Z Wiener

Publications (4)8.7 Total impact

• Article: Image control and symptom expression in posttraumatic stress disorder.

  N Laor, L Wolmer, Z Wiener, R Weizman, P Toren, S Ron
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  ABSTRACT: Despite the devastating impact of affective dysregulation in posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), there has been little research on how trauma relates to affect regulation. This study examines the relationship between the cognitive capacity to control mental images and symptoms of individuals with (N = 23) and without (N = 23) PTSD after exposure to SCUD missile attacks during the Gulf War. The capacity to control mental images, symptoms of posttrauma, anxiety, and anger were assessed. PTSD subjects with a high image control reported a higher capacity to control anger, lower levels of anger state and expression, and lower levels of intrusive symptoms compared with PTSD subjects with low image control. In individuals without PTSD, results show that the better the image control, the lower the control of anger and the higher the expression of anger. Image control seems to play different functions in the emotional regulation of normal subjects (facilitatory) and PTSD patients (protective).
  Journal of Nervous & Mental Disease 12/1999; 187(11):673-9. · 1.68 Impact Factor
• Article: Image vividness as a psychophysiological regulator in Posttraumatic Stress Disorder.

  N Laor, L Wolmer, Z Wiener, O Sharon, R Weizman, P Toren, S Ron
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  ABSTRACT: This study examined the relationship between image vividness and psychophysiological responses to trauma-related stimuli in participants with Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). An auditory stimulus related to a shared trauma was presented to participants with and without PTSD and physiological parameters (heart rate and blood pressure) were measured concurrently. A negative correlation was noted in the PTSD group between image vividness and the level of physiological response. When the PTSD group was divided into high and low vividness, the physiological response was higher than that of the non-PTSD controls only when image vividness was low. The results are discussed in the context of Lang' s theoretical model, emphasizing the role of image vividness in the mediation and regulation of psychophysiology.
  Journal of Clinical and Experimental Neuropsychology 03/1999; 21(1):39-48. · 2.13 Impact Factor
• Article: The function of image control in the psychophysiology of posttraumatic stress disorder.

  N Laor, L Wolmer, Z Wiener, A Reiss, U Muller, R Weizman, S Ron
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  ABSTRACT: The physiological response to trauma-related stimuli of up to one third of participants with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) cannot be discriminated from that of controls. Psychophysiological measures (heart rate and blood pressure) of 22 PTSD and 23 control civilian participants, all exposed to missile attacks during the Gulf War, were recorded while listening to five scripts. The physiological response of PTSD subjects with high image control (IC) was lower than that of PTSD participants with low IC and similar to that of non-PTSD subjects. The physiological response poorly discriminated high IC PTSD participants from controls, but was successful in discriminating low IC PTSD subjects from controls with 91% specificity and 92% sensitivity. Image control is proposed as a function influencing physiological response in PTSD.
  Journal of Traumatic Stress 11/1998; 11(4):679-96. · 2.72 Impact Factor
• Article: Cytokine production in panic disorder patients.

  R Weizman, N Laor, Z Wiener, L Wolmer, H Bessler
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  ABSTRACT: Based on findings that stress and anxiety may modulate immune function, we compared the production of interleukin-2 (IL-2) and interleukin-3 (IL-3) by peripheral blood mononuclear cells between 24 patients with nonmajor depressed panic disorders, 9 with agoraphobia and 15 without, and 19 healthy volunteers. No differences in the production of these cytokines was noted between the patients with panic disorders and the volunteers or between the patients with and without agoraphobia. However, in the patients, a negative correlation was found for interleukin-3 production with severity of state anxiety, but not with trait anxiety or depression. This finding indicates that interleukin-3 levels may be sensitive to the presence of anxiety and stress.
  Clinical Neuropharmacology 22(2):107-9. · 2.17 Impact Factor