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Event-related brain potential (ERP), heart rate (HR), and blood pressure (BP) responses were examined during the 6 s foreperiod of a choice-reaction task. Low and high trait-anxious males were required to make same/different judgements based on the similarity of two successively presented visual patterns. The pitch of a warning tone, presented at the beginning of the foreperiod, indicated whether speed or accuracy was to be emphasized on that trial. In different conditions, subjects received either a monetary reward or aversive noise, depending on their performance. Two clusters of parallel variations were observed in the foreperiod: (1) speed/accuracy instructions affected the amplitude of the CNV and, in interaction with anxiety group, the initial decreases in HR and diastolic BP; (2) type of reward, in interaction with speed/accuracy instructions, affected the amplitude of the P300 and PSW, the mid-interval HR acceleration, and subsequent increases in diastolic and systolic BP. A correlational analysis showed a close relationship between changes in HR and BP, whereas no relationship was evident between changes in ERPs and changes in HR and BP.

Psychological, psychosomatic and neuroendocrine (in blood) responses to mental task load were investigated in relation to Type A behaviour and borderline hyperventilation. For this purpose 32 apparently healthy, male volunteers were classified on the basis of their scores on the Jenkins Activity Survey (JAS) and on a questionnaire assessing hyperventilation related symptoms (HRS). The subjects performed a memory search task in which a monetary bonus could be won or lost. At rest higher HRS scores were related to increased acute psychosomatic symptom scores and higher JAS scores to higher prolactin levels. Task performance caused an increase of state anxiety, acute psychosomatic symptoms, adrenaline and cortisol, whereas prolactin decreased. Higher JAS scores were related to greater cortisol responses and higher HRS scores to smaller adrenaline responses.