Abstract-The forearm vasodilator response to mental stress is multifactorial and widely variable among individuals. We evaluated the association between the heart rate and forearm vascular conductance (FVC) responses to a color word test in 101 healthy adults. We found a striking correlation between heart rate and FVC (r = 0.66, p < 0.001), which remained significant when controlling for subject characteristics, blood pressure, and catecholamines. This suggests that the mechanical stimulation is one of the key factors that contribute to the increase in FVC during mental stress.Synopsis-Our major new finding is that there is a strong correlation between the increase in heart rate and the increase in forearm vascular conductance during mental stress.
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