Constitutional Differences in Physiologic Adaptation to Stress and Distress

Corson, Samuel A.; Corson, Elizabeth O’Leary

doi:10.1007/978-1-4684-2238-2_5

Cited by 11 publications

(1 citation statement)

References 22 publications

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“…Our experimental design (13) involved concurrent measurements of physiologic, neuro endocrine, biochemical, and behavioral parameters in the same dogs studied repeatedly for a period of several years in three psychologically distinct rooms maintained at a temperature of 21-23 °C: (1) a neutral control room where baseline data were recorded; (2) an aversiveconditioning room where Pavlovian motor defense reflexes were developed by reinforcing neutral tones with unavoidable electrocutaneous stimuli (this experimental design is es sentially equivalent to a "no solution' situation and may, therefore, be conducive to the development of frustration, anxiety, and neurotic manifestations); (3):an operant-con ditioning room where similar neutral tones were reinforced with electrocutaneous shock but where the dogs were permitted to develop discriminated avoidance responses (avoidable stressor).…”

Section: E Th O D Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Interaction of Genetic and Psychosocial Factors in Stress-Reaction Patterns: a Systems Approach to the Investigation of Stress-Coping Mechanisms

Corson¹,

Corson²

1979

Psychother Psychosom

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Selye refers to stress as ‘the nonspecific response of the body to any demand made upon it’. Our experimental data indicate that: (1) there are significant constitutional differences in the types of stress reactions exhibited by different breeds of dogs; (2) inability to achieve an adaptive consummatory response or to develop a sense of control over stressful situations may lead in susceptible individuals (low adaptation dogs) to the development of maladaptive distress reactions, evidenced by persistent psychovisceral turmoil; (3) such maladaptive distress reactions represent a physiologic substrate of anxiety and frustration; (4) exposure of the low adaptation dogs to similar stressors but under conditions where the animals can develop avoidance responses, inhibited the psychovisceral disturbances, suggesting that it is the inability to develop control over psychosocially aversive situations that is primarily responsible for psychophysiologic disorders.

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Section: E Th O D Smentioning

confidence: 99%