Abstract
Raynaud's Disease is a condition that causes blood vessels to constrict resulting indiscomfort in and discoloration of the hands and feet. Raynaud's Disease can occur inboth a primary and secondary form. The primary form is idiopathic while the secondaryform is comorbid with a second disease and is often classified as 'Raynaud's Phenomenon'. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) mediates the vasoconstrictive responses to cold exposure and also emotional stress. In fact, the symptoms of Raynaud's Disease are often exaggerated during periods of emotional stress. However, the impact of emotional stress on the development and instances of Raynaud's Disease is not well understood. Here, synthesize the available literature on the impact of emotional stress on Raynaud's Disease and provide a model of how emotional stress, primarily through SNS activation, can exacerbate the symptoms of the disease.
Faculty Sponsors
Dr. Jaime L. Tartar
Project Type
Event
Location
Alvin Sherman Library
Start Date
4-3-2009 12:00 AM
End Date
4-3-2009 12:00 AM
The Impact of Emotional Stress on Raynaud’s Disease
Alvin Sherman Library
Raynaud's Disease is a condition that causes blood vessels to constrict resulting indiscomfort in and discoloration of the hands and feet. Raynaud's Disease can occur inboth a primary and secondary form. The primary form is idiopathic while the secondaryform is comorbid with a second disease and is often classified as 'Raynaud's Phenomenon'. The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) mediates the vasoconstrictive responses to cold exposure and also emotional stress. In fact, the symptoms of Raynaud's Disease are often exaggerated during periods of emotional stress. However, the impact of emotional stress on the development and instances of Raynaud's Disease is not well understood. Here, synthesize the available literature on the impact of emotional stress on Raynaud's Disease and provide a model of how emotional stress, primarily through SNS activation, can exacerbate the symptoms of the disease.
