The time course of autonomic parameters and muscle tension during recovery following a moderate cognitive stressor: dependency on trait anxiety level.

It has proved difficult to demonstrate the differences in physiological response in individuals with contrasting trait anxiety levels. The purpose of this study was to examine tonic autonomic activity and muscle tension in male subjects with different levels of trait anxiety during and especially after a stressful situation. Twenty-eight low anxiety (LA) and thirty-one high anxiety (HA) individuals performed a video-recorded Stroop color-word interference test. Heart rate, skin conductance level, finger temperature, electromyographic activity of gastrocnemius and trapezius muscles were recorded; state anxiety and valence of thought content were assessed. Physiological activity increased during the stressful situation, whatever the group. However, prolonged gastrocnemius muscle tension and prolonged decrease in finger temperature were found in HA subjects after the stressful situation, but not in LA subjects. These results suggest that physiological recovery following a moderate cognitive stressor could depend on trait anxiety level.