AJP - Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, Vol 261, Issue 1 172-R181, Copyright © 1991 by American Physiological Society
Integrating behavior and cardiovascular responses: the code
C. A. Astley, O. A. Smith, R. D. Ray, E. V. Golanov, M. A. Chesney, V. G. Chalyan, D. J. Taylor and D. M. Bowden
Regional Primate Research Center, University of Washington, Seattle 98195.
The next revolution in biology is predicted to be in the integrative
domain, and the need to involve physiologists in this kind of research has
been recognized. This paper represents an approach to providing some of the
tools required for dealing with integrative physiology at the behavioral
level. Video tape recordings are made of the activities of a group of five
baboons (Papio hamadryas) while simultaneous recordings of arterial blood
pressure, heart rate, renal blood flow, and mesenteric or iliac blood flow
are telemetered from two of the members of the group. The telemetered
cardiovascular information is recorded on the two audio channels of the
videotape. Subsequently the videotape is viewed, and a two-dimensional code
is used to record the behavior of the two animals with the telemetry
equipment. The first dimension of the code categorizes the behavior changes
precisely regarding those aspects of behavior that are related to
cardiovascular dynamics and does so with an accuracy of 16 ms. The second
dimension codes relevant environmental changes. The paper describes the
code and presents illustrations of how the code reflects the cardiovascular
dynamics associated with the behavioral changes.
