Thomas Ritz
Biographic Data
| ID | 5708680 |
|---|---|
| NAME | Thomas Ritz |
| GIVEN NAMES | Thomas |
| FAMILY NAME | Ritz |
| SIGNATURE | RITZ T |
| AFFILIATIONS | Southern Methodist University |
| ORCID | 0000-0003-0461-1039 |
| VERIFIED | Yes |
| TOTAL WORKS | 16 |
| TOTAL CITATIONS | 2 |
| AUTHOR COUNT | 16 |
| EDITOR COUNT | 0 |
| FIRST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2000 |
| LATEST PUBLICATION YEAR | 2024 |
| H-INDEX | 1 |
Biobehavioral approach to distinguishing panic symptoms from medical illness
Panic disorder is a common psychiatric diagnosis characterized by acute, distressing somatic symptoms that mimic medically-relevant symptoms. As a result, individuals with panic disorder overutilize personal and healthcare resources in an attempt to diagnose and treat physical symptoms that are often medically benign. A biobehavioral perspective on these symptoms is needed that integrates psychological and medical knowledge to avoid costly treatm…
Biofeedback Training to Increase Pco 2 in Asthma With Elevated Anxiety
OBJECTIVE: Anxiety is highly prevalent in individuals with asthma. Asthma symptoms and medication can exacerbate anxiety, and vice versa. Unfortunately, treatments of comorbid anxiety and asthma are largely lacking. A problematic feature common to both conditions is hyperventilation. It adversely affects lung function and symptoms in asthma and anxiety. We examined whether a treatment to reduce hyperventilation, shown to improve asthma symptoms, …
Fear and Coping in Students during the Early Stages of the Covid-19 Pandemic
The overwhelming impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been experienced by individuals across the world. Additional circumstances unique to students affected their studies during the early stages of the pandemic, with changes in living and studying mid-semester. The current study aimed to investigate predictors of fear of COVID-19 in college students during this acute phase using cross-sectional and longitudinal samples. In total, 175 undergradua…
Hyperventilation as a Predictor of Blood Donation–Related Vasovagal Symptoms
OBJECTIVE: Most of the research on vasovagal reactions has focused on the contributions of cardiovascular activity to the development of symptoms. However, other research suggests that additional mechanisms like hyperventilation may contribute to the process. The goal of the present investigation was to examine the influences of cardiovascular and respiratory variables on vasovagal symptoms. METHODS: This study was part of a randomized controlled…
Childhood abuse is associated with increased hair cortisol levels among urban pregnant women
BACKGROUND: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity is known to be altered following events such as childhood abuse. However, despite potential adverse consequences for the offspring of women who have experienced abuse, very little is known about altered HPA axis activity during pregnancy. METHODS: During pregnancy, 180 women from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds reported on their exposure to emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse be…
Increases in Exhaled Nitric Oxide After Acute Stress
BACKGROUND: Increases in fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) have been observed after acute laboratory stress, which could indicate a strengthening of immune defenses in acute stress because of the quick onset of the response and the role of nitric oxide in airway-protective functions. In addition, because sustained psychological distress and depression are known to deteriorate immune defenses systems, they may dampen the FeNO response to acut…
Respiratory Muscle Tension as Symptom Generator in Individuals With High Anxiety Sensitivity
OBJECTIVE: Anxiety and panic are associated with the experience of a range of bodily symptoms, in particular unpleasant breathing sensations (dyspnea). Respiratory theories of panic disorder have focused on disturbances in blood gas regulation, but respiratory muscle tension as a source of dyspnea has not been considered. We therefore examined the potential of intercostal muscle tension to elicit dyspnea in individuals with high anxiety sensitivi…
Stress-Induced Respiratory Pattern Changes in Asthma
Objectives: To build upon prior research on stress-related breathing pattern changes in asthma. Previous research has considered a limited set of respiratory parameters and has remained equivocal. Emotions and stress are known to change the respiratory pattern. In asthma, certain breathing patterns have adverse effects on the airways and lead to symptom exacerbation. Methods: We studied respiration during resting conditions and an acute psychosoc…
