THE EFFECT OF THE GRAPHIC STIMULATION PROGRAM, G-FORCE, ON STRESS

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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. Stress can be a significant contributor in the causation of and poor outcomes in a number of chronic diseases. Therefore, there is a need to identify various methods of stress mitigation that are relevant to and can be applied in "real life". Several lines of evidence suggest that visual input may have the ability to reduce stress and one of the PIs PSU advisors, Dr. Augustine, has been using the visual stimulation program, G-Force, in treating a range of psychological conditions including in stress management. This randomized pilot study will explore whether G-Force has the ability to enhance recovery from a psychosocial stressor. Specifically it is hypothesized that G-Force will have the ability to mitigate the stress response to a standardized stress task in healthy volunteers. Magnitude of the stress response will be measured through salivary cortisol, cardiovascular (heart rate, systolic and diastolic blood pressures) monitoring and through questionnaires. We will seek thirty healthy male undergraduates from the Pennsylvania State University to volunteer to participate in this study and assignment to the G-Force or control condition will be random. Data will be analyzed using multivariate ANOVA. Though this initial pilot study is focused on the benefits of G-Force in healthy subjects, it is hoped that positive data will allow for future studies using this as a stress management tool in patients of chronic diseases affected by stress, such as diabetes.