Thomas Janssens1, Sarah Brepoels2, Lieven Dupont3, Omer Van den Bergh2. 1. Health Psychology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Leuven, Belgium. Electronic address: thomas.janssens@ppw.kuleuven.be. 2. Health Psychology, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Leuven, Belgium. 3. University Hospitals Leuven, KU Leuven (University of Leuven), Leuven, Belgium.
Abstract
PURPOSE: The cough reflex is an automatic protective reflex, which can be modulated by conscious effort or other forms of top-down control. In this experiment, we investigated whether information about harmfulness of a cough-inducing substance would augment cough reflex sensitivity and associated urge-to-cough. METHODS:Healthy participants (N = 39) were randomized to receive information that they were to inhale a harmless substance (natural citric acid), or a potentially harmful substance (a potent agro-chemical acid). Using dosimeter-controlled inhalations, the dose of citric acid eliciting at least three coughs (C3) was determined. Next, participants received 4 blocks of randomized presentations of citric acid at the C3 dose, a sub-threshold dose of citric acid and saline control. RESULTS: C3 was reached for 27/39 participants, and C3 thresholds were not influenced by harmfulness information. During repeated citric acid presentations, framing the cough-inducing substance as a potentially harmful chemical resulted in a greater urge-to-cough compared to information framing it as natural citric acid (p < .01). The experimental manipulation did not influence cough frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that harmfulness information influences urge-to-cough, corroborating the role of cortical mechanisms in modulating the urge-to-cough and suggesting that cognitive manipulations may contribute to cough treatment.
RCT Entities:
PURPOSE: The cough reflex is an automatic protective reflex, which can be modulated by conscious effort or other forms of top-down control. In this experiment, we investigated whether information about harmfulness of a cough-inducing substance would augment cough reflex sensitivity and associated urge-to-cough. METHODS: Healthy participants (N = 39) were randomized to receive information that they were to inhale a harmless substance (natural citric acid), or a potentially harmful substance (a potent agro-chemical acid). Using dosimeter-controlled inhalations, the dose of citric acid eliciting at least three coughs (C3) was determined. Next, participants received 4 blocks of randomized presentations of citric acid at the C3 dose, a sub-threshold dose of citric acid and saline control. RESULTS: C3 was reached for 27/39 participants, and C3 thresholds were not influenced by harmfulness information. During repeated citric acid presentations, framing the cough-inducing substance as a potentially harmful chemical resulted in a greater urge-to-cough compared to information framing it as natural citric acid (p < .01). The experimental manipulation did not influence cough frequencies. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings show that harmfulness information influences urge-to-cough, corroborating the role of cortical mechanisms in modulating the urge-to-cough and suggesting that cognitive manipulations may contribute to cough treatment.
Authors: Carolyn K Novaleski; Richard L Doty; Alissa A Nolden; Paul M Wise; Joel D Mainland; Pamela H Dalton Journal: J Voice Date: 2021-01-14 Impact factor: 2.300
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