenty-seven migraineurs and 27 controls matched on relevant variables were recruited through advertisements. Digital blood volume and pupil size were the dependent variables. Stress recovery was monitored following each stress condition. Group digferences in stress inhibition of the pupillary light-reflex were examined by presenting light stimulation to the pupil contiguously with the two stress stimuli. Migraineurs overall blood volume reduction was greater than controls during word-naming and cold pressor. Post stress recovery differences in blood volume were not found. Migraine and control pupil size responses were not different during either stressor or during either stress recovery period. No differences in pupillary light-reflex, inhibition were found. These data were interpreted as suggesting that migraineurs are "vulnerable" to exaggerated vascular responsiveness to stress and possibilities for further research in this area were discussed. An ancillary analysis showed a positive relationship between group differences in diastolic blood pressure and differences in blood volume responses to stress. These data were viewed as suggestive of a possible link between migraine and hypertension and avenues for further research were discussed. A significant relationship between group differences on trait anxiety, state anxiety, and neuroticism and group differences in blood volume responses to stress was not found. it was concluded that psychopathology was neither characteristic of the migraineur nor instrumental in the initiation of migraine. Issues for migraine treatment were discussed. | en_US |
| dc.description.note | 1983 | en_US |
| dc.identifier.uri | http://hdl.handle.net/1993/22229 | |
| dc.language.iso | eng | en_US |
| dc.rights | open access | en_US |
| dc.subject | Migraines | en_US |
| dc.title | Pupillary and digital vascular responses to stress in migrainous and non-migrainous subjects | en_US |
| dc.type | doctoral thesis | en_US |