Background: It is known, that individual differences in the lateralized performance have important implications for individual differences in patterns of cognitive ability. (Banich M.T. et al, 1992). It was shown, that the right hemisphere emotional activation in the greater degree influences autonomic functions such as vasoconstriction responses and heart rate. (Spence S., 1996). It is considered, that Skin Potential Level (SPL) displays arousal level (Nishimura C., Nagumo J., 1995), and decreases in the state of weariness (Gorgo Yu.,1999). Objective: We have assumed that SPL displays an individual performance level. Methods: For this purpose we carry out researches, in which performance level estimated on the Reaction Time (RT) of visual sensorymotor reaction. SPL was measured (Ag-AgCl electrodes with high (40 MOm) entrance resistance DC amplifier) in five facial biological-active zones – forehead, superciliary, nasal, zygomatic and aurical (Gorgo Y., 1986) in healthy women (16-26 y, n=180) in the calm condition (CC) and in the stressed condition (SC) (during examinations). Results: The SPL in three left facial zones significantly differed in groups of subjects with low (lower 33 percentile) and middle-to-high level RT (higher 66 percentile) in SC (fig.1). In the CC group such an interrelation wasn’t revealed. The higer performance level and sympathetic nervous system activation leads to SPL in forehead and nasal facial biological-active zones become more negative and in zygomatic zone it become more positive. Conclusion: Facial SPL can display a performance level of women only with a high arousal level baseline (stress activation). The common increased emotional level is accompanied by increase of sympathetic nervous system activity and results to more expressed electrodermal reactions.
Life Sciences 2007 (2007) Proc Life Sciences, PC536
Poster Communications: Reaction time and skin potential level of women under stressful conditions
D. Gorlov1, V. Bogdanov1, Y. Gorgo1
1. Biological Faculty, Human and Animal Physiology Department, Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Kyiv, Ukraine.
View other abstracts by:
Where applicable, experiments conform with Society ethical requirements.