Wirtz
Fakultäten » Philosophische Fakultät » Psychologisches Institut » Klinische Psychologie und Psychotherapie » Prof. Dr. Ulrike Ehlert » Wirtz
Current research project
| Title / Titel | The effects of alpha-adrenergic blockade on norepinephrine-induced changes in blood lipids, procoagulant activity, and inflammatory cytokines in essential hypertension: associations with psychological factors? | ||||||
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| Abstract (PDF, 14 KB) | |||||||
| Original title / Originaltitel | The effects of alpha-adrenergic blockade on norepinephrine-induced changes in blood lipids, procoagulant activity, and inflammatory cytokines in essential hypertension: associations with psychological factors | ||||||
| Summary / Zusammenfassung | The project aims to investigate crucial mechanisms involved in the stress reactivity of atherosclerotic risk factors in subjects with essential hypertension. In a placebo-controlled single-blind 2x3 factorial design (2 groups, 3 trials), we plan to assess the effects of a stress-effects mimicking exogenously administered norepinephrine dosage on blood lipids, coagulation measures, inflammatory cytokines, and on their interactions, in essential hypertensive men compared to normotensive men. The additional use of non-selective α-adrenergic blockade (phentolamine) will provide additional information as to whether norepinephrine-induced changes in the measured atherosclerotic risk factors are mediated via an alpha-adrenergic receptor mechanism. The assessment of psychological factors previously associated with higher physiological stress reactivity in hypertension allows to test whether hypertension is independently associated with norepinephrine-induced changes in atherosclerotic risk factors or whether this association is affected (i.e. moderated or mediated) modulated by these psychological factors. | ||||||
| Publications / Publikationen | Wirtz, P.H., Ehlert, U., S., Baertschi, C.,& Von Känel, R. (in press). Changes in plasma lipids with psychosocial stress are related to hypertension status and the norepinephrine stress response. Metabolism.Wirtz, P.H., Redwine, L.S., Ehlert, U. & Von Känel R. (in press). Independent association between lower level of social support and higher coagulation activity before and after acute psychosocial stress. Psychosomatic Medicine.Wirtz, P.H., Redwine, L.S., Baertschi, C., Spillmann, M., Ehlert, U. & Von Känel R. (2008). Coagulation activity before and after acute psychosocial stress increases with age. Psychosom Med 70:476-481.Wirtz, P.H., Von Känel, R., Emini, L., Suter, T., Fontana, A.,& Ehlert, U. (2007). Variations in anticipatory cognitive stress appraisal and differential proinflammatory cytokine expression in response to acute stress. Brain Behav Immun 21:851-859.Wirtz, P.H., Ehlert, U., Emini, L., Ruedisueli, K., Groessbauer, S. & Von Känel, R. (2007). Procoagulant stress reactivity and recovery in apparently healthy men with systolic and diastolic hypertension. J Psychosom Res 63:51-58.Wirtz, P.H., Ehlert, U., Emini, L., Ruedisueli, K., Groessbauer, S., Gaab, J., Elsenbruch, S. & Von Känel, R. (2006). Anticipatory cognitive stress appraisal and the acute procoagulant stress response. Psychosom Med 68:851-858.Wirtz, P.H., Von Känel, R., Mohiyeddini, C., Emini, L., Ruedisueli, K., Groessbauer, S. & Ehlert, U. (2006). Low social support and poor emotional regulation are associated with increased stress hormone reactivity to mental stress in systemic hypertension. J Clin Endocrinol and Metab 91(10):3857-3865.Wirtz, P.H., Ehlert, U., Emini, L., Ruedisueli, K., Groessbauer, S. & Von Känel, R. (2006). The role of stress hormones in the relationship between systemic hypertension and the hypercoagulable state. J Hypertens 24(12):2409-16. | ||||||
| Keywords / Suchbegriffe | Systemic hypertension, norepinephrine infusion, blood lipids, coagulation, fibrinolysis, inflammation | ||||||
| Project leadership and contacts / Projektleitung und Kontakte |
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| Funding source(s) / Unterstützt durch |
SNF (Personen- und Projektförderung) |
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| In collaboration with / In Zusammenarbeit mit |
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| Duration of Project / Projektdauer | Jul 2009 to Jan 2013 |