Positive emotion inducement modulates cardiovascular responses caused by mental work.
J Physiol Anthropol 2016;
35:27. [PMID:
27852306 PMCID:
PMC5112625 DOI:
10.1186/s40101-016-0116-4]
[Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/11/2016] [Accepted: 10/31/2016] [Indexed: 11/16/2022] Open
Abstract
Background
Positive emotion is considered as an important factor related to health-relevant biological processes, including cardiovascular responses. To explore the possibility of using positive emotion as a tool to manage cardiovascular response of white-collar workers, we examined the influence on cardiovascular response of positive emotion inducement before a mental work.
Method
Seventeen healthy males participated and performed a 10-min, PC-based Stroop color word task as their mental work. Before the task, 60 pleasant pictures chosen from the International Affective Picture System were presented in a random order under a positive emotion inducement condition while a gray screen was presented under a control condition. A 30-min relaxation period after completing the task was provided to examine the aftereffects of positive emotion inducement. Throughout these periods, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, mean arterial blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, and total peripheral resistance were measured continuously.
Results
Blood pressure and total peripheral resistance were lower during the picture presentation period under the positive emotion inducement period compared to the control condition. All indices did not differ during the color word task period. During the relaxation period after the task, however, blood pressure and total peripheral resistance were lower under the positive emotion inducement condition compared to the control condition.
Conclusion
Positive emotion inducement before a mental work beneficially modulates cardiovascular responses, suggesting that positive emotion inducement may be a useful tool to manage the cardiovascular response to mental work.
Collapse