The Psychophysiological Responses of the Chronic Ischemic Stroke Patients to the Acute Stress were Changed

Abstract: Mood disorder is one of the complications of stroke. The inability to cope with stress is also a prognosis of depression and anxiety. The aim of this study is to assess the response of stress system in the post stroke patients. Twelve healthy controls (HC) and twelve post-stroke patients after filling in the State-Trait Anxiety Inventory completed the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) which induces acute stress. Salivary samples were collected to determine salivary cortisol levels and ECG record were taken in four times (before, right after stress, after two recoveries: 20 and 40 minutes after stress). ECG was also recorded during TSST and then the linear and non-linear features of Heart Rate Variability (HRV) were analyzed. The results showed that trait anxiety score and baseline salivary cortisol level were higher in post stroke than HC group (P-value <0.05). The increase of cortisol level after stress was only observed in HC that returned to baseline after the second recovery time. The stress increased the relative low frequency of HRV in both groups, however it was significantly lower in the stroke than HC group (P-value < 0.005). There was also a significant difference between alpha 1 DFA measures in stroke group and HC group (P-value <0.05). It is concluded that the impairment of the hormonal axis of stress system in the post-stroke patients that until now was not reported.

Efecto de la exposición a un protocolo de estrés social agudo sobre los niveles sistémicos de cortisol y la ejecución de una tarea de atención sostenida y dividida / Efeito da exposição a um protocolo de estresse social agudo sobre os níveis sistêmicos de cortisol e a execução de uma tarefa de atenção sustentada e dividida / Effects of exposure to an acute social stress protocol on systemic levels of cortisol and on the execution of a sustained and divided attention task

La presente investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar los efectos del estrés social agudo inducido experimentalmente con una versión modificada del TSST (Trier Social Stress Test), en los niveles sistémicos de la hormona cortisol y en la ejecución de una tarea de atención sostenida y dividida, en estudiantes universitarios de ambos sexos. Los resultados mostraron que el protocolo modificado del TSST produjo incrementos en los niveles sistémicos de cortisol en los participantes de sexo masculino, pero no afectó la ejecución en la prueba PASAT (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task). Se discuten estos resultados a la luz de trabajos previos en los que se observan diferencias por género en los efectos del estrés.

A presente pesquisa teve como objetivo determinar os efeitos do estresse social agudo induzido experimentalmente com uma versão modificada do TSST (Trier Social Stress Test), nos níveis sistêmicos do hormônio cortisol e na execução de uma tarefa de atenção sustentada e dividida, em estudantes universitários de ambos os sexos. Os resultados mostraram que o protocolo modificado do TSST produziu aumento nos níveis sistêmicos de cortisol nos participantes de sexo masculino, mas não afetou a execução na prova PASAT (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task). Discutem-se esses resultados à luz de trabalhos prévios nos quais se observam diferenças por gênero nos efeitos do estresse.

This research project examined the effects of acute social stress induced experimentally with a modified version of TSST (Trier Social Stress Test) on the systemic levels of the cortisol hormone and on the execution of a sustained and divided attention task, in male and female university students. Results showed that the modified TSST protocol caused increases in the systemic levels of cortisol in male participants, but did not affect the execution of the PASAT (Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task). The results are discussed in the light of previous studies in which gender differences in the effects of stress are observed.