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Sibling Similarities in Cardiovascular Reactivity to Stress
Author(s) -
Ditto Blaine
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
psychophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.661
H-Index - 156
eISSN - 1469-8986
pISSN - 0048-5772
DOI - 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1987.tb00309.x
Subject(s) - heart rate , cold pressor test , psychology , reactivity (psychology) , stressor , sibling , blood pressure , isometric exercise , developmental psychology , cardiology , medicine , audiology , clinical psychology , alternative medicine , pathology
To examine the similarities of nun‐twin sibling pairs in cardiovascular reactivity to stress, in terms of both individual parameters such as heart rate and general cardiovascular reactivity, 36 young adult sibling pairs were recruited. Members of 12 same‐sex male, 12 same‐sex female, and 12 opposite‐sex pairs participated in a 66‐min experimental protocol consisting of alternating stress and relaxation periods. Pour stressors were employed: a challenging conceptual task, mental arithmetic, isometric bund‐grip, and the cold pressor test. Repeated measurements of systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP. DBF), heart rate (HR), ear pulse transit time (EPTT), and digital blood volume pulse (DBVP) were obtained. Pair members exhibited significant similarities in resting SBP, DBP, and HR. A number of significant similarities in reactivity to stress were observed. To examine the specificity of familial influences on different aspects of cardiovascular response to stress, a number of canonical and cross‐correlations were computed. The cardiovascular reactions of one sibling were used to predict those of his/her brother or sister. Several of the correlations attained significance. Most interestingly, familial influences on SBP, DBP, and DBVP reactivity to the cold pressor test appear to exhibit some degree of overlap, possibly reflecting more fundamental familial influences on alpha‐adrenergic reactivity. Joint familial influences on behavioral and cardiovascular reactivity to stress are discussed.