Classically conditioned changes of blood glucose level in humans. 1993

G Fehm-Wolfsdorf, and M Gnadler, and W Kern, and W Klosterhalfen, and W Kerner
Institut für Psychologie der Universität Kiel, Germany.

Procedures of classical conditioning in animals and man have provided evidence that most psychophysiological responses can be acquired by repeated association with previous neutral stimuli. Many animal studies reported on conditioned changes in the blood glucose level; the nature of the conditioned response (CR), hypo- or hyperglycemia, however, seems to vary with experimental procedures. The present study aimed to elicit conditioned blood glucose changes in human subjects. Thirty male volunteers participated in five sessions each. The sessions were separated by 3 days, with identical time course and procedure. The subjects were informed that we wanted to test the effects of insulin or placebo injections on cognitive functioning, and were kept busy with pseudotests. In four sessions, subjects were injected with 0.035 IU/kg body weight of human insulin as the unconditioned stimulus (US), which induced the expected fall in blood glucose level below 50 mg/dl (UR). Injections were accompanied by a specific stimulus compound (conditioned stimulus, CS) in half of the subjects. In the fifth session, the CS was associated with a placebo injection. About half of the subjects showed a change from the baseline level of blood glucose of more than 10 mg/dl, which we would interpret as a conditioned response. Conditioning occurred more often in those subjects who were given a CS compound in addition to the injection, which itself together with the experimental environment may have been a sufficient CS.

UI MeSH Term Description Entries
D007328 Insulin A 51-amino acid pancreatic hormone that plays a major role in the regulation of glucose metabolism, directly by suppressing endogenous glucose production (GLYCOGENOLYSIS; GLUCONEOGENESIS) and indirectly by suppressing GLUCAGON secretion and LIPOLYSIS. Native insulin is a globular protein comprised of a zinc-coordinated hexamer. Each insulin monomer containing two chains, A (21 residues) and B (30 residues), linked by two disulfide bonds. Insulin is used as a drug to control insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (DIABETES MELLITUS, TYPE 1). Iletin,Insulin A Chain,Insulin B Chain,Insulin, Regular,Novolin,Sodium Insulin,Soluble Insulin,Chain, Insulin B,Insulin, Sodium,Insulin, Soluble,Regular Insulin
D008297 Male Males
D001786 Blood Glucose Glucose in blood. Blood Sugar,Glucose, Blood,Sugar, Blood
D003214 Conditioning, Classical Learning that takes place when a conditioned stimulus is paired with an unconditioned stimulus. Reflex, Conditioned,Classical Conditioning,Classical Conditionings,Conditioned Reflex,Conditionings, Classical
D004311 Double-Blind Method A method of studying a drug or procedure in which both the subjects and investigators are kept unaware of who is actually getting which specific treatment. Double-Masked Study,Double-Blind Study,Double-Masked Method,Double Blind Method,Double Blind Study,Double Masked Method,Double Masked Study,Double-Blind Methods,Double-Blind Studies,Double-Masked Methods,Double-Masked Studies,Method, Double-Blind,Method, Double-Masked,Methods, Double-Blind,Methods, Double-Masked,Studies, Double-Blind,Studies, Double-Masked,Study, Double-Blind,Study, Double-Masked
D006801 Humans Members of the species Homo sapiens. Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D006854 Hydrocortisone The main glucocorticoid secreted by the ADRENAL CORTEX. Its synthetic counterpart is used, either as an injection or topically, in the treatment of inflammation, allergy, collagen diseases, asthma, adrenocortical deficiency, shock, and some neoplastic conditions. Cortef,Cortisol,Pregn-4-ene-3,20-dione, 11,17,21-trihydroxy-, (11beta)-,11-Epicortisol,Cortifair,Cortril,Epicortisol,Hydrocortisone, (11 alpha)-Isomer,Hydrocortisone, (9 beta,10 alpha,11 alpha)-Isomer,11 Epicortisol
D000328 Adult A person having attained full growth or maturity. Adults are of 19 through 44 years of age. For a person between 19 and 24 years of age, YOUNG ADULT is available. Adults
D001143 Arousal Cortical vigilance or readiness of tone, presumed to be in response to sensory stimulation via the reticular activating system. Vigilance, Cortical,Arousals,Cortical Vigilance
D001245 Association Learning The principle that items experienced together enter into a connection, so that one tends to reinstate the other. Association Learnings,Learning, Association,Learnings, Association

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