WISCONSIN LONGITUDINAL STUDY

LIFE HISTORIES AND HEALTH IN MIDLIFE STUDY (1996-1998)

PROTOCOL FOLLOWED FOR THE NEUROPHYSIOLOGICAL STUDY OF EMOTIONS

DAY 1:

NOON: Subject arrives at GCRC (General Clinical Research Center) and is met by someone from Carol Ryff's lab.

Subject checks into GCRC, gets vitals taken etc. Then has lunch in the hospital cafeteria.

12:30 Lab assistant or experimenter goes to car fleet to pick up vehicle.

1:15-2:15 Whom ever greeted the subject calls the main lab, to let us know

they're done with lunch. Lab assistant or experimenter drives fleet vehicle to the University of Wisconsin hospital main entrance (NOTE: NOT the clinics entrance) to meet subject & bring them back to the lab. Park in lot 22, 56, or 13 & use a parking sticker.

1.)Once at lab, the recording equipment and laboratory procedures are thoroughly explained. Before any recording equipment is placed, a quick hearing screen is performed. Impedance cardiography sensors are placed first.

2.)Once the impedance cardiography sensors are placed, the signal is tested and then a "postural challenge" is performed. i.e. Impedance cardiography and blood pressure (BP) are recorded for up to 3 min. after the subject has been sitting for at least 1 minute. Subjects are then asked to stand for 1 minute with their left arm (arm with the BP cuff) held out straight at about chest height. They can rest their arm on a shelf or computer monitor. Impedance cardiography & blood pressure are recorded for up to 3 minutes.

3.)The EEG recording equipment is placed (30-45 min). Subject may have reading material during this time.

4.) Standard 8, 1-minute EEG Baselines are collected. (4 with impedance cardiography including blood pressure, 4 without)

5.) 3 minute Baseline Startle Probe period. no other stimuli are presented: (Impedance cardiography & BP, EEG, STL (Startle)

6.) The "Writing Task"

a. We elicit the most positive or negative emotional experience.

b. Pre-Writing period: impedance cardiography, BP, EEG collected. (1 min.)

c. Writing period: impedance cardiography only (5 min.)

d. Post-Writing Startle probe presentation: impedance cardiography, BP, EEG, STL (3 min)

e. Self report on the computer: Modified PANAS (Positive And Negative Affect Scale - Stait version)

f. Do it again, but for the other condition (if 1st was positive then this should be negative.)

g. Collect 1^st lab saliva sample AFTER the 2^nd emotional experience.

7.) Remove EEG cap.

8.) Picture presentation from the International Affective Picture Set.

Present pictures & startle probes: STL, impedance cardiography ( approx. 25 min total)

9.) Cardiac stressor

Mental arithmetic: impedance cardiography & BP, (6 min)

10.) Remove remaining recording equipment.

11.) 2nd cortisol. sample "post lab session" All saliva samples will be stored in the freezer in rm 6?? (currently used by Chuck Snowdon's lab -if problems contact Kate Washabaugh).

12.) Demonstrate how to use the night-cap. Give them the questionnaires to fill out after dinner & briefly explain how we want them filled out. Also give the subjects the 3 labeled saliva tubes & instructions. Don't forget to ask what their room # is. Mention the restaurant list. Give subject the $30 & have them sign the receipt.

13.) Experimenter or lab assistant drives the subject back to the UW hospital & escorts them up to the GCRC.

14.) 3rd cortisol sample before dinner. Questionnaires filled out after dinner. Urine samples begin after 8:00 pm. 4th cortisol. sample right before bed. Subject puts on nightcap & goes to sleep.

DAY 2

1.) Upon awakening subject provides 5th cortisol. sample & turns off nightcap.

~9:00 am experimenter or lab assistant arrives to:

1.) administer the dichotic listening task,

2.) pick up questionnaires & check to see if completed

3.) pick up saliva samples

4.) ask subject if they had any problems/questions with the nightcap.

9:30 am Physician arrives at subject's room for physical exam.

NOTE: on some days the physical exam will happen earlier (e.g. 8:00 am), then we will arrive after the exam to administer the dichotic listening task. Exam takes approximately 1 hour.