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Awareness of cardiac function in anxious, phobic and hypochondriacal patients

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  09 July 2009

Peter Tyrer ,
Ian Lee  and
John Alexander
Peter Tyrer*
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton
Ian Lee
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton
John Alexander
Affiliation:
Faculty of Medicine, University of Southampton
*
1Address for correspondence: Dr P. Tyrer, University Department of Psychiatry, Royal South Hants Hospital, Graham Road, Southampton SO9 4PE.
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Synopsis

Awareness of pulse rate was tested in 60 psychiatric out-patients with anxiety, phobic or hypochondriacal neuroses by asking them to record how fast their hearts were beating during exposure to short film sequences. Correlations between subjective and objective heart rate (ECG) were significantly higher in anxious and hypochondriacal patients than in phobic ones. The results suggest that somatic symptoms in hypochondriacal and anxiety neurosis reflect increased awareness of bodily function.

Information

Type
Brief Communication
Information
Psychological Medicine , Volume 10 , Issue 1 , February 1980 , pp. 171 - 174
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

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