Improvement of Circadian Rhythm of Heart Rate Variability by Eurythmy Therapy Training

Background. Impairment of circadian rhythm is associated with various clinical problems. It not only has a negative impact on quality of life but can also be associated with a significantly poorer prognosis. Eurythmy therapy (EYT) is an anthroposophic movement therapy aimed at reducing fatigue symptoms and stress levels.Objective. This analysis of healthy subjects was conducted to examine whether the improvement in fatigue symptoms was accompanied by improvements in the circadian rhythm of heart rate variability (HRV).Design. Twenty-three women performed 10 hours of EYT over six weeks. Electrocardiograms (ECGs) were recorded before and after the EYT trial. HRV was quantified by parameters of the frequency and time domains and the nonlinear parameters of symbolic dynamics.Results. The day-night contrast with predominance of vagal activity at night becomes more pronounced after the EYT training, and with decreased Ultralow and very low frequencies, the HRV shows evidence of calmer sleep. During the night, the complexity of the HRV is significantly increased indicated by nonlinear parameters.Conclusion. The analysis of the circadian patterns of cardiophysiological parameters before and after EYT shows significant improvements in HRV in terms of greater day-night contrast caused by an increase of vagal activity and calmer and more complex HRV patterns during sleep.

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Reduction of depressive symptoms during inpatient treatment is not associated with changes in heart rate variability

PLoS ONE ◽

10.1371/journal.pone.0248686 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 16 (3) ◽

pp. e0248686

Author(s):

Sabrina Neyer ◽

Michael Witthöft ◽

Mark Cropley ◽

Markus Pawelzik ◽

Ricardo Gregorio Lugo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Depressive Symptoms ◽

Rating Scale ◽

Psychiatric Treatment ◽

Self Report ◽

Future Research ◽

Symptom Improvement ◽

Vagal Activity ◽

Before And After

Vagally mediated heart rate variability (HRV) is a psychophysiological indicator of mental and physical health. Limited research suggests there is reduced vagal activity and resulting lower HRV in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD); however little is actually known about the association between HRV and symptoms of depression and whether the association mirrors symptom improvement following psychotherapy. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between antidepressant therapy, symptom change and HRV in 50 inpatients (68% females; 17–68 years) with a diagnosis of MDD. Severity of depressive symptoms was assessed by self-report (Beck Depression Inventory II) and the Hamilton Rating Scale of Depression. Measures of vagally mediated HRV (root mean square of successive differences and high-frequency) were assessed at multiple measurement points before and after inpatient psychotherapeutic and psychiatric treatment. Results showed an expected negative correlation between HRV and depressive symptoms at intake. Depressive symptoms improved (d = 0.84) without corresponding change in HRV, demonstrating a de-coupling between this psychophysiological indicator and symptom severity. To our knowledge, this study is the first to examine an association between HRV and depressive symptoms before and after psychotherapy. The observed de-coupling of depression and HRV, and its methodological implications for future research are discussed.

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Variabilidade da Frequência Cardíaca em Universitários Saudáveis Após Ingesta de Bebida Energética / Heart Rate Variability in Healthy College Students After Energy Drink Intake

REVISTA CIÊNCIAS EM SAÚDE ◽

10.21876/rcsfmit.v6i4.609 ◽

2016 ◽

Vol 6 (4) ◽

pp. 28-41

Author(s):

Daniel Cesar Shirane ◽

Fernanda Pereira Maiolini ◽

Dalmo Antônio Ribeiro Moreira

Keyword(s):

College Students ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Energy Drinks ◽

