Intelligent Signal Analysis Using Case-Based Reasoning for Decision Support in Stress Management - Computational Intelligence in Healthcare: Advanced Methodologies - page 155

resulting physiological responses, measured in the living organism, to promote under-
standing of the relation between mental and bodily processes”. There is an interaction
between body and mind so for instance, a physical disease can be treated psychologi-
cally or vice-versa. If a person is informed about this mind-body connection, he/she
can utilize this knowledge and control psychophysiologic activity which could im-
prove health [20]. Some physiological parameters that are commonly used include;
skin conductance, skin temperature, respiration e.g. end-tidal carbon dioxide
(ETCO2), electromyography (EMG), electrocardiography (ECG), heart rate e.g. cal-
culating respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), heart rate variability (HRV), electroe-
ncephalography (EEG), brain imaging techniques, oculomotor and pupilometric
measures etc. Stress medicine is a branch of Psychophysiology where the treatment of
stress-related dysfunctions is studied. In stress medicine psychophysiologists investi-
gate scientific ways to prevent stress-related dysfunctions. Skin temperature is one of
the physiological parameters that can be used to measure stress. Also other parameters
such as cardiovascular parameters i.e. heart rate, HRV can be used to quantify stress.
Biofeedback. Biofeedback training is an effective method for controlling stress.
It is an area of growing interest in medicine and psychology and it has proven to be
very efficient for a number of physical, psychological and psychophysical problems
[21], [22].
Fig. 3. Biofeedback training using finger temperature measurement
The basic purpose of biofeedback is that the patient can alter their physiological or
psychological state while observing measurement changes, e.g. the changes in
skin temperature on a graph. From prior education they are able to see how a positive
or negative psycho-physiological change is represented on the graph and can
behaviorally train the body and/or mind to change the biological response to improve
the condition.
This finger temperature measurement was taken using a temperature sensor during
different stress and relaxed conditions. It is possible to monitor temperature as an
electronic signal on the computer screen as shown in Fig. 3. Thus the pattern of the
finger temperature measurement observed from this signal can support biofeedback
training for the management of stress-related dysfunctions. However, different