Breathing Rate, Pattern, and Heart Rate During Baseline Recording and Painful Electrodermal Stimulation-Induced Anxiety

Abstract

Background: One common treatment for anxiety is breathing retraining (BRT), but evidence of its efficacy and effectiveness is mixed, and the mechanisms are not well-understood. To date, no study has examined breathing pattern (PATT) and respiration rate (RR) and their relationship to anxiety. Further, little is known about sex and race differences in the respiratory physiology of anxiety. Purpose: The present study investigated changes in RR, PATT, and heart rate (HR) associated with anxiety as well as sex and race differences in these changes. Methods: Physiological recordings of 29 male participants and 31 female undergraduate participants recruited from introductory psychology classes were made during periods of baseline activity and anticipatory anxiety (EDS). Anxiety was induced using mildly painful electrodermal stimulation to the hand, delivered briefly at random times throughout a five minute period. Results: Several significant sex and race differences were found for physiological variables at baseline and EDS. Subjective measures of anxiety and HR changed significantly from baseline to EDS for all groups. The implications of this finding and potential reasons for it are discussed. Conclusions: The results from this study will be used to understand the relationship between anxiety and physiology and should have implications for interventions designed to reduce anxiety as well as the populations (male or female, African American or Caucasian) such an intervention would be most effective in treating.