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Autogenic‐Feedback Training: A Potential Treatment For Orthostatic Intolerance in Aerospace Crews
Author(s) -
Cowings P. S.,
Toscano W. B.,
Miller N. E.,
Pickering T. G.,
Shapiro D.,
Stevenson J.,
Maloney S.,
Knapp J.
Publication year - 1994
Publication title -
the journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.92
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1552-4604
pISSN - 0091-2700
DOI - 10.1002/j.1552-4604.1994.tb02013.x
Subject(s) - orthostatic intolerance , autogenic training , supine position , orthostatic vital signs , medicine , blood pressure , physical therapy , physical medicine and rehabilitation , anesthesia , relaxation (psychology)
Postflight orthostatic intolerance has been identified as a serious biomedical problem associated with long‐duration exposure to microgravity in space. High priority has been given to the development of countermeasures for this disorder that are both effective and practical. A considerable body of clinical research has demonstrated that people can be taught to increase their own blood pressure voluntarily, and that this is an effective treatment for chronic orthostatic intolerance in paralyzed patients. The current pilot study was designed to examine the feasibility of adding training in control of blood pressure to an existing preflight training program designed to facilitate astronaut adaptation to microgravity. Using an operant conditioning procedure, autogenic‐feedback training (AFT), three men and two women participated in four to nine training (15–30‐minute) sessions. At the end of training, the average increase in systolic and diastolic pressure, as well as mean arterial pressures, that the subjects made ranged between 20 and 50 mm Hg under both supine and 45° head‐up tilt conditions. These findings indicate that AFT may be a useful alternative treatment or supplement to existing approaches for preventing postflight orthostatic intolerance. Furthermore, the use of operant conditioning methods for training cardiovascular responses may contribute to the general understanding of the mechanisms of orthostatic intolerance.