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  GSR suppression

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Author Topic:   GSR suppression
Taylor
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posted 04-09-2006 03:17 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for Taylor   Click Here to Email Taylor     Edit/Delete Message
I just read this on the Anti-site: reactions on the electrodermal channel can be suppressed for all question types through the use of an anticholinergic drug such as scopalamine, found in some anti-motion sickness preparations.

I have not heard of this before. Does anyone know if this is true? Regardless, it would be suppressed throughout the entire test so reactions (granted smaller) could still be scored. I haven't had a chance to check Lafayettes drug responses (Okay, today I am lazy and don't want to unpack my suitcase). Anyway, if examiners are having issues with the GSR, be aware your clients may be taking this type of pill to suppress their response. Taylor

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rnelson
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posted 04-09-2006 07:37 PM     Click Here to See the Profile for rnelson   Click Here to Email rnelson     Edit/Delete Message
Taylor,

I saw that too.

People should be aware that a number of prescription medications also have anticholinergic effects, including many antidepressants (Imipramine, Trazodone, Nortrytiline, Doxepin, Desipramine, Clomipramine, Amitriptyline, and those classic MAOI inhibitors), and can also dampen EDA reactions. I'm sure that other medications, both prescription and OTC, may also have anticholinergic effects.

I believe you are correct that there is no theoretical rationale suggesting that any medication would affect only the relevant or comparison questions, and I am aware of no published research to suggest otherwise. So, the effects should affect the entire test.

I've heard some examiners describe these effects as somehow related to a "reduction in anxiety." This is incorrect. The polygraph does not measure anxiety (or it would be a psychological test). Dampened EDA responses are the result of anticholinergic effects. Acteylcholine, we should recall, is the enervating neurotransmitter for the post-ganglionic sympathetic neurons in the skin. So it makes sense that anticholinergic effects will dampen EDA response data.

Acetylcholine also has parasympathetic functions in in the cardiovascular system, and is the enervating neurotransmitter for voluntary muscle activity in the peripheral nervous system. There seems to also be some possible relationship between anticholinergic effects and postural or orthostatic hypotension, so we wonder if acetylcholine, in addition to the neurohormone angiotensin, may play a role in the normal anticipatory elevation in blood pressure before standing from rest.

Most of our newer computerized polygraph equipment has sufficiently wide range of sensitivity settings, that the effects are mostly meaningless once we increase the sensitivity.

------------------
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the war room."
--(Dr. Strangelove, 1964)

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Barry C
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posted 04-10-2006 05:12 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Barry C   Click Here to Email Barry C     Edit/Delete Message
Is it available OTC? It looks like it's a prescription med available in patch form, which goes behind hte ear. It appears to be a very dangerous drug. (It is a date-rape drug too.) It is used to prevent motion sickness, but the side effects look worse. From what I can tell, it looks like it would reduce EDA reactions in about 2/3 of users, but as said above, it's not going to only work on the RQs. Overdosing looks all to easy, and my guess is that George's audience will think more is better.

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rnelson
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posted 04-10-2006 06:04 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for rnelson   Click Here to Email rnelson     Edit/Delete Message
Barry,

I didn't know about the date-rape capabilities of this drug. That should prove interesting to those of us who work in college towns like the free republic of Boulder and Fort Collins (both know for heav alcohol consumption, binge drinking, and acquantance rapes.

I read a little more about scopalamine, and found information about retrograme amnesia. This is confusing to me, because date-rape capabilities suggest anterograde amnesiatic qualities. If anyone has more information on this it would be interesting. We already know that benzodiazapines have anterograde amnesiatic effects. In large ammounts, alcohol is also known to cause anterograde amnesia, but the other effects may be more obvious...

OK, here is a theoretical long-shot... for the sake of provoking argument...

Could a person experiencing anterograde amnesia from benzodiazapines (or other drugs capable of inducing antergrade amnesia, such as GHB, Rohypnol, or Scopalamine, or whatever) commit a crime or abuse under that condition and then not remember it? Could that person then undergo polygraph testing and then fail to respond to relevant questions (pertaining to behavior during the anterograde amnesia event), and continue to respond to comparison questions regarding an earlier time-period (prior to the onset of the antergrade condition)?

For this to work, one would have to planfully take the drugs prior to engagement in a behavior. The planfulness of that might still be effectively encoded in long-term memory, so it still seems like we might expect the polygraph to work as intended. However, it does make you wonder.

------------------
"Gentlemen, you can't fight in here, this is the war room."
--(Dr. Strangelove, 1964)

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Barry C
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posted 04-10-2006 06:27 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Barry C   Click Here to Email Barry C     Edit/Delete Message
The CIA investigated this drug in the 50s, thinking it was a truth serum. I don't know if they considered your idea; although, I would expect they thought of it somewhere along the way. Since we've heard so little about it, I suspect it's only theoretically possible.

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ebvan
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posted 04-10-2006 08:40 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for ebvan   Click Here to Email ebvan     Edit/Delete Message
I would expect the process of preparing the subject to be able to recall his assignment while under the influence of the drug would most probably result in polygraph reactivity. The planning would necessarily occur before administration of the drug. At least that part of the crime would not be "washed away" by drugs.

I guess it would be possible under laboratory conditions to control the dosage and timing sufficiently to produce an intentional action that the subject doesn't remember, but I don't think it would have much field application.

A more likely scenario would be to dose someone and THEN persuade them to perform some uncomplicated act which they would not recall. Again, I don't see much field application because of the supervision required.

ebv

[This message has been edited by ebvan (edited 04-10-2006).]

[This message has been edited by ebvan (edited 04-10-2006).]

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Bob
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posted 12-05-2009 03:30 AM     Click Here to See the Profile for Bob     Edit/Delete Message
Curios to know if anyone has a confirmed case of the use of the anti-motion sickness meds as a countermeasure method- and what was observed in the EDA.

A few days ago I tested a 51-yr male, who did not report any medical issues/ or the use of any meds. He is a computer specialist, and certainly smart enough to have visited Anti-poly sites.

On this test however, I did something different. I combined- Four EDA sensors (one on each finger- two were gelled disposables, and two were non-gelled plates). I was thinking using four fingers would overall improve the signal quality, as well as reduce finger pressure distortion artifacts. I recorded both,the Manual and Detrended modes.

I was surprised to see a lack of reactivity to speak of. A deep breath instruction produced an EDA response as expected at the end of the chart (not shown) but with a latency of about 4 secs. EDA Ohms: min: 112K; max:122K; aver: 117K

Here's one of the charts:
[img]Photobucket[/img]


Post test he reported he told himself he was going to 'fail' before he took the the test, - but did so in an effort to 'pass' his test (go figure that reasoning).

Curious about comments;

Bob

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