Search PubMed⌕ Search

Biomedical subjects

W Everaerd

Publications and source records attributed to W Everaerd.

At least 37 records · Page 2Linked to original sources
PubMed1996

Measurement of menopausal hot flushes: validation and cross-validation.

Specificity and sensitivity of two physiological markers for hot flushes were investigated. One marker, proposed by Freedman, is an increase of sternal skin conductance, the second marker, proposed by Swartzman, is a physiological profile which consists of skin conductance changes in combination with circulation changes. In our laboratory 20 menopausal women, 15 with frequent hot flushes and 5 without hot flushes, and 5 women with regular menstrual cycles were continuously monitored for 2.5 h on subjective hot flush experience, sternal and palmar skin conductance, dorsal and palmar finger temperature and pulse blood volume. Increase in sternal skin conductance proved to be very specific in contrast to Swartzman's physiological profile, although it was less sensitive. Receiver operating characteristics revealed that an increase combined with a preceding decrease in sternal skin conductance as most specific for, and most sensitive to, subjectively reported hot flushes. This was confirmed by a cross-validation with 34 "flushing' menopausal women.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Habituation of female sexual arousal to slides and film.

The habituation of genital and subjective sexual arousal in women was assessed. In a first experiment 32 women were randomly assigned to either a constant stimulus condition in which subjects were exposed to the same erotic slide on repeated trials within one session, or to a varied stimuli condition in which subjects were exposed to various erotic slides. A second experiment assessed habituation of sexual responses of 42 women to erotic film excerpts. In both experiments repeated erotic stimulation was followed by a novel erotic stimulus to study the effect of novel stimulation to a sequence of uniform stimulation. In the first experiment a floor effect was found in response to the first three trials that prevented a valid interpretation of responding on subsequent trials. We conclude that slides yield too little sexual arousal in female subjects. In the second experiment only a slight decline in genital responding was observed. Women sustained considerable levels of genital arousal even after 21 trials of uniform stimulation. Facial EMG was used as a physiological marker of emotional experience. Zygomatic activity decreased over trials, suggesting decreasing positive affect as a result of uniform stimulation. Results are discussed in the context of selective attention, characteristics of the habituation stimulus, and novelty.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Mood and sexual arousal in women.

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of a positive 'mood for sex' on genital and subjective sexual arousal in functional women, using a musical mood induction procedure. Fifty-one female Ss were randomly assigned to one of four conditions: erotic film preceded by mood induction; erotic fantasy preceded by mood induction; erotic film without mood induction; and erotic fantasy without mood induction. Photoplethysmographic pulse amplitude was continuously recorded and self-report ratings of sexual arousal and affective reactions were collected before and after erotic conditions. Results showed that a positive sexual mood did not facilitate subsequent genital and subjective sexual arousal. Positive sexual mood did inhibit negative emotional experiences to erotic film.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Stress, serotonergic function, and mood in users of oral contraceptives.

The relationship between stress and changes in insulin levels, plasma ratio of tryptophan to other large neutral amino acids (LNAAs), mood, and food intake was investigated in women taking monophasic oral contraceptives containing progestagens. Subjects experiencing high levels of stress displayed significant decreases of insulin and tryptophan to other LNAAs ratios, before and after the consumption of a standard meal during the pill-free period as compared with the period of pill use. The decline of the tryptophan to other LNAAs ratio was accompanied by worsening of mood. In a control group of subjects experiencing low levels of stress there was no relationship between insulin and tryptophan to other LNAAs ratio, nor between tryptophan to other LNAAs ratio and mood. These results suggest that the combination of stress and alterations in sex hormones may be responsible for mood changes during the pill-free period in women taking oral contraceptives.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Determinants of subjective experience of sexual arousal in women: feedback from genital arousal and erotic stimulus content.

Sixty-two women participated in a study designed to explore the association between genital and subjective sexual arousal. Four stimulus conditions were created, designed to evoke differential patterns of genital arousal over time. Subjects were instructed to report sensations in their genitalia while being exposed to the same erotic stimulus on repeated trials or to a series of varying erotic stimuli. Detection of genital arousal was facilitated by the occurrence of changes in genital arousal over trials. That is, genital and subjective sexual arousal were linearly related in conditions that resulted in large differences in genital arousal over trials, whereas such a relation was absent in conditions in which genital arousal levels remained relatively constant. In women, peripheral feedback from consciously detected genital arousal seems to be a relatively unimportant determinant of subjective sexual arousal.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1995

Assessment of female sexual arousal: response specificity and construct validity.

