Perception of emotions in borderline hypertensive patients and normal subjects

The ability to recognize the facial expressions of emotions was investigated in 30 borderline hypertensive patients, 16 with high intralymphocytic sodium content (ILSC) and 14 with normal ILSC, and in 34 normotensive matched controls. To this aim, 48 slides with the facial expressions of emotions and with neutral expressions were shown to the subjects by means of a tachistoscope. Two brief questionnaires, the Affective Communication Test and the Dimensions Rating Scale, were used to assess the ability to express emotions and the intensity of emotional experience in the subjects. Results show in borderline hypertensives a difficulty in recognizing emotions, with differences between the two subgroups of patients.