[Statistical data analysis of physiologic parameters in patients with endomorphic-depressive phases. An attempt to...

Range-corrected (according to Lykken) physiological data from the parameters of heart rate (HF), respiratory rate (AF), skin potential (skin potential level; SPL; skin potential response, SPR) and skin resistance level, SRL; skin resistance response, SRR) were obtained under an acoustic activation paradigm in the course of a longitudinal investigation on 7 women with endomorph depression treated with thymoleptic medication. These data form the matrix for two- and threefold analyses of variance as well as for concordance analyses according to Kendall. During six measurements (three each taken in the morning and evening) one finds differing levels of activation: relatively low ones at the beginning and at the end, high ones during the 'labilization phase' of the treatment. The varying 'reactivity' to the diverse examination sequences of an acoustic activation program is little affected by the degree of these changes; patient-specific 'characteristics' of the course of the activation are just as recognizable throughout the course of the investigation as are 'stimulus-specific' reactions. Each of the parameters is appropriate for the estimation of different physiological variables; SPR seems rather to be a situation-specific variable, HF and AF are probably suitable for establishing the level of activation, while changes in SPL seem to represent patient-specific characteristics.