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http://hdl.handle.net/1942/44953
Title: | Comparing autonomic nervous system function in patients with functional somatic syndromes, stress-related syndromes and healthy controls. | Authors: | VAN DEN HOUTE, Maaike RAMAKERS, Indra Van Oudenhove, Lukas Van den Bergh, Omer BOGAERTS, Katleen |
Issue Date: | 2025 | Publisher: | Elsevier | Source: | Journal of psychosomatic research, 189 | Abstract: | Abstract Background The goal of this study was to examine autonomic nervous system function by measuring heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), skin conductance levels (SCL), and peripheral skin temperature (ST) in response to and during recovery from psychosocial stressors in patients with functional somatic syndromes (FSS; fibromyalgia and/or chronic fatigue syndrome), stress-related syndromes (SRS; overstrain or burn-out), and healthy controls (HC). Methods Patients with FSS (n = 26), patients with SRS (n = 59), and HC (n = 30) went through a standardized psychosocial stress test consisting of a resting phase (120 s), the STROOP color word task (120 s), a mental arithmetic task (120 s) and a stress talk (120 s), each followed by a 120 s recovery period. HR, HRV, SCL, and ST were monitored continuously. Results Average HR and SCL were higher, and HRV was lower, in both patient groups compared to HC during rest (0.50 < Cohen's d < 0.97). A larger SC response to psychosocial stress was found in FSS compared to HC (d = 0.71). However, HR increased less during psychosocial stress and showed a smaller reduction during recovery in both patient groups compared to HC (0.68 < d < 0.98). HRV was lower in both patient groups compared to HC during recovery (0.91 < d < 0.98). There were no differences in ST levels or responses between groups. Conclusions Our results indicate a dominance of the sympathetic nervous system in both patient groups compared to controls, suggesting that autonomic nervous system dysfunction is a transdiagnostic feature for stress-related and functional somatic syndromes. | Keywords: | Burn-out;Fibromyalgia;Chronic fatigue syndrome;Autonomic nervous system;Psychosocial stressor | Document URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/1942/44953 | ISSN: | 0022-3999 | e-ISSN: | 1879-1360 | DOI: | 10.1016/j.jpsychores.2024.112025 | ISI #: | 001413193200001 | Rights: | 2024 Published by Elsevier Inc. | Category: | A1 | Type: | Journal Contribution |
Appears in Collections: | Research publications |
Files in This Item:
File | Description | Size | Format | |
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Van Den Houte, Ramakers, et al., 2025, JPR.pdf Restricted Access | Early view | 1.6 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open Request a copy |
Manuscript_ANS_JPR_accepted.pdf Until 2025-09-01 | Peer-reviewed author version | 268.07 kB | Adobe PDF | View/Open Request a copy |
1-s2.0-S0022399924004379-main.pdf Restricted Access | Published version | 1.61 MB | Adobe PDF | View/Open Request a copy |
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