Blood pressure increases while signing in a deaf population

Recent technologic advances have permitted the observation of rapid and significant increases in blood pressure (BP) during verbal communication. The magnitude of the increase in BP is influenced by rate of speech, audience size, status, affective content, environmental setting, and resting BP. The current study evaluates the effect of communicating without vocalizing in 38 deaf adults. Similar to speaking individuals, deaf individuals exhibited significant increases in BP and heart rate (HR) while signing, and the magnitude of the increases were related to resting BP levels. These findings suggest that communication, independent of vocalization, has significant effects on the cardiovascular system. Further studies are needed to explore other dimensions of cardiovascular-communication relationships in deaf populations.