The effects of sighing on the cardiovascular system.

Elicitation of high-amplitude oscillations in the cardiovascular system may serve to dampen psychophysiological reactivity to emotional and cognitive loading. Prior work has used paced breathing to impose clinically valuable high-amplitude ∼ 0.1 Hz oscillations. In this study, we investigated whether rhythmical sighing could likewise produce high-amplitude cardiovascular oscillations in the very low frequency range (0.003-0.05 Hz). ECG, respiration, skin conductance, and beat-to-beat blood pressure were collected in 24 healthy participants during baseline, 0.1 Hz paced breathing, and 0.02 Hz paced sighing (1 sigh every 50s, with normal breathing interspersed). Results showed that each sigh elicited a strong, well-defined reaction in the cardiovascular system. This reaction did not habituate when participants repeatedly sighed for 8.5 min. The result was a high-amplitude 0.02 Hz oscillation in multiple cardiovascular parameters. Thus, paced sighing is a reliable method for imposing very low frequency oscillations in the cardiovascular system, which has research and clinical implications that warrant further study.

The Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs and the Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies: a history of the evolution of alcohol research.

This article reviews the history of the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs as well as the Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies. Each has its roots in the Yale Laboratory of Applied Physiology and the era shortly after the repeal of National Prohibition in the United States. The journal was founded as the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol in 1940 by Howard W. Haggard, M.D., director of the Yale Laboratory of Physiology. Alcohol, although not originally the sole focus of the laboratory, eventually became the main and then only focus. A Section of Alcohol Studies and later Center of Alcohol Studies formally became components of the laboratory. The faculty grew to include notable figures such as Elvin Morton Jellinek and Mark Keller, among other influential people who helped establish a modern, multidisciplinary, scientific approach to alcohol problems in the United States. The first alcohol education program, originally called the Summer Session of the School of Alcohol Studies, was also founded there in 1943. The center later moved to Rutgers University in New Jersey, becoming the Rutgers Center of Alcohol Studies in 1962. With it came the summer school and the Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol, which in 1975 became the Journal of Studies on Alcohol. The journal again changed names in 2007, becoming the Journal of Studies on Alcohol and Drugs, reflecting an increasing focus among substance use researchers on drugs other than alcohol. This article discusses the influence of the journal and the center in the larger historical context of alcohol studies throughout the 20th century to the modern day.

Measurement of vascular tone and stroke volume baroreflex gain.

The arterial baroreflex system (BRS) consists of at least three closed-loop control systems: the heart rate (HR), vascular tone (VT), and stroke volume (SV) BRSs. Whereas HR-BRS gain is well studied, VT-BRS and SV-BRS gain are not. This study aimed to develop a method for quantifying VT-BRS and SV-BRS gain using an established HR-BRS gain measurement approach. ECG and beat-to-beat blood pressure (BP) were recorded in 31 young healthy participants during three tasks. Sequences of R-to-R wave intervals (RRI) of the ECG, pulse transit time (PTT), and SV were measured to assess HR-, VT-, and SV-BRS gain using the cross-spectral technique of computing the BP-RRI, BP-PTT, and BP-SV transfer functions. Gain in each BRS arch was measured in individuals with intact BRS functioning. Functional overlap and independence was noted in the BRS arches. The implications of the proposed method are discussed.

Risk of marijuana use in male and female college student athletes and nonathletes.

OBJECTIVE: A large minority of collegiate athletes report past-year marijuana use even though there is a significant possibility of experiencing negative athlete-specific consequences related to performance, eligibility, and scholarship. The present study examined risk factors that can drive or curb marijuana use in college athletes and nonathletes. METHOD: Logistic regressions, performed separately for men and for women, assessed the relationship of past-year marijuana use to sensation seeking, negative mood, perceptions of peer marijuana use, motivations for marijuana use, and stress related to body image and academics in athletes (233 men, 156 women) and nonathletes (184 men, 313 women). Risk factors also were compared for male past-year marijuana users who reported using (n = 26) or not using (n = 61) the substance during their competitive season. RESULTS: For athletes and nonathletes of both genders, being White, being past-year cigarette smokers, having higher sensation-seeking scores, and having exaggerated perceptions of student use norms were associated with past-year marijuana use. Enhancement motivations for use were higher among athletes compared with their same-gender nonathlete peers. In women, but not in men, greater body image stress and lower academic stress were associated with past-year marijuana use. Male athletes who continued using marijuana into their competitive season demonstrated a qualitatively different risk profile compared with athlete past-year users who reported no in-season use, including greater coping motivations for marijuana use. CONCLUSIONS: This preliminary study suggests that although the overall risk profile of college athletes and nonathletes is similar, athletes appear to be particularly motivated to use marijuana because of its enhancement or pleasurable properties.

