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RESEARCH PRODUCT
Effects of sex and menstrual cycle phase on cardiac response and alpha- amylase levels in psychosocial stress.
Carolina VilladaVanesa HidalgoLaura EspinLaura EspinAlicia Salvadorsubject
AdultMaleendocrine systemAdolescentmedia_common.quotation_subjectPhysiologyLuteal phaseLuteal PhaseAutonomic Nervous System050105 experimental psychology03 medical and health sciencesYoung Adult0302 clinical medicineSex FactorsHeart RateHeart rateFollicular phaseTrier social stress testHeart rate variabilityMedicineHumans0501 psychology and cognitive sciencesSalivaMenstrual cycleMenstrual Cyclemedia_commonbusiness.industryGeneral Neuroscience05 social sciencesMenstrual cycle phaseAutonomic nervous systemNeuropsychology and Physiological PsychologyFollicular PhaseFemalealpha-Amylasesbusiness030217 neurology & neurosurgeryStress Psychologicaldescription
The impact of sex and the menstrual cycle phase on the autonomic response to psychosocial stress remains controversial. This study explored autonomic nervous system activity through salivary alpha-amylase, heart rate, and heart rate variability responses to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) in healthy young people. The sample was composed of 25 men, 26 women in the luteal phase, and 25 women in the follicular phase, from 18 to 25 years of age. Participants were exposed to the TSST or a control condition. The results indicate that women in their follicular phase showed a blunted alpha-amylase response to stress compared to men and women in the luteal phase. In addition, men showed higher sympatho-vagal activity in the stress condition compared to the two groups of women. These results confirm that sex and the menstrual cycle phase are potential modulators of autonomic nervous system reactivity to psychosocial stress.
| year | journal | country | edition | language |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-04-07 | Biological psychology |