Hemodynamics in emotional responses and in emotional stress

In the article, we present experimental data indicating that negative emotional states evoked by electrical stimulation of the ventromedial hypothalamus or by behavioral conflicts are accompanied by a predominance of vascular responses of a pressor character possessing the property of summation. In contrast, positive emotional states during a self-stimulation reaction or when animals attain behavioral results satisfying their major biological demands are accompanied by a predominance of pressor-depressor vascular reactions. In individual animals under conditions of experimental emotional stress in conflicting situations of a prolonged character, pronounced disturbances of cardiac-vascular functions occur. Predominantly pressor vascular reactions arise in response to forced stimulation of the ventromedial hypothalamus in such cases. It is shown that changes in vascular tonus plays a leading role in disturbances of AP regulation during stress of immobilization. The most frequent cause of death in animals under such conditions is a progressive fall of AP due to an abrupt decrease in the total peripheral resistance. The resistance of the cardiac-vascular functions to emotional stress is determined to a significant degree by genetic mechanisms.