Associations of Maternal Lifetime Trauma and Perinatal Traumatic Stress Symptoms With Infant Cardiorespiratory Reactivity to Psychological Challenge
Objective: To examine associations of maternal lifetime trauma and related psychological symptoms in the perinatal period with infant cardiorespiratory reactivity and behavioral distress in response to a laboratory stressor, using a novel advanced system recently adapted for infants. Methods: Participants were mothers and their 6-month-old infants. Assessments included mothers’ self-reported lifetime exposure to trauma, perinatal traumatic stress…
Stress Effects on Lung Function in Asthma are Mediated by Changes in Airway Inflammation
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of changes in current negative mood and long-term daily hassles with changes in lung function and airway inflammation in patients suffering from asthma and in healthy controls. Associations between psychological factors and asthma symptoms have been documented, but the relationship between airway inflammation and psychological factors has been largely unexplored. METHOD: Data were analyzed from 46 asthma pati…
The Asthma Trigger Inventory
BACKGROUND: Asthma patients' perceptions of triggers have been explored in a largely unstructured fashion in the past. We therefore developed and validated a questionnaire of commonly perceived asthma triggers. METHODS: Two hundred forty-seven primary care patients with asthma filled in an asthma trigger survey together with questionnaires on demographics, asthma-relevant information, perceived control of asthma, and general health status. Factor…
Implementation and Interpretation of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Measures in Psychosomatic Medicine
Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) or high-frequency heart rate variability has been widely used as a noninvasive measure of cardiac vagal tone. However, their dependency on both respiration rate and tidal volume is largely ignored. Only a minority of studies published in Psychosomatic Medicine in recent years has implemented precautions for controlling respiration rate in RSA measures, and tidal volume effects were only rarely addressed. We disc…
End-Tidal pCO2 in Blood Phobics During Viewing of Emotion- and Disease-Related Films
OBJECTIVE: Many patients with blood, injection, and injury (BII) phobia respond to specific stimuli with vasovagal dysregulation and fainting. However, little is known about the role of hyperventilation in the distress of these patients. Hyperventilation, defined by subnormal arterial pCO2 levels, induces anxiety and may promote the development of fainting. We studied end-tidal pCO2 in 12 patients with BII phobia and 14 nonanxious controls during…
Experimentally induced emotions, facial muscle activity, and respiratory resistance in asthmatic and non‐asthmatic individuals
We studied the effects of emotion induction on total respiratory resistance, and their relationship with cardiac vagal activity and facial muscle activity in asthma. Groups of 20 asthmatic and 20 non‐asthmatic participants were exposed to series of happy and depressing pictures or self‐referent Velten statements. Facial electromyographic activity over corrugator supercilii , orbicularis oculi , and zygomaticus major regions was recorded during pe…
Emotion and Pulmonary Function in Asthma
OBJECTIVE: We investigated the modulation of pulmonary function by mood states in the daily life of asthmatic patients and nonasthmatic control subjects and its relationship to the airway effects of laboratory induction of emotion using films. METHODS: Twenty asthmatic patients and 20 nonasthmatic control subjects participated in a laboratory session in which various emotions (ie, anxiety, anger, depression, happiness, elation, contentment, and n…
Emotions and Stress Increase Respiratory Resistance in Asthma
OBJECTIVES: Clinical reports suggest that various emotions and types of stress can precipitate asthmatic symptoms, but there is little experimental evidence to substantiate this claim. We studied the impact of different emotional states and stress on respiratory resistance in asthmatic and nonasthmatic individuals. METHODS: Participants (24 asthmatic and 24 nonasthmatic patients) viewed short film sequences selected to induce anxiety, anger, depr…
Experimentally induced emotions, facial muscle activity, and respiratory resistance in asthmatic and non‐asthmatic individuals
