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Biomedical subjects

A J Vingerhoets

Publications and source records attributed to A J Vingerhoets.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1995

Handedness and other laterality indices in women prenatally exposed to DES.

A group of 175 women who had been exposed to diethylstilbestrol (DES) prenatally were compared with 219 unexposed control subjects on four laterality indices: handedness, footedness, eyedness, and earedness. It was found that there was a higher incidence of left-handedness among the DES-exposed subjects than among the controls. It was concluded that intrauterine exposure to the synthetic estrogen DES disturbs the normal process of cerebral lateralization. The mechanism by which this takes place is still unknown.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Alexithymia: a further exploration of its nomological network.

The present studies were designed in order to obtain a better understanding of the nomological network of the alexithymia concept. In study I, the links between alexithymia, coping, and self-rated health were explored. As predicted, strong negative correlations were found between alexithymia and the expression of emotions, daydreams and fantasies, and planful and rational actions. Contrary to expectations, no clear associations were found with self-reported health status. In study II, the focus was on links with personality, temperament, and self-reported (susceptibility to) homesickness. Although some correlations reached statistical significance, all were rather modest. The most remarkable finding was the independence of alexithymia and neuroticism. In study III, the associations between alexithymia and aspects of love experiences were examined, again yielding low correlations. It is concluded that alexithymia is relatively independent of temperament and personality. In addition, it is suggested that the association between alexithymia and the experience of positive emotions deserves further exploration.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1993

Influence of perceived psychological stress and distress on antibody response to low dose rDNA hepatitis B vaccine.

The present study focused on the relationship between psychological stress and immune reaction to a novel antigen. Participants completed questionnaires on daily hassles, psychoneurotic complaints, coping style, and loneliness, 2 and 6 months after the first of a series injections with a low dose recombinant DNA hepatitis B vaccine. Antibody response was determined 7 months after the first vaccination. Based on the psychological questionnaires two different stress measures were calculated: a Stress Index score-month-2 and a Stress Index score-month-6 indicating stress levels experienced at the beginning and at the end of the study respectively. Antibody levels were found to be negatively related with the Stress Index score-month-2. Although the influence of psychological stress reported on month 6 tended to be in the same direction, this effect was not significant. Coping styles and loneliness were not associated with antibody formation. These results suggest that antibody formation to rDNA hepatitis B vaccine is negatively influenced by psychological stress.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

Psychobiological factors related to human natural killer cell activity and hormonal modulation of NK cells in vitro.

The present report investigated whether percentages of circulating natural killer (NK) cells and NK cell activity (NKCA) are associated with psychological variables. Subjects (n = 95) were selected, based on a combination of low or high scores on questionnaires on daily hassles and self-reported symptoms, to create four extreme groups. NK cell percentages were different between two of the four groups, only when the analysis was not controlled for gender, life style and endocrine parameters. No evidence was found for a relationship between group membership and NKCA. NKCA, however, was found to differ between men and women and to be associated with percentages of NK cells and intracellular levels of cAMP. Furthermore, the hypothesis was tested, that hormone-induced changes in NKCA in vitro are dependent on the individual's current stress profile. To investigate this issue, NKCA was measured after cells had been incubated with hydrocortisone (10(-6) or 10(-7) M) or the beta-adrenergic agonist isoprenaline (10(-5) or 10(-7) M) in vitro. Changes in NKCA were found to be related to plasma adrenaline levels, but no evidence was found for involvement of psychological variables. It is concluded that, in the current setting, there is no association between the combination of scores on the two psychological questionnaires, and NKCA or hormone-induced changes therein.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Psychosocial factors and intrauterine fetal growth: a prospective study.

This study focused on the possible role of psychosocial factors on intrauterine fetal growth. Pregnant women (n = 236) completed questionnaires on daily stressors and psychosomatic symptoms three times during pregnancy; in the 11-12th week, the 23-24th week and the 35-36th week. In addition, information was obtained on the quality of the marital relationship, social support, social class, physical work load, weight of the biological parents and life-style variables (including smoking, alcohol and coffee consumption). Birth weight corrected for gestational age, sex and parity was utilized as an index of intrauterine fetal growth. This dependent measure did not appear to be affected by exposure to daily stressors or disturbed maternal well-being on any of the measuring points. Smoking appeared to be the best predictor of fetal growth, together with maternal weight and the family's socioeconomic status. These variables accounted for 10.6% of the variance. It is postulated that the absence of a relationship between stressors and fetal development may be due to the buffering effects of adequate emotional support provided by the partners and the further social network.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Psychosocial aspects of hyperprolactinemia.