Resonances in the cardiovascular system caused by rhythmical muscle tension.

Paced 0.1 Hz breathing causes high-amplitude HR oscillation, triggering resonance in the cardiovascular system (CVS). This oscillation is considered to be a primary therapeutic factor in HRV biofeedback treatments. This study examined whether rhythmical skeletal muscle tension (RSMT) can also cause 0.1 Hz resonance in the CVS, and compared oscillatory reactivity in CVS functions caused by RSMT and paced breathing (PB). Sixteen young healthy participants completed five tasks: baseline, three RSMT tasks at frequencies of 0.05, 0.1, and 0.2 Hz, and a 0.1 Hz PB task. ECG, respiration, finger pulse, and skin conductance data were collected. Results showed that 0.1 Hz RSMT as well as 0.1 Hz PB triggered resonance in the CVS and caused equivalent oscillations in all measured CVS functions, although in women, RSMT compared to PB caused lower HR oscillation. Clinical application of 0.1 Hz RSMT is discussed.

Risk profile of male college athletes who use performance-enhancing substances.

OBJECTIVE: There is a general perception that use of performance-enhancing substances (PESs) does not fit the standard profile of substance use. This study sought to determine whether users of PESs report high-risk patterns of alcohol and other drug use and demonstrate risk behaviors associated with problematic substance use. METHOD: Anonymous self-report questionnaires were administered to a sample of 234 male student athletes. PES users were defined as college athletes who reported past-year use of a broad array of PESs (including stimulants, hormone precursors, and nutritional supplements). RESULTS: Male athlete PES users (n = 73) compared with nonusers (n = 160) reported more problematic alcohol-use behaviors and more alcohol- and drug-use-related problems. The former compared with the latter was also more likely to report past-year use of tobacco products, marijuana, cocaine, psychedelics, and prescription drugs without a prescription. In addition, PES users demonstrated higher sensation seeking, and greater coping and enhancement motivations for drinking and marijuana use than non-PES users. CONCLUSIONS: Although banned PESs are not typically viewed as having a high addiction potential, male athletes who use these drugs may be more likely to participate in other problematic substance-use behaviors. Importantly, the male athletes in this study who reported PES use also participated in substance-use behaviors that can have profound negative effects on athletic performance. More research on the use of PESs in college athletes is needed.

Alcohol, tobacco, illicit drugs, and performance enhancers: a comparison of use by college student athletes and nonathletes.

OBJECTIVE: The authors compared the prevalence and pattern of substance use in undergraduate student athletes and nonathletes from 2005-2006. PARTICIPANTS: Authors collected data from male (n = 418) and female (n = 475) student athletes and nonathletes from 2005-2006. METHODS: The authors administered self-report questionnaires to assess prevalence, quantity, and frequency of alcohol and drug use, and to determine patterns of student athletes' alcohol and drug use during their athletic season versus out of season. RESULTS: Male student athletes were at high risk for heavy drinking and performance-enhancing drug use. Considerable in-season versus out-of-season substance use fluctuations were identified in male and female student athletes. CONCLUSIONS: Additional, and possibly alternative, factors are involved in a student athlete's decision-making process regarding drug and alcohol use, which suggests that the development of prevention programs that are specifically designed to meet the unique needs of the college student athlete may be beneficial.

Risk for excessive alcohol use and drinking-related problems in college student athletes.