We studied the effects of emotion induction on total respiratory resistance, and their relationship with cardiac vagal activity and facial muscle activity in asthma. Groups of 20 asthmatic and 20 non‐asthmatic participants were exposed to series of happy and depressing pictures or self‐referent Velten statements. Facial electromyographic activity over corrugator supercilii , orbicularis oculi , and zygomaticus major regions was recorded during pe…
Emotion and Pulmonary Function in Asthma
OBJECTIVE: We investigated the modulation of pulmonary function by mood states in the daily life of asthmatic patients and nonasthmatic control subjects and its relationship to the airway effects of laboratory induction of emotion using films. METHODS: Twenty asthmatic patients and 20 nonasthmatic control subjects participated in a laboratory session in which various emotions (ie, anxiety, anger, depression, happiness, elation, contentment, and n…
Emotions and Stress Increase Respiratory Resistance in Asthma
OBJECTIVES: Clinical reports suggest that various emotions and types of stress can precipitate asthmatic symptoms, but there is little experimental evidence to substantiate this claim. We studied the impact of different emotional states and stress on respiratory resistance in asthmatic and nonasthmatic individuals. METHODS: Participants (24 asthmatic and 24 nonasthmatic patients) viewed short film sequences selected to induce anxiety, anger, depr…
Experimentally induced emotions, facial muscle activity, and respiratory resistance in asthmatic and non‐asthmatic individuals
We studied the effects of emotion induction on total respiratory resistance, and their relationship with cardiac vagal activity and facial muscle activity in asthma. Groups of 20 asthmatic and 20 non‐asthmatic participants were exposed to series of happy and depressing pictures or self‐referent Velten statements. Facial electromyographic activity over corrugator supercilii , orbicularis oculi , and zygomaticus major regions was recorded during pe…
End-Tidal pCO2 in Blood Phobics During Viewing of Emotion- and Disease-Related Films
OBJECTIVE: Many patients with blood, injection, and injury (BII) phobia respond to specific stimuli with vasovagal dysregulation and fainting. However, little is known about the role of hyperventilation in the distress of these patients. Hyperventilation, defined by subnormal arterial pCO2 levels, induces anxiety and may promote the development of fainting. We studied end-tidal pCO2 in 12 patients with BII phobia and 14 nonanxious controls during…
The Asthma Trigger Inventory
BACKGROUND: Asthma patients' perceptions of triggers have been explored in a largely unstructured fashion in the past. We therefore developed and validated a questionnaire of commonly perceived asthma triggers. METHODS: Two hundred forty-seven primary care patients with asthma filled in an asthma trigger survey together with questionnaires on demographics, asthma-relevant information, perceived control of asthma, and general health status. Factor…
Implementation and Interpretation of Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia Measures in Psychosomatic Medicine
Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) or high-frequency heart rate variability has been widely used as a noninvasive measure of cardiac vagal tone. However, their dependency on both respiration rate and tidal volume is largely ignored. Only a minority of studies published in Psychosomatic Medicine in recent years has implemented precautions for controlling respiration rate in RSA measures, and tidal volume effects were only rarely addressed. We disc…
Stress Effects on Lung Function in Asthma are Mediated by Changes in Airway Inflammation
OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of changes in current negative mood and long-term daily hassles with changes in lung function and airway inflammation in patients suffering from asthma and in healthy controls. Associations between psychological factors and asthma symptoms have been documented, but the relationship between airway inflammation and psychological factors has been largely unexplored. METHOD: Data were analyzed from 46 asthma pati…
Associations of Maternal Lifetime Trauma and Perinatal Traumatic Stress Symptoms With Infant Cardiorespiratory Reactivity to Psychological Challenge
Objective: To examine associations of maternal lifetime trauma and related psychological symptoms in the perinatal period with infant cardiorespiratory reactivity and behavioral distress in response to a laboratory stressor, using a novel advanced system recently adapted for infants. Methods: Participants were mothers and their 6-month-old infants. Assessments included mothers’ self-reported lifetime exposure to trauma, perinatal traumatic stress…
Stress-Induced Respiratory Pattern Changes in Asthma
Objectives: To build upon prior research on stress-related breathing pattern changes in asthma. Previous research has considered a limited set of respiratory parameters and has remained equivocal. Emotions and stress are known to change the respiratory pattern. In asthma, certain breathing patterns have adverse effects on the airways and lead to symptom exacerbation. Methods: We studied respiration during resting conditions and an acute psychosoc…
Respiratory Muscle Tension as Symptom Generator in Individuals With High Anxiety Sensitivity
OBJECTIVE: Anxiety and panic are associated with the experience of a range of bodily symptoms, in particular unpleasant breathing sensations (dyspnea). Respiratory theories of panic disorder have focused on disturbances in blood gas regulation, but respiratory muscle tension as a source of dyspnea has not been considered. We therefore examined the potential of intercostal muscle tension to elicit dyspnea in individuals with high anxiety sensitivi…
Increases in Exhaled Nitric Oxide After Acute Stress
BACKGROUND: Increases in fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO) have been observed after acute laboratory stress, which could indicate a strengthening of immune defenses in acute stress because of the quick onset of the response and the role of nitric oxide in airway-protective functions. In addition, because sustained psychological distress and depression are known to deteriorate immune defenses systems, they may dampen the FeNO response to acut…
Childhood abuse is associated with increased hair cortisol levels among urban pregnant women
BACKGROUND: Hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis activity is known to be altered following events such as childhood abuse. However, despite potential adverse consequences for the offspring of women who have experienced abuse, very little is known about altered HPA axis activity during pregnancy. METHODS: During pregnancy, 180 women from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds reported on their exposure to emotional, physical and/or sexual abuse be…
Hyperventilation as a Predictor of Blood Donation–Related Vasovagal Symptoms
OBJECTIVE: Most of the research on vasovagal reactions has focused on the contributions of cardiovascular activity to the development of symptoms. However, other research suggests that additional mechanisms like hyperventilation may contribute to the process. The goal of the present investigation was to examine the influences of cardiovascular and respiratory variables on vasovagal symptoms. METHODS: This study was part of a randomized controlled…
Fear and Coping in Students during the Early Stages of the Covid-19 Pandemic
The overwhelming impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been experienced by individuals across the world. Additional circumstances unique to students affected their studies during the early stages of the pandemic, with changes in living and studying mid-semester. The current study aimed to investigate predictors of fear of COVID-19 in college students during this acute phase using cross-sectional and longitudinal samples. In total, 175 undergradua…
Biofeedback Training to Increase Pco 2 in Asthma With Elevated Anxiety
OBJECTIVE: Anxiety is highly prevalent in individuals with asthma. Asthma symptoms and medication can exacerbate anxiety, and vice versa. Unfortunately, treatments of comorbid anxiety and asthma are largely lacking. A problematic feature common to both conditions is hyperventilation. It adversely affects lung function and symptoms in asthma and anxiety. We examined whether a treatment to reduce hyperventilation, shown to improve asthma symptoms, …
Biobehavioral approach to distinguishing panic symptoms from medical illness
Panic disorder is a common psychiatric diagnosis characterized by acute, distressing somatic symptoms that mimic medically-relevant symptoms. As a result, individuals with panic disorder overutilize personal and healthcare resources in an attempt to diagnose and treat physical symptoms that are often medically benign. A biobehavioral perspective on these symptoms is needed that integrates psychological and medical knowledge to avoid costly treatm…
Medicine (15 works) · Internal Medicine (11 works) · Internal Medicine (11 works) · Psychology (11 works) · Psychiatry (10 works) · Anxiety (8 works) · Asthma (8 works) · Clinical Psychology (8 works) · Asthma and respiratory diseases (7 works) · Anesthesia (6 works)