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Agentic extraversion modulates the cardiovascular effects of the dopamine D2 agonist bromocriptine
Author(s) -
Wacker Jan,
Stemmler Gerhard
Publication year - 2006
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.1469-8986.2006.00417.x
Subject(s) - bromocriptine , extraversion and introversion , psychology , dopaminergic , agonist , dopamine agonist , personality , medicine , dopamine , dopamine receptor , endocrinology , neuroscience , big five personality traits , receptor , social psychology , prolactin , hormone
A recent psychobiological theory postulates a dopaminergic basis for the agency facet of extraversion, leading to the prediction that this personality trait modulates the psychophysiological effects of dopaminergic drugs. A single dose of the dopamine D2 receptor agonist bromocriptine reduces blood pressure in healthy volunteers. However, it is currently unknown whether this hypotensive effect of bromocriptine is modulated by agentic extraversion. Therefore, we measured resting cardiovascular activation in groups of healthy male volunteers either high or low in agentic extraversion, either under bromocriptine (1.25 mg) or placebo. Focusing the analyses on activation components derived from 18 cardiovascular variables, we found that bromocriptine reduces alpha‐adrenergic activation in the sample as a whole, whereas the effects on beta‐adrenergic and cholinergic activation are modulated by agentic extraversion.