2007 Final Program - Society of Behavioral Medicine

2007 SBM Annual Meeting & Scientific Sessions March 21-24, 2007 FINAL PROGRAM
Rapid Communications Posters Thursday, March 22, 2007 • 6:30 PM-8:00 PM • Poster Session B
of writing as a function of BDI-II category and writing condition
indicated a significant interaction for SBP and TPR (ps < .05), and
a marginally significant interaction for DBP (p < .10). Follow-up
analyses indicated that among older adults who endorsed fewer
depressive symptoms, expressive writing resulted in increased SBP
and TPR reactivity compared to trivial writing; cardiovascular
reactivity did not differ as a function of writing condition for those
who endorsed more depressive symptoms. These findings suggest
that psychological mechanisms are likely operating in tandem with
physiological mechanisms to effect physical health outcomes.
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR: H. Mei Ng, MS, Dept of
Psychology, Ohio University, Athens, OH, 45701; hn260604@
ohio.edu
2448
CAFFEINE AND STRESS INCREASE BLOOD MARKERS OF
CARDIOVASCULAR DISEASE RISK IN YOUNG MEN AND
WOMEN WITH A FAMILY HISTORY OF HYPERTENSION
Isabella M. Rodrigues, PhD 2 and Laura C. Klein, PhD 1
1
Biobehavioral Health, Penn State University, University Park, PA
and 2 War-Related Illness and Injury Study Center, Department of
Veterans Affairs, East Orange, NJ.
A number of studies have investigated the connection between
caffeine and its potentially detrimental effects on cardiovascular
health. The majority of such investigations have focused on blood
cholesterol, while other blood markers of cardiovascular disease
(CVD) such as fibrinogen and C-reactive protein (CRP) have
been understudied. This study examined the effects of caffeine and
psychological stress on a population particularly vulnerable to future
development of CVD, those with a confirmed parental history of
hypertension. Participants were included following an intensive
health screening to confirm normal cholesterol levels and health
status. Questionnaires were sent to parents to confirm a family
history of hypertension. Next, 52 men (N=26) and women (N=26)
participated in a 3.5 hour lab session to examine stress reactivity to
caffeine (3.3 mg/kg; N=26) or no caffeine (N=26). Blood pressure
and heart rate were collected, as well as 3 blood samples at baseline,
stress, and recovery for CRP and fibrinogen level assessment.
Women completed their lab session during the luteal phase of
their menstrual cycle, which was confirmed through progesterone
and estradiol assessment. Findings revealed statistically significant
increases in fibrinogen levels in response to caffeine and stress
(p’s