Fourteen mildly hyperprolactinemic women and 14 matched controls were compared with respect to biographical data, self-reported emotional and somatic well-being, and cortisol production. The patients had significantly more often experienced a separation from their parents in childhood. No differences were found for cortisol levels and emotional and somatic well-being. Future studies also should focus on personality, coping, and defense mechanisms in order to explain these contrasting findings.

Adult↗
PubMed1992

Prolactin and weeping.

Fourteen women with functional hyperprolactinemia and an equal number of matched healthy controls completed a questionnaire on weeping behavior. Contrary to expectations the patient group were not more prone to weeping than the controls. In addition, their appraisal of weeping behavior (as a way to tension release and relief) did not differ from the controls. It is concluded that moderately elevated prolactin levels, although causing somatic disturbances such as amennorrhea and galactorrhea, do not affect the weeping threshold.

Adult↗
PubMed1991

Psychoneuroendocrinology of stress and emotions: issues for future research.

It is stated that much psychoneuroendocrinological research is carried out that lacks a theoretical framework and therefore adds little to our current knowledge. Therefore, five research issues have been presented which need further exploration: (1) the temporal relation between subjective and biological stress responses; (2) the question of the psychobiological specificity; (3) the relationship between endocrine responses to acute and to chronic stressors; (4) the relationship between endocrine activity and susceptibility to disease, and (5) the mediating and moderating effects of personal factors (coping, personality, and task performance) on psychobiological responses. It is argued that the study of these issues will increase our understanding of the stress phenomenon.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1991

Daily stressors and systemic lupus erythematosus: a longitudinal analysis--first findings.

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and a comparison group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) completed the Dutch Everyday Problem Checklist and the Dutch Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale measuring physical and psychosocial aspects of illness. Both scales were completed 9 times at 6-week intervals. In addition several hematological and serological parameters were assayed. Analysis over several time points resulted in only weak correlations between the variables under study. The most remarkable finding of this study was that in SLE patients number and intensity of daily stressors are more strongly related to physical and psychosocial status than in RA patients.

Activities of Daily Living↗
PubMed1990

Gender, coping and psychosomatic symptoms.

In this study gender differences in coping were explored, using the Ways of Coping Checklist (WCC; Folkman & Lazarus, 1980). In addition, the focus was on sex differences in the predictive value of coping strategies in relation to psychosomatic symptoms. Males preferred problem-focused coping strategies, planned and rational actions, positive thinking, personal growth and humour, day-dreaming and fantasies. Women preferred emotion-focused coping solutions, self-blame, expression of emotions/seeking of social support, and wishful thinking/emotionality. In spite of the gender differences the results of multiple regression analyses indicated congruous relationships between coping and complaints for both sexes. Stressors and coping factors contributed in much the same way to the explained variance of symptoms and the results were generally similar for males and females. The present data also emphasize the bidirectionality of the coping-symptoms link. This holds especially for self-blame, day-dreaming and fantasizing, and wishful thinking/emotionality. In contrast, distancing was found to be associated with self-reported psychosocial load. Future prospective studies should explicitly pay attention to this bidirectional relationship.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1988

Stress research: its present status and issues for future developments.

In this article the contribution of nine approaches to stress research is discussed. These approaches are: (1) the biological approach; (2) the (classic) psychosomatic approach; (3) the life event approach; (4) interactionistic or transactional approaches; (5) life style and behavior; (6) group differences; (7) sociocultural (macro-)factors; (8) work and organizational psychology; and (9) intervention and prevention. It is concluded that, more and more, exchanges take place between different approaches and that the willingness to collaborate increases. Not only do we observe collaboration between different disciplines, there also are examples of an integration of laboratory research and field research. In addition, interest of animal workers for human research and vice versa seems to increase. Although it is realized that stress research has its own inherent characteristic problems (e.g. ethics), the authors feel that the future still can bring important progress.

