| dc.description.abstract | Ultradian rhythms have been extensively studied in the functioning of the
physiological and psychological systems. The purpose of this research was to explore
the nasal cycle which has been coupled to both the autonomic and central nervous
systems. The nasal cycle consists of alternating lateral vasoconstriction and vasodilation
of nasal mucosa. Specifically, predominant airflow through one nostril has been linked to
the activity of the contralateral hemisphere. From a review of the literature of
hemispheric specialization, the right hemisphere has been shown to be associated with
spatial abilities, whereas the left hemisphere has been shown to be the predominant site
for veribal and arithmetic functioning. Hemispheric specialization in terms of cognitive
style has been demonstrated to be associated with the nasal cycle. Additionally, both
sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system fluctuate
as a function of nasal airflow rhythms.
This study investigated the effects of forced unilateral nostril breathing on specific
cognitive styles and sympathetic vs. parasympathetic nervous systems. Subjects, who
were recruited from introductory psychology classes and tested in groups, were asked to
breathe through the left or the right nostril, or to breathe freely during a relaxation
procedure. Cognitive tests assessing arithmetic and spatial performance and tests
assessing autonomic tonus were administered both before and after the experimental
procedures. It was predicted that predominant airflow through one nostril will be
associated with the activity of the contralateral hemisphere as assessed by the cognitive
tests. Additionally, left nostril dominance was predicted to be associated with
parasympathetic activity, whereas right nostril dominance was predicted to be associated with sympathetic activity.
This study did not reveal results that support the hypotheses. The nasal passage
was open at the end of the study in the predicted direction in only about half the
subjects. Since the experimental manipulation did not open the nasal passage as
expected, no conclusive statements about the interactions between the nasal cycle and
the central and autonomic nervous systems can be drawn from this study. | |
