Psychophysiological responses to inspiratory resistive loads

Effects of anxiety sensitivity and expectations on the modulation of the startle eyeblink response during a caffeine challenge

“…When caffeine was unexpectedly administered in bitter lemon and thus unexpectedly led to autonomic arousal and respiratory stimulation, startle response magnitudes were reduced in comparison to the expected administration in coffee. This finding of reduced startle response magnitude during stimulation of body sensations is in line with studies that reported attenuated startle eyeblink responses during a variety of interoceptive challenge tests including CO 2 inhalation and loaded breathing (Ceunen et al 2013;Pappens et al 2012;Pappens et al 2011). It has been suggested that this reduction of startle reflex magnitudes may be attributed to increased attention allocation to interoceptive sensations Pappens et al 2011).…”

“…This finding of reduced startle response magnitude during stimulation of body sensations is in line with studies that reported attenuated startle eyeblink responses during a variety of interoceptive challenge tests including CO 2 inhalation and loaded breathing (Ceunen et al 2013;Pappens et al 2012;Pappens et al 2011). It has been suggested that this reduction of startle reflex magnitudes may be attributed to increased attention allocation to interoceptive sensations Pappens et al 2011). In accordance with this interpretation, Alius et al (2014) demonstrated that decreased startle reflex magnitudes during a dyspneic challenge were accompanied by reduced amplitudes of the P300 component of the probe-evoked potential as an index of reduced processing of auditory startle probes (Cuthbert et al 1998;Keil et al 2007;Schupp et al 1997;Schupp et al 1997).…”

“…However, recent studies have suggested that this response pattern may deviate in the presence of an interoceptive threat originating from within a person's body. This specific situation leads to a decrease of startle response magnitudes, possibly reflecting an inward orientation of attention toward the feared somatic sensations Pappens et al 2011). We therefore expected that in high-AS individuals, startle response potentiation by caffeine would be further modulated, with an additional second process (to the drug effect) being present in the unexpected arousal condition: Here, the attention allocation toward the unexpected somatic arousal sensations should lead to a relative startle magnitude decrease in the unexpected as compared to the expected caffeine consumption condition.…”

Psychophysiological responses to CO2 inhalation

“…The effect of directing attentional focus on an ongoing interoceptive event on startle modulation has never been investigated directly. The combined results of two recent studies (Pappens et al, 2010(Pappens et al, , 2011, however, support the plausibility of startle eyeblink decrease when attention is focused internally. Measuring eyeblink startle and electrodermal responses in healthy participants during resistive breathing, we found elevated skin conductance responses, but no potentiation of the eyeblink startle response.…”

“…Measuring eyeblink startle and electrodermal responses in healthy participants during resistive breathing, we found elevated skin conductance responses, but no potentiation of the eyeblink startle response. A follow-up study in which attention was directed externally during the application of the breathing resistor did result in eyeblink startle potentiation (Pappens et al, 2011).…”