Forecasting↗
PubMed1984

Type A behaviour and self-reports of coping preferences.

Three hundred male subjects (age range 25-40) completed both the Dutch version of the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS) and a revised version of the Ways of Coping Checklist (WCC). Principal component analysis on the WCC yielded six factors with eigenvalues above 2.0: 1'wishful thinking/escape'; 2 'acceptance'; 3 'problem-focused/help-seeking'; 4 'withholding'; 5 'self-blame'; and 6 'growth'. Factor scores for each factor were averaged and compared between Type As and Type Bs. Type A scores were lower on 'acceptance', but higher on 'problem-focused/help-seeking' and 'self-blame'. These results favour the conclusion that Type As, when confronted with stressful situations, are more prone to active, problem-focused behaviour, do not acquiesce in the problems, and see themselves, rather than the environment, as the cause of their problems.

Adaptation, Psychological↗
PubMed1982

Cardiovascular parameters after diverse conditions of stress and rest.

Twenty-one volunteers were subjected to the following conditions: rest, cold pressor, a very difficult word completion task, progressive relaxation, physical effort, and lastly, a further rest period. Dependent variables were: Pulse Transit Time (PTT), Inter Beat Interval (IBI) and the first derivative Ear Densitogram Ejection Time (dEDET). The three variables show a convergent reaction pattern, as expressed by Kendall's coefficient of concordance W, which showed a median value of .72. PTT appeared to be the most sensitive parameter, whereas dEDET was the least sensitive one. The outcome of the decision-tree mostly pointed to a decrease (35%) or increase (27%) in beta-adrenergic activity. This was generally accompanied by an increase or decrease of dEDET, respectively.

Adult↗
PubMed1981

Opposite hemisphere differences in movement related potentials preceding foot and finger flexions.

Nine right-handed subjects performed an experiment in which the recording of the readiness potential (RP) and of the contingent negative variation (CNV) was combined. A microswitch was pressed by a voluntary foot or finger movement. 4 sec later a visual stimulus was presented, to which the subject had to respond as quickly as possible by making the same movement. Four electrode positions were used: C3, C4, C'3 and C'4, the latter two in between Cz and C3 or C4, respectively. The RPs showed larger amplitudes over the hemisphere, contralateral to the finger movement. Moreover, although not significant, RPs showed larger amplitudes over the hemisphere, ipsilateral to the foot movement. Late CNV waves were larger at C3 prior to a finger response and at C'4 prior to a foot response. This result is an argument for the hypothesis of a common underlying mechanism of RP and CNV late waves. Moreover, it suggests that motor preparation is a selective process which is related to the activation of a specific area in the motor cortex.

Adult↗
PubMedDate not supplied

CNV and EMG preceding a plantar flexion of the foot.

In 25 subjects CNV and EMG were recorded during a reaction time experiment with a fixed 4 sec foreperiod. The response was plantar flexion of the right foot. EEGs were recorded with four electrodes from the central area, two over each hemisphere. CNV amplitudes were larger over the ipsilateral than over the contralateral hemisphere. Amplitudes were smaller in the more lateral derivations. The late component of the CNV showed larger amplitudes when preceding relatively fast responses. EMG activity was recorded from the calf muscles of both legs. In the left leg it was not different during the intertrial interval and the foreperiod. A small but systematic increase in EMG activity was found during the foreperiod in the right leg. The increase was larger preceding fast responses, parallel to the amplitude changes in CNV late waves.

Adolescent↗
PubMedDate not supplied

Biochemical changes in two subjects succumbing to syncope.

Biochemical data are presented of two subjects who fainted during a psychophysiologic experiment. Both subjects showed similar postfaint reactions for heart rate, noradrenaline, glucose, human growth hormone, and cortisol. Heart rates showed rather low values, returning to the normal range after about 45 min. Noradrenaline plasma levels were also very low. However, levels of human growth hormone, cortisol, and glucose were very high in comparison to the control values. Taking into account psychologic prefaint data of previous studies and the present biochemical findings, it is argued that the onset of fainting involves the rapid succession of two stress reactions: the fight--flight reaction and the conservation--withdrawal reaction.

Adult↗