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An Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Protocol for Instigating Depressive Symptoms, Behavioral Changes and Negative Health Outcomes in Rodents
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An Unpredictable Chronic Mild Stress Protocol for Instigating Depressive Symptoms, Behavioral Changes and Negative Health Outcomes in Rodents

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Depressive symptoms and cardiovascular reactivity to laboratory behavioral stress

Jeffrey L Kibler1, Mindy Ma

  • 1Center of Psychological Studies, Nova Southeastern University, Ft. Lauderdale, FL 33314, USA. kibler@nova.edu

International Journal of Behavioral Medicine
|October 1, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Depressive symptoms are linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD). This review found that while depressive symptoms are moderately associated with heart rate reactivity, the link is weaker for blood pressure reactivity, especially in those without CVD.

Area of Science:

  • Psychiatry
  • Cardiology
  • Psychophysiology

Background:

  • A growing body of research links depressive symptoms to cardiovascular disease (CVD).
  • The precise mechanisms connecting depression and CVD risk remain unclear.
  • The cardiovascular reactivity (CVR) hypothesis posits that heightened CVR during stress may increase CVD risk.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantitatively review studies examining the association between depressive symptoms and cardiovascular reactivity (CVR).
  • To synthesize evidence regarding the relationship between depression and reactivity in systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and heart rate (HR).

Main Methods:

  • A quantitative review methodology was employed.
  • Sixty hypotheses were tested across studies assessing depressive symptoms and CVR.
  • Data synthesis focused on effect sizes for SBP, DBP, and HR reactivity.

Main Results:

  • A moderate aggregate effect size (d = 0.37) was found for the association between depressive symptoms and heart rate reactivity.
  • Small aggregate effect sizes were observed for systolic blood pressure reactivity (d = 0.13) and diastolic blood pressure reactivity (d = 0.17).
  • Effect sizes for diastolic blood pressure and heart rate reactivity were larger in studies including participants with existing CVD.

Conclusions:

  • These findings offer partial support for the link between depressive symptoms and cardiovascular reactivity.
  • The association appears more pronounced for heart rate reactivity compared to blood pressure reactivity.
  • The presence of CVD may amplify the relationship between depressive symptoms and cardiovascular reactivity.

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