There is compelling evidence that college student athletes engage in frequent episodes of heavy drinking and are prone to negative consequences resulting from such use. This study sought to identify risk and protective factors associated with student-athlete drinking and determine if student-athlete risk factors differed from those of non-athletes. Athletes compared to non-athletes reported more exaggerated perceptions of peer heavy drinking and lower sensation seeking and coping and enhancement motives for drinking, suggesting a risk profile distinct from non-athletes. In the overall sample, higher sensation seeking, overestimation of peer heavy drinking, non-use of protective behaviors while drinking, and higher enhancement and coping drinking motives were associated with greater frequency of heavy episodic drinking and more negative drinking consequences. In athletes compared to non-athletes, sensation seeking was more strongly associated with heavy episodic drinking and drinking to cope was more strongly associated with negative alcohol-related consequences. Overall, the results suggest that already proven brief intervention strategies, with minor adaptations related to the roles of sensation seeking and drinking to cope, may be helpful for student athletes.

Effectiveness of intensive case management for substance-dependent women receiving temporary assistance for needy families.

OBJECTIVE: We tested the effectiveness of a long-term coordinated care strategy--intensive case management (ICM)--compared with usual care (UC) among a group of substance-dependent women receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF). METHODS: Substance-dependent women on TANF (N=302) were recruited from welfare offices. They were assessed and randomly assigned to ICM or UC; follow-up was at 3, 9, and 15 months. UC consisted of a health assessment at the welfare office and a referral to substance abuse treatment and TANF services. ICM clients received ICM services in addition to UC services. RESULTS: ICM clients had significantly higher levels of substance abuse treatment initiation, engagement, and retention compared with UC clients. In some cases, ICM treatment attendance rates were double those of UC rates. Additionally, almost twice as many ICM clients were abstinent at the 15 month follow-up compared with UC clients (P<.0025). CONCLUSIONS: ICM is a promising intervention for managing the chronic nature of substance dependence among women receiving TANF. Future research should refine long-term care strategies-such as ICM-that address the chronic nature of substance dependence among low-income populations.

Evaluating two brief substance-use interventions for mandated college students.

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated two brief personal feedback substance-use interventions for students mandated to the Rutgers University Alcohol and Other Drug Assistance Program for Students (ADAPS): (1) a brief motivational interview (BMI) intervention and (2) a written feedback-only (WF) intervention. A key question addressed by this study was whether there is a need for face-to-face feedback in the context of motivational interviewing to affect changes in substance-use behaviors or whether a written personal feedback profile is enough of an intervention to motivate students to change their substance use. METHOD: The sample consisted of 222 students who were mandated to ADAPS, were eligible for the study, and completed the 3-month follow-up assessment. Eligible students completed a baseline assessment from which a personal feedback profile was created. They were then randomly assigned to the BMI or WF condition. Students were followed 3 months later. RESULTS: Students in both interventions reduced their alcohol consumption, prevalence of cigarette and marijuana use, and problems related to alcohol and drug use between baseline and follow-up. There were no differences between the two intervention conditions in terms of any substance-use outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that, under these circumstances and with these students, assessment and WF students changed similarly to those who had an assessment and WF within the context of a BMI. Given the fact that the former is less costly in terms of time and personnel, written profiles may be found to be a cost-effective means of reducing alcohol and drug use and related problems among low- to moderate-risk mandated college students. More research is needed with mandated students to determine the efficacy of feedback interventions and to isolate the effects of interventions from the effects of being caught and being reprimanded to treatment.

Developmental trajectories of cigarette use from early adolescence into young adulthood.

This study identified developmental trajectories of cigarette smoking from early adolescence into young adulthood, and delineated whether risk factors derived from a social learning-problem behavior framework could differentiate among trajectories. Participants (N=374) were interviewed five times from age 12 until age 30/31. Using growth mixture modeling, three trajectory groups were identified--heavy/regular, occasional/maturing out, and non/experimental smokers. Being a female, having higher disinhibition, receiving lower grades, and more frequent use of alcohol or drugs significantly increased the probability of belonging to a smoking trajectory group compared with being a nonsmoker. Higher disinhibition and receiving lower grades also differentiated regular smokers from the rest of the sample. None of the risk factors distinguished occasional from regular smokers. When models were tested separately by sex, disinhibition, other drug use, and school grades were associated with smoking for both sexes. On the other hand, environmental factors, including socioeconomic status, parent smoking and friend smoking, were related to smoking for females but not for males. Sex differences in developmental trajectories and in smoking behavior among regular smokers were notable. Future research should examine transitions and turning points from adolescence to adulthood that may affect cessation and escalation differently for males and females.