Electrodermal activity reveals respiratory and slower rhythms of the autonomic nervous system

Electrodermal Activity (EDA) was measured in 55 subjects during (1) an alarm reaction, (2) mental load, and (3) physical load. In 34 subjects, not only was a transient response observed, but also, oscillatory patterns characterizing short term variations of EDA. The durations of these oscillations varied between 3-16 s. Most commonly, they were approximately within the frequency range of respiration, or lower, at about 0.1 Hz. The EDA-rhythms were also related to the arterial blood pressure. They were, however, not strictly synchronized with respiration or with the blood pressure waves. We conclude that assessment of EDA in combination with fluctuations of the heart rate, and also, if possible, arterial blood pressure, may turn out to be a useful tool in the evaluation of the interaction between different regulatory processes that are realized by the common brainstem system.