Specificity of vaginal pulse amplitude and vaginal blood volume in reaction to visual sexual stimuli was investigated by comparing responses to sexual, anxiety-inducing, sexually threatening, and neutral film excerpts. Subjective sexual arousal, body sensations, emotional experience, skin conductance, and heart rate were monitored along with the genital measures. Self-report data confirmed the generation of affective states as intended. Results demonstrated response specificity of vaginal vasocongestion to sexual stimuli. In terms of both convergent and divergent validity, vaginal pulse amplitude was the superior genital measure. Skin conductance discriminated among stimuli only to a small degree, whereas heart rate failed to discriminate among stimuli altogether.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1994

Women's sexual and emotional responses to male- and female-produced erotica.

Whether erotic films made by women are more arousing for women than erotic films made by men was studied. Forty-seven subjects were exposed to both a woman-made, female-initiated, and female centered, erotic film excerpt. Photoplethysmographic vaginal pulse amplitude was recorded continuously. Self-report ratings of sexual arousal and affective reactions were collected after each stimulus presentation. Contrary to expectation, genital arousal did not differ between films, although genital response to both films was substantial. Subjective experience of sexual arousal was significantly higher during the woman-made film. The man-made film evoked more feelings of shame, guilt, and aversion. Correlations between subjective experience of sexual arousal and photoplethysmographic measures of sexual arousal were nonsignificant. The largest contribution to female sexual excitement might result from the processing of stimulus-content and stimulus-meaning and not from peripheral vasocongestive feedback.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Validation of a psychophysiological waking erectile assessment (WEA) for the diagnosis of male erectile disorder.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the present study was to evaluate a psychophysiological waking erectile assessment (WEA). WEA was designed to elicit penile responses using visual and vibrotactile stimuli and cognitive tasks (distraction and monitoring of erections). METHODS: One hundred consecutive patients with erectile dysfunction and a control group of 50 sexually functional males were examined. Clinical decision analysis, including a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, was used to determine the accuracy of WEA in predicting independent diagnostic classifications. RESULTS: Fifty percent of the patients were independently diagnosed as having pure psychogenic impotence. In 45 percent of the patients an organic factor was found. Discrimination was best in three (out of 7) WEA conditions in which film was combined with vibration. This combination of conditions resulted in a test sensitivity of 81 percent, and predictive values positive (the probability of "no organic involvement" given a penile response greater than 12 mm) ranging from 66 to 95 percent. About one third of the patients with pure psychogenic erectile dysfunction had an average response of more than 30 mm to the three conditions combining vibration and film. None of the patients with organic involvement exceeded this 30 mm criterion. Thus, the predictive value positive reached its maximum of 100 percent. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggest that WEA is an appropriate initial screening procedure, and that it is of particular value in the detection of psychogenic cases.

Decision Support Techniques↗
PubMed1994

Visual stimulation facilitates penile responses to vibration in men with and without erectile disorder.

This study compared reflexogenic and psychogenic penile responses in men with and without erectile disorder. It was hypothesized that men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction respond minimally to vibrotactile stimulation. An enhancement of penile responses was expected when vibration was combined with erotic film. Patients were 50 men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction, 45 men with organic erectile dysfunction, and 50 sexually functional men. The combination of film and vibration resulted in stronger penile responses than the stimuli presented separately. Men with psychogenic erectile dysfunction and sexually functional men did not differ in responses to film and film-and-vibration conditions. As predicted, responses of the 2 groups were different in the vibration condition. Interpretations are provided in terms of attention and appraisal. The findings are relevant to the development of psychophysiological diagnostic procedures.

Adult↗
PubMed1994

Symptom perception: psychological correlates of symptom reporting and illness behavior of women with medically unexplained gynecological symptoms.

