A prospective examination of sex differences in posttraumatic autonomic functioning.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Cross-sectional studies have found that individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) exhibit deficits in autonomic functioning. While PTSD rates are twice as high in women compared to men, sex differences in autonomic functioning are relatively unknown among trauma-exposed populations. The current study used a prospective design to examine sex differences in posttraumatic autonomic functioning.

Methods

192 participants were recruited from emergency departments following trauma exposure (Mean age = 35.88, 68.2% female). Skin conductance was measured in the emergency department; fear conditioning was completed two weeks later and included measures of blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), and high frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV). PTSD sympto

SUBMITTER: Seligowski AV 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8397921 | biostudies-literature | 2021 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature