Modulation of respiratory sinus arrhythmia by respiration rate and volume: Stability across posture and volume variations

Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) may be associated with improved efficiency of pulmonary gas exchange by matching ventilation to perfusion within each respiratory cycle. Respiration rate, tidal volume, minute ventilation (V˙e), exhaled carbon dioxide (V˙co 2), oxygen consumption (V˙o 2), and heart rate were measured in 10 healthy human volunteers during paced breathing to test the hypothesis that RSA contributes to pulmonary gas exchange efficiency. Cross-spectral analysis of heart rate and respiration was computed to calculate RSA and the coherence and phase between these variables. Pulmonary gas exchange efficiency was measured as the average ventilatory equivalent of CO2(V˙e/V˙co 2) and O2(V˙e/V˙o 2). Across subjects and paced breathing periods, RSA was significantly associated with CO2 (partial r = −0.53, P = 0.002) and O2 (partial r = −0.49, P = 0.005) exchange efficiency after controlling for the effects of age, respiration rate, tidal volume, and average heart rate. Phase between heart rate and respiration was significantly associated with CO2 exchange efficiency (partial r = 0.40, P = 0.03). These results are consistent with previous studies and further support the theory that RSA may improve the efficiency of pulmonary gas exchange.

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Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia During Sleep and Waking

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803/a000200 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 33 (1) ◽

pp. 1-12 ◽

Cited By ~ 2

Author(s):

Elizabeth M. Stoakley ◽

Karen J. Mathewson ◽

Louis A. Schmidt ◽

Kimberly A. Cote

Keyword(s):

Individual Differences ◽

Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia ◽

Slow Wave Sleep ◽

Self Regulation ◽

Nrem Sleep ◽

Sinus Arrhythmia ◽

Affective Style ◽

Waking State ◽

Optimal Period ◽

The Stability

Abstract. Resting respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) is related to individual differences in waking affective style and self-regulation. However, little is known about the stability of RSA between sleep/wake stages or the relations between RSA during sleep and waking affective style. We examined resting RSA in 25 healthy undergraduates during the waking state and one night of sleep. Stability of cardiac variables across sleep/wake states was highly reliable within participants. As predicted, greater approach behavior and lower impulsivity were associated with higher RSA; these relations were evident in early night Non-REM (NREM) sleep, particularly in slow wave sleep (SWS). The current research extends previous findings by establishing stability of RSA within individuals between wake and sleep states, and by identifying SWS as an optimal period of measurement for relations between waking affective style and RSA.

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Measures of RSA Suppression, Attentional Control, and Negative Affect Predict Self-Ratings of Executive Functions

Journal of Psychophysiology ◽

10.1027/0269-8803/a000053 ◽

2011 ◽

Vol 25 (4) ◽

pp. 164-173 ◽

Cited By ~ 7

Author(s):

Brian Healy ◽

Aaron Treadwell ◽

Mandy Reagan

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Regression Analysis ◽

Individual Differences ◽

Negative Affect ◽

Respiratory Sinus Arrhythmia ◽

Attentional Control ◽

Executive Processes ◽

Sinus Arrhythmia ◽

Low Levels

The current study was an attempt to determine the degree to which the suppression of respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and attentional control were influential in the ability to engage various executive processes under high and low levels of negative affect. Ninety-four college students completed the Stroop Test while heart rate was being recorded. Estimates of the suppression of RSA were calculated from each participant in response to this test. The participants then completed self-ratings of attentional control, negative affect, and executive functioning. Regression analysis indicated that individual differences in estimates of the suppression of RSA, and ratings of attentional control were associated with the ability to employ executive processes but only when self-ratings of negative affect were low. An increase in negative affect compromised the ability to employ these strategies in the majority of participants. The data also suggest that high attentional control in conjunction with attenuated estimates of RSA suppression may increase the ability to use executive processes as negative affect increases.

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