Medically unexplained (gynecological) symptoms can be viewed as an indication of the somatization of negative emotions. Most studies regarding psychological correlates of medically unexplained gynecological symptoms have paid attention only to certain personality characteristics of women with these symptoms. In this study the reporting of physical symptoms and the resulting illness behavior is explained in terms of information processing or a perception process, i.e. the process by which people detect and interpret physical sensations as symptoms of illness (symptom perception). Symptom perception is in part determined by environmental characteristics and cognitive and emotional processes, such as variation in daily life, (coping with) emotional threat and the use of cognitive illness schemes. Differences in symptom perception and illness behavior of women with medically unexplained and explained gynecological symptoms, compared to women with medically explained gynecological symptoms and a control group, were established with the help of a questionnaire, containing a number of scales. As expected, women with medically unexplained gynecological symptoms had higher reports of common symptoms and sensations and showed also more other illness behavior than the other two groups. They reported less variation and more threat in daily life than the other two groups. These variables together with the use of illness schemes contributed most to symptom reporting of women with medically unexplained symptoms. It is concluded that defence against threat is probably an important determinant. Suggestions for further research and some practical implications are discussed.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1993

Performance demand and sexual arousal in women.

Up to now, no experimental studies have inquired into the possible role of performance demand in female sexuality. The objective of this study is to investigate the effects of performance demand on sexual arousal in functional women, using explicit instructions. Forty-eight female subjects were asked to respond with maximum sexual arousal within 2 min, both during sexual fantasy and while watching an erotic film excerpt. Photoplethysmographic pulse amplitude was continuously recorded and self-report ratings of sexual arousal and affective reactions were collected after each erotic condition. Subjects were also instructed to continuously indicate their subjective sexual excitement during the conditions by means of a lever. Performance demand resulted in higher genital responses and was most effective in the fantasy condition. These results corroborate the findings for functional men. Although for both measures of subjective experience of sexual arousal performance demand yielded significantly higher ratings, this was conditioned by the order in which subjects were exposed to conditions. Women who masturbate with a mean frequency of 4 times a month reported higher subjective sexual arousal during performance demand conditions as compared with women who masturbate substantially more or who do not masturbate. Genital vasocogestion did not differ between masturbation-groups. Continuous subjective monitoring yielded lower correlations with vasocongestion than discrete ratings of sexual arousal and appears to be more sensitive to order effects.

Adult↗
PubMed1993

The paradoxical nature of sexuality in anorexia nervosa.

Psychosexual dysfunctioning is often put forward as an etiological factor in anorexia nervosa. In contrast, we hypothesize that anorexia nervosa patients were in general psychosexually normal before their illness, and that the problems in their sexual life arise only after the emergence of hypogonadism, as a consequence of emaciation. Our study shows that patients, before they became anorectic, were indeed rather similar to normal subjects with respect to sexual attitude. Moreover, patients reported a considerably decreased sexual interest during their anorectic period when compared with normal controls. We conclude that these results corroborate our hypotheses. In the discussion we sketch a theoretical account of the origin and course of anorexia nervosa, according to which the hormonal and associated psychosexual changes are central to its pathogenesis.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

Posttraumatic stress symptoms in victims of childhood incest.

The relationship between posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and the experience of severe childhood incest was investigated in a comparison of 97 adult female victims of incest and 65 matched controls. It appeared that 62% of the incest victims and none of the controls met the DSM-III-R criteria for PTSD. The best predictor for the development of PTSD appeared to be the subjective reaction at the time of the event, consisting of anxiety, freezing and dissociation. The incest victims also displayed other psychiatric symptoms, such as self-mutilation and conversions. Although the relation incest-PTSD is quite obvious, the diagnosis may easily be missed because the symptoms may be masked by other psychiatric phenomena.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1991

Place of delivery in The Netherlands: actual location of confinement.

Preferred and actual locations of confinement were compared in a group of 170 nulliparous women. Voluntary changes in preferred location for birth were rare and concerned only changes from hospital to home confinement. Obligatory changes due to referral to consultant obstetricians occurred frequently: 58.8% of the total sample. Fewer referrals were found for women with an initial preference for a home confinement (53%) than for those who preferred a hospital confinement (64%). Most referrals occurred in the group of older women initially in doubt about their preferred location for giving birth: 72%. The differences were not significant, however. To reveal differences between referrals and non-referrals, discriminant analysis was performed at the 18th week of gestation. The explained variance for the total group of referrals was 64.7%. Partially, the variables pertaining to the explained variance were the same as those related to a preferred hospital confinement. The explained variance for the group of referrals in which psychosocial influences were presupposed was not better, with the exception of referrals due to insufficient progress during labour: 76.4% of the variance could be explained at the 34th gestational week. When birth weight and amenorrhoea were included, these percentages increased to 79.0 and 84.8%, respectively.

Adult↗