DOES THE RELAXATION RESPONSE INHIBIT ACUTE STRESS?

该子项目是利用 由NIH/NCRR资助的中心赠款提供的资源。子项目和 研究者（PI）可能从另一个NIH来源获得了主要资金， 因此可以在其他CRISP条目中表示。所列机构为 中心，不一定是研究者的机构。 本研究将探讨放松反应如何抑制急性应激的生理变化。 它将测试这一假设，即放松反应的分子介质将抵消与急性心理社会压力相关的生化和细胞变化。 一氧化氮是一种短寿命的含氮自由基，可介导多种生理活动，包括a）血管扩张，B）降低下丘脑-垂体-肾上腺（HPA）轴激活和c）降低白细胞的促炎反应，这些结果也可在舒张反应中观察到。 我们将调查是否在中枢神经系统外产生的放松反应。 此外，我们将确定松弛反应是否1）在急性应激期间差异性地抑制肾上腺素能神经系统和HPA轴的激活，以及2）降低体内血小板和淋巴细胞的儿茶酚胺介导的活性。 将使用马萨诸塞州综合医院的设施，使用功能性磁共振成像进行另一项研究。 这个子研究的目的是了解哪些部分的大脑参与时，放松反应的练习，并开发技术，研究正常的生理变化的影响，使用功能性磁共振成像。 本研究是一项随机、对照、单盲临床试验，旨在测试放松反应如何抑制年龄18-45岁的正常健康成年人的急性应激生理变化。 通过包括主动放松反应训练组和放松反应教育安慰剂对照治疗组，我们将能够测试放松反应训练的整体效果。

This subproject is one of many research subprojects utilizing the resources provided by a Center grant funded by NIH/NCRR. The subproject and investigator (PI) may have received primary funding from another NIH source, and thus could be represented in other CRISP entries. The institution listed is for the Center, which is not necessarily the institution for the investigator. This study will examine how the relaxation response inhibits the physiologic changes of acute stress. It will test the hypothesis that molecular mediators of the relaxation response will counteract the biochemical and cellular changes associated with acute psychosocial stress. Nitric oxide, a short-lived nitrogenous free radical, mediates diverse physiologic activities including a) vascular dilatation, b) decreased hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activation and c) decreased proinflammatory response by leukocytes, findings that are also observed with the relaxation response. We will investigate whether NO is generated outside the CNS during the relaxation response. In addition, we will determine whether the relaxation response 1) differentially inhibits activation of the adrenergic nervous system and HPA axis during acute stress and 2) decreases catecholamine-mediated activities of platelets and lymphocytes in vivo. An additional study will be conducted using functional Magnetic Resonance Imaging, using facilities at Massachusetts General Hospital. The goal of this sub-study is to understand which parts of the brain are involved when the relaxation response is practiced and to develop techniques for studying the effects of normal physiologic variation using functional magnetic resonance images. This study is a randomized, controlled, single blind clinical trial designed to test how the relaxation response inhibits the physiologic changes of acute stress in normal, healthy adults, age 18-45 years. By including an active relaxation response training group, and a relaxation response education placebo control treatment group, we will be able to test the overall effect of relaxation response training.