Isabel Ramirez - Academia.edu (original) (raw)
Papers by Isabel Ramirez
Marine Technology Society Journal, 2002
Applied Numerical Mathematics, 2002
Psychophysiology, 2010
The attentional and motivational significance of cardiac defense is examined in two studies. In S... more The attentional and motivational significance of cardiac defense is examined in two studies. In Study 1, cardiac defense was evoked by an intense acoustic stimulus in the context of either a visual search or a memory search task using letters as stimuli. Results showed a potentiation of the long latency acceleration of cardiac defense in the visual search task. In Study 2, participants performed the same visual search task using pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant pictures as stimuli. Results showed a further potentiation of the long latency acceleration of cardiac defense when the visual search task was performed with unpleasant, compared to pleasant or neutral pictures. These results indicate that cardiac defense has both attentional and motivational contributions, where the attentional significance is related to increased sensory processing, whereas the motivational significance is associated with preparation for active defense.
PLoS ONE, 2012
We have known for decades that social support is associated with positive health outcomes. And ye... more We have known for decades that social support is associated with positive health outcomes. And yet, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood. The link between social support and positive health outcomes is likely to depend on the neurophysiological regulatory mechanisms underlying reward and defensive reactions. The present study examines the hypothesis that emotional social support (love) provides safety cues that activate the appetitive reward system and simultaneously inhibit defense reactions. Using the startle probe paradigm, 54 undergraduate students (24 men) viewed black and white photographs of loved (romantic partner, father, mother, and best friend), neutral (unknown), and unpleasant (mutilated) faces. Eye-blink startle, zygomatic major activity, heart rate, and skin conductance responses to the faces, together with subjective ratings of valence, arousal, and dominance, were obtained. Viewing loved faces induced a marked inhibition of the eye-blink startle response accompanied by a pattern of zygomatic, heart rate, skin conductance, and subjective changes indicative of an intense positive emotional response. Effects were similar for men and women, but the startle inhibition and the zygomatic response were larger in female participants. A comparison between the faces of the romantic partner and the parent who shares the partner's gender further suggests that this effect is not attributable to familiarity or arousal. We conclude that this inhibitory capacity may contribute to the health benefits associated with social support.
Case Reports in Infectious Diseases, 2011
We describe the case of a young HIV-positive man who presented to the emergency room in hypovolem... more We describe the case of a young HIV-positive man who presented to the emergency room in hypovolemic shock. During subsequent evaluation, we documented a huge aortic aneurysm consistent with tertiary syphilis. The final autopsy demonstrated the extent of cardiovascular compromise caused by this aneurysm.
Revista de Psicología Social, 2009
Resumen Este trabajo parte de tres supuestos: a) los usos lingüísticos suponen un reflejo de las ... more Resumen Este trabajo parte de tres supuestos: a) los usos lingüísticos suponen un reflejo de las desigualdades entre los grupos, b) las formas lingüísticas empleadas tendrán efectos psicológicos sobre el hablante yc) el prejuicio hacia las categorías sociales se aprecia mejor a través ...
Marine Technology Society Journal, 2002
Applied Numerical Mathematics, 2002
Psychophysiology, 2010
The attentional and motivational significance of cardiac defense is examined in two studies. In S... more The attentional and motivational significance of cardiac defense is examined in two studies. In Study 1, cardiac defense was evoked by an intense acoustic stimulus in the context of either a visual search or a memory search task using letters as stimuli. Results showed a potentiation of the long latency acceleration of cardiac defense in the visual search task. In Study 2, participants performed the same visual search task using pleasant, neutral, and unpleasant pictures as stimuli. Results showed a further potentiation of the long latency acceleration of cardiac defense when the visual search task was performed with unpleasant, compared to pleasant or neutral pictures. These results indicate that cardiac defense has both attentional and motivational contributions, where the attentional significance is related to increased sensory processing, whereas the motivational significance is associated with preparation for active defense.
PLoS ONE, 2012
We have known for decades that social support is associated with positive health outcomes. And ye... more We have known for decades that social support is associated with positive health outcomes. And yet, the neurophysiological mechanisms underlying this association remain poorly understood. The link between social support and positive health outcomes is likely to depend on the neurophysiological regulatory mechanisms underlying reward and defensive reactions. The present study examines the hypothesis that emotional social support (love) provides safety cues that activate the appetitive reward system and simultaneously inhibit defense reactions. Using the startle probe paradigm, 54 undergraduate students (24 men) viewed black and white photographs of loved (romantic partner, father, mother, and best friend), neutral (unknown), and unpleasant (mutilated) faces. Eye-blink startle, zygomatic major activity, heart rate, and skin conductance responses to the faces, together with subjective ratings of valence, arousal, and dominance, were obtained. Viewing loved faces induced a marked inhibition of the eye-blink startle response accompanied by a pattern of zygomatic, heart rate, skin conductance, and subjective changes indicative of an intense positive emotional response. Effects were similar for men and women, but the startle inhibition and the zygomatic response were larger in female participants. A comparison between the faces of the romantic partner and the parent who shares the partner's gender further suggests that this effect is not attributable to familiarity or arousal. We conclude that this inhibitory capacity may contribute to the health benefits associated with social support.
Case Reports in Infectious Diseases, 2011
We describe the case of a young HIV-positive man who presented to the emergency room in hypovolem... more We describe the case of a young HIV-positive man who presented to the emergency room in hypovolemic shock. During subsequent evaluation, we documented a huge aortic aneurysm consistent with tertiary syphilis. The final autopsy demonstrated the extent of cardiovascular compromise caused by this aneurysm.
Revista de Psicología Social, 2009
Resumen Este trabajo parte de tres supuestos: a) los usos lingüísticos suponen un reflejo de las ... more Resumen Este trabajo parte de tres supuestos: a) los usos lingüísticos suponen un reflejo de las desigualdades entre los grupos, b) las formas lingüísticas empleadas tendrán efectos psicológicos sobre el hablante yc) el prejuicio hacia las categorías sociales se aprecia mejor a través ...