Psychophysiological Stress Reactivity Relationships across the Menstrual Cycle.

While evidence suggests that women exhibit psychophysiological differences in stress reactivity across the menstrual cycle, the relationships among psychological and physiological stress reactivity states are not well understood. Healthy, normally cycling women (N = 44) participated in two counterbalanced laboratory sessions during the follicular and luteal phases where heart rate and subjective stress were assessed in response to stressors. There were no differences in the magnitudes of psychophysiological stress responses across the cycle. Psychological and physiological states were largely unrelated in the follicular phase but interrelationships were found in the luteal phase and these relationships were influenced by autonomic perception and trait anxiety. For women with high trait anxiety, autonomic perception appeared to buffer psychological and physiological stress reactivity during the luteal phase, suggesting that autonomic perception may be a protective factor for more anxious women during times of acute stress.

The relationship of cognitive retraining to neurological patients' driving status: the role of process variables and compensation training.

PRIMARY OBJECTIVE: To explore the relationship of cognitive retraining performance to discharge driving status. METHODS AND PROCEDURES: One hundred and three brain-injured patients from a holistic milieu-oriented work/school re-entry programme. EXPERIMENTAL INTERVENTIONS: Initial, last, mean, and best cognitive retraining scores; Behavioural Checklist ratings; Working Alliance (WA) scores. MAIN OUTCOMES AND RESULTS: At the time of discharge, 50.5% of the sample were cleared to drive. Better performance on a cognitive retraining task addressing information processing and motor speed, focused attention, visual scanning and memory was associated with clearance to drive. Patients' behavioural approach to cognitive retraining tasks (use of compensations, organizational and procedural skills) and higher mean and discharge WA scores with staff were associated with driving clearance. Higher mean WA scores were also related to an enhanced behavioural approach to cognitive retraining tasks, including timeliness to sessions, compensation use, better communication pragmatics, decreased distractibility and the ability to apply the 'big picture' benefits of cognitive retraining to the 'real world'. CONCLUSIONS: Cognitive retraining exercises that incorporate skill remediation, 'process' variables and metacognitive skills, as well as a better WA with patients, positively related to clearance to drive at the time of discharge from a holistic milieu-oriented programme.

Psychophysiological and neuroendocrine responses to laboratory stressors in women: implications of menstrual cycle phase and stressor type.

This study assessed stressor and menstrual phase effects on psychophysiological and neuroendocrine responses to laboratory stressors in freely cycling women (N=78, ages 18-45). Participants performed counterbalanced stressors [Paced Auditory Serial Addition Test (PASAT) or cold pressor test (CP)] during their follicular and luteal menstrual cycle phases between 1:00 and 3:00p.m. to control for cortisol rhythm. Participants rested 30-min, performed the stressor, and then recovered 30-min while electrocardiography continuously monitored heart rate (HR). Systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), salivary cortisol, and state anxiety were assessed at timed intervals. HR, SBP, and cortisol varied more over the course of luteal than follicular phase testing. A three-way interaction revealed state anxiety reactivity was greater with the PASAT during the follicular phase. DBP showed equal and persistent reactivity with both stressors during both cycle phases. Results extend the stressor-specific HPAA hypothesis and have important methodological implications for women's biopsychology research.

Physical activity and quality of life: assessing the influence of activity frequency, intensity, volume, and motives.

In the present study, the authors investigated the impact of exercise frequency, intensity, and volume along with exercise motives on quality of life (QOL) reports. The authors assessed exercise habits with the Godin Leisure Time Activity Scale and measured exercise motives with the Reasons for Exercise Inventory. The Quality of Life Inventory assessed satisfaction in 16 domains including health, work, and recreation. High-frequency exercisers reported significantly higher health, helping, and community-related QOL than those who exercised less frequently. The authors noted significantly higher health-related QOL in the heavy volume group compared with the other volume groups. Multiple regression tests revealed that activity intensity and exercise motives significantly predicted QOL reports. The strongest bivariate correlations with QOL existed for mild activity and exercising for fitness and health reasons. Thus, high-frequency activity of mild intensity that produces high kcal utilization and is performed to improve health and fitness has the strongest influence on QOL reports.