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Effects of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task ( PASAT ) with different rates on autonomic nervous system responses and self‐reported levels of stress
Author(s) -
Tanosoto T.,
Bendixen K. H.,
Arima T.,
Hansen J.,
Terkelsen A. J.,
Svensson P.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
journal of oral rehabilitation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.991
H-Index - 93
eISSN - 1365-2842
pISSN - 0305-182X
DOI - 10.1111/joor.12257
Subject(s) - paced auditory serial addition test , autonomic nervous system , psychology , audiology , arousal , heart rate , cognition , developmental psychology , medicine , blood pressure , neuroscience , cognitive impairment
Summary To characterise self‐reported levels of stress and autonomic responses in healthy humans evoked by different rates of the Paced Auditory Serial Addition Task ( PASAT ). Fifteen participants performed PASAT s with different rates (3·6‐, 2·4‐, 1·6‐ or 1·2‐s intervals) and a control task, in random order. Correct responses, self‐reported levels of stress and autonomic responses to the PASAT s were estimated. Increased PASAT rates were associated with decreases in correct responses ( P < 0·001) and increases in self‐reported levels of stress ( P < 0·001). For autonomic responses, significant changes were seen in 10 variables during 2·4‐s PASAT compared with the respective baseline; however, significant differences in relative changes from baseline were found between the 2·4‐s PASAT and control task only for mean RR ‐intervals ( P < 0·001), systolic and diastolic blood pressure ( P = 0·002 and P = 0·006) and cardiac output ( P < 0·001). Regarding comparison between the four PASAT s, significant differences in the relative changes from baseline were seen between the 3·6‐s PASAT and faster PASAT s, for example mean RR ‐intervals, high‐frequency power and respiration rate; however, there were no differences between the faster PASAT s. The autonomic responses during the PASAT s with different rates were quite similar for the faster PASAT s (intervals < 2·4 s); however, the slowest 3·6‐s PASAT evoked significantly less self‐reported stress and autonomic arousal compared with the faster PASAT s. Standardization of the PASAT rate may be important for studies on autonomic nervous system function and self‐reported measures of stress. Future studies may test more complex interactions between stress, autonomic responses and pain responses.