This study examines the relationships between alexithymic characteristics a
nd their psychological factors (i.e., maternal closeness) and the sympathet
ic system in a sample of male college students. At the resting period, low
frequency (LF)I high frequency (HF) ratio, as an index of sympathetic activ
ity, was significantly higher for students with high scores on global alexi
thymia or its alexithymia factor (difficulty describing feelings) than thos
e with low scores, suggesting that alexithymic students tend to indicate hi
gh sympathetic activity during the resting period. During stress, the incre
ase of LF/HF ratio was higher for students with low scores on alexithymia t
han those with high scores. Although no significant differences were noted,
one may speculate that the differences in stress-related activation of LF/
HF are due to higher levels of LH/HF in high alexithymics prior to stress.
Our findings indicate that significant association between alexithymia and
sympathetic activity during the resting period was controlled for the level
of mother's care, suggesting that maternal attachment in infancy and/or ch
ildhood may play an important role in the development of alexithymic charac
teristics and/or sympathetic activity during the resting period. (C) 1999 E
lsevier Science Inc.