Interoceptive attentiveness and autonomic reactivity in pain observation

AbstractDifferent patterns of emotional reactivity characterize proactive and reactive functions of aggressive behavior, and theory also suggests a link of both types with narcissism. How people with narcissistic traits respond emotionally to competitive scenarios could influence their aggressiveness. Participants were 85 adolescent boys from a detention center. Several indices of emotional functioning were assessed, including attentional bias to negative emotional stimuli and psychophysiological responding. In addition, we included self-report and laboratory measures of aggression and measures of psychopathy-linked narcissism, callous–unemotional traits, and impulsivity. Psychopathy-linked narcissism was uniquely related to unprovoked aggression (i.e., proactive aggression) and to heightened attention to pictures depicting others’ distress. Compared with those scoring low on narcissism, those high on narcissism, who were the least physiologically reactive group, evinced greater proactive aggression, whereas those showing a pattern of coactivation (i.e., sympathetic and parasympathetic autonomic reactivity) evinced greater reactive aggression. Results are consistent with descriptions of narcissistic individuals as being hypervigilant to negative cues and exhibiting poor emotion regulation. These characteristics may lead to aggressive and violent behavior aimed at maintaining dominance over others.

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Autonomic reactivity to sensory stimulation is related to consciousness level after severe traumatic brain injury

Clinical Neurophysiology ◽

10.1016/j.clinph.2006.03.006 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 117 (8) ◽

pp. 1794-1807 ◽

Cited By ~ 30

Author(s):

Viona J.M. Wijnen ◽

Matagne Heutink ◽

Geert J.M. van Boxtel ◽

Henk J. Eilander ◽

Beatrice de Gelder

Keyword(s):

Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Brain Injury ◽

Severe Traumatic Brain Injury ◽

Sensory Stimulation ◽

Autonomic Reactivity ◽

Consciousness Level

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A35 ASSOCIATIONS BETWEEN AUTONOMIC DYSFUNCTION, COLONIC DYSMOTILITY AND ABSENT DEFECATION REFLEXES IN PATIENTS WITH CHRONIC REFRACTORY CONSTIPATION

Journal of the Canadian Association of Gastroenterology ◽

10.1093/jcag/gwab002.034 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 4 (Supplement_1) ◽

pp. 276-278

Author(s):

L Liu ◽

N Milkova ◽

M Ali ◽

K Sharma ◽

J D Huizinga ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Nervous System ◽

Autonomic Nervous System ◽

High Resolution ◽

Autonomic Dysfunction ◽

Sympathetic Tone ◽

Stress Index ◽

Autonomic Reactivity ◽

Autonomic Tone ◽

Autonomic Nervous ◽

Colonic Manometry

Abstract Background A defecation reflex involves sensory information from the colon sent to the central nervous system which results in propulsive motor patterns in the colon through programmed neural activity from the autonomic nervous system. Neurological causes of constipation are recognized but specific neurological pathways that contribute to pathophysiology of the disease is underexplored. Diagnosis and treatment usually do not involve the autonomic nervous system. Aims Our objective was to assess autonomic dysfunction and abnormal defecation reflexes as a possible cause of chronic constipation. Methods Defecation reflexes were assessed by high-resolution colonic manometry through balloon distention, meal intake, and rectal bisacodyl. Specific heart rate variability (HRV) parameters were used to assess general orthostatic autonomic reactivity, and autonomic functioning during high resolution colonic manometry, in 14 patients with chronic refractory constipation considered for surgery. Results All patients had a unique combination of motility, reflex ability and HRV profiles. Patients overall did not generate HAPWs or had lower HAPW amplitude and lower propulsive activity compared to healthy individuals. Half of the 14 patients were tested to have high sympathetic tone based on Baevsky’s stress index prior to HRCM, and 11 of the patients had sympathetic hyper-reactivity and/or low parasympathetic reactivity to at least one type of colonic stimulation during HRCM. Abnormal autonomic tone or autonomic reactivity to colonic stimulation was present in all four patients with absence of the vagosacral defecation reflex. Five of the seven patients with absence of the sacral defecation reflex showed high sympathetic tone or high sympathetic reactivity to stimulation. Only two patients had abnormality in coloanal coordination and this was associated with low parasympathetic reactivity to stimulation in both patients. Conclusions The assumption that colonic resection was needed to remove an inert colon was wrong in most patients, but most patients had some form of reflex abnormality. Sympathetic dominance far outweighed parasympathetic dysfunction. Incorporation of assessments of defecation reflexes and autonomic nervous system activity into diagnosis of chronic refractory constipation provides a comprehensive pathophysiological understanding of specific defective neurological pathways contributing to dysmotility. This forms the basis for our individualized treatment efforts through sacral neuromodulation. Funding Agencies CIHR

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