Human pupillary dilatation after topical instillation of phenylephrine was assessed in a prospective, randomized, controlled experiment to measure alterations in α-end-organ responsivity after regular elicitation of the relaxation response. Baseline pupillometric measurements were taken in both experimental and control subjects. The experimental subjects then practiced daily a technique that elicited the relaxation response while the control subjects sat quietly for comparable periods of time without eliciting the relaxation response. After four to six weeks, both groups returned to the laboratory for an assessment identical to that of the first visit. Comparison between visits revealed that the pupillary dilatation in the experimental group was significantly diminished (p < .02) as compared to that of the control group. This observation is consistent with reduced end-organ responsivity to an exogenous α-adrenergic agent after regular elicitation of the relaxation response.
Reduced Pupillary Sensitivity to Topical Phenylephrine Associated with the Relaxation Response
Publication
Journal of Human Stress
Abstract
Web and Email Links
Related Listings
Journal
Behavior Research and Therapy
The theoretical basis of systematic desensitization is reciprocal inhibition in which an alternative, competitive response to anxiety is conditioned to arousal-producing, phobic stimuli. Abbreviated training in progressive relaxation is believed to serve as a competitive response to anxiety by decreasing autonomic nervous system activity. However, physiologic studies of progressive relaxation have not substantiated that its practice is associated with such decreased autonomic activity […]
Journal
Radiology
Immediately before they underwent femoral angiography, 45 patients were given one of three types of audiotapes: a relaxation response tape recorded for this study, a tape of contemporary instrumental music, or a blank tape. All patients were instructed to listen to their audiotape during the entire angiographic procedure. Each audiotape was played through earphones. Radiologists were not told the group assignment or tape contents. The patients given the audiotape with instructions to […]
Journal
Journal of Cardiopulmonary Rehabilitation
We previously reported reduced blood pressure, psychological symptoms, and other cardiac risk factors in hypertensive patients who participated in a nonpharmacologic, outpatient behavioral program. The present study is a 3 to 5 year follow-up of 59 (60%) of the same patients (who served as their own controls) to assess continued efficacy of the program. At entry into the study, patients had hypertension for a median of 6 years. Therefore, it is unlikely that placebo effect could expla […]