Energy Drink ◽

Vagal Activity ◽

Before And After ◽

Group A ◽

Group B ◽

Red Bull

Objetivo: O objetivo é analisar a variabilidade da frequência cardíaca em universitários saudáveis, após ingestão de bebida energética. Materiais e Métodos: Estudo prospectivo, uni-cego que incluiu indivíduos de coração normal. Todos submeteram-se à monitorização eletrocardiográfica por 5 minutos, antes da ingestão de 250 ml do energético Red Bull® (grupo A – GA) ou de placebo (grupo B – GB), numa relação 3:1, num período de 10 minutos. Após 45 minutos, um outro ECG foi realizado. Os indivíduos dos GA e GB permaneceram em repouso, sentados. Foi obtida a VFC antes e após a administração das substâncias, nos domínios do tempo (DT) e da frequência (DF). Foram excluídos consumidores de energéticos, aqueles que tivessem ingerido álcool ou cafeína nas 24 h antes da investigação. Resultados: Foram incluídos 30 indivíduos no grupo A (16H, 14M, média de idade 22±3a, variando entre 17 e 36 a) e 10 no grupo B (6H, 4M, média de idade 20±5a). Não se observou variação da frequência cardíaca antes e após nos GA e GB (70±10 vs 71±8 no GA [p=0,941] e, 69±8 vs. 70±9 no GB[p=0,881]). Houve incremento significativo da atividade vagal no GA, em comparação ao GB, tanto no DT (SDNN e RMSSD), como no DF (HF). O Red Bull® interferiu pouco no sistema simpático e na relação LF/HF nos GA e GB. Conclusões: O Red Bull® na dose empregada, aumentou a VFC por incremento do tônus parassimpáticos; não causou alteração no equilíbrio autonômico (relação LF/HF); esses achados confirmam os efeitos da cafeína sobre a VFC demonstrado em outros estudos.Palavras-chave: Variabilidade da Frequência Cardíaca; Bebida Energética; ArritmiasABSTRACTObjective: The objective is to analyze the heart rate variability in college students after energy drink intake. Materials and Methods. Prospective study, uni-blind which included normal individuals. All the students underwent electrocardiographic monitoring for 5 minutes before ingestion of 250 ml of Red Bull® (group A - GA) or placebo (Group B - GB) in a 3: 1 ratio, in a 10-minute period. After 45 minutes, another ECG was performed. Individuals at GA and GB remained at rest, sitting. HRV was obtained before and after administration of the substances in the time domain (TD) and frequency domain (FD). Those students categorized as frequent consumers of energy drinks and those who have been drinking alcohol or caffeine in the 24 hours prior to investigation were excluded from the study.Results: Thirty subjects were included in group A (16M, 14F, mean age 22 ± 3a, ranging between 17 and 36 a) and 10 in group B (6 H, 4M, mean age 20 ± 5a). There was no change in heart rate before and after ingestions in GA and GB (70 ± 10 vs 71 ± 8 in GA [p = 0.941] and 69 ± 8 vs. 70 ± 9 in GB [p = 0.881]). There was a significant increase in vagal activity in GA compared to GB, both in TD (SDNN and RMSSD) as well as in the FD (HF). The Red bull® little interfered with the sympathetic system and the LF / HF ratio in GA and GB. Conclusions: The Red Bull increased HRV by increase in parasympathetic tone; caused no change in autonomic balance (LF / HF ratio); these findings confirm the effects of caffeine on HRV shown in other studies.Keywords: Heart Rate Variability; Energy Drinks; Arrhythmias

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The effects of six-week slow, controlled breathing exercises on heart rate variability in physically active, healthy individuals

Pedagogy of Physical Culture and Sports ◽

10.15561/26649837.2021.0101 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 4-9

Author(s):

Cihan Erdem Sürücü ◽

Sarp Güner ◽

Caner Cüce ◽

Dicle Aras ◽

Fırat Akça ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Parasympathetic Activity ◽

Control Group ◽

Vagal Activity ◽

Physically Active ◽

Breathing Exercises ◽

Physical Exercises ◽

Before And After ◽

Controlled Breathing

Background and Study Aim: Heart rate variability (HRV) provides information about sympathetic-parasympathetic balance. The effects of different types of physical exercises on HRV have been investigated so far. The purpose of the current study was to evaluate the chronic effects of six-week slow and controlled breathing exercise on HRV in physically active, healthy adults. Material and Methods: A total of 22 individuals (11 female, 11 male) participated in the study voluntarily. The experimental group (EG) attended to the breathing exercises for 15 minutes per day, three days a week for six weeks. Neither the EG nor the control group (CG) did join in any regular physical activity program during the study. Both groups participated in the HRV measurements before and after the six-week of process. Results: Only the EG showed statistically significant changes in some HRV parameters. The alterations observed in LF:HF ratio, HFnu, and LFnu parameters were to reflect the increase in parasympathetic activity. Although the changes in the other parameters of HRV such as SDNN, SDSD, RMSSD, TP, HF, LF, and VLF were also related to increased vagal activity, these alterations were not significant. However, no significant change was found in the CG. Conclusions: These results show that only the slow, controlled breathing exercises for six weeks could be used to improve parasympathetic activity in physically active individuals. A study could be designed where the duration is kept over 8 weeks, and the effects of physical exercises only, breathing exercises only, and physical + breathing exercises together on HRV are examined.

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Effects of Posteroanterior Thoracic Mobilization on Heart Rate Variability and Pain in Women with Fibromyalgia

Rehabilitation Research and Practice ◽

10.1155/2014/898763 ◽

2014 ◽

Vol 2014 ◽

pp. 1-6 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

Michel Silva Reis ◽

João Luiz Quagliotti Durigan ◽

Ross Arena ◽

Bruno Rafael Orsini Rossi ◽

Renata Gonçalves Mendes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Controlled Trial ◽

Premenopausal Women ◽

Pain Scale ◽

Vagal Activity ◽

Autonomic Modulation ◽

Autonomic Tone ◽

Before And After ◽

Numeric Pain Scale

Fibromyalgia (FM) has been associated with cardiac autonomic abnormalities and pain. Heart rate variability (HRV) is reduced in FM with autonomic tone dominated by sympathetic activity. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of one session of a posteroanterior glide technique on both autonomic modulation and pain in woman with FM. This was a controlled trial with immediate followup; twenty premenopausal women were allocated into 2 groups: (i) women diagnosed with FM(n=10)and (ii) healthy women(n=10). Both groups received one session of Maitland mobilization grade III posteroanterior central pressure glide, at 2 Hz for 60 s at each vertebral segment. Autonomic modulation was assessed by HRV and pain by a numeric pain scale before and after the intervention. For HRV analyses, heart rate and RR intervals were recorded for 10 minutes. FM subjects demonstrated reduced HRV compared to controls. Although the mobilization technique did not significantly reduce pain, it was able to improve HRV quantified by an increase in rMSSD and SD1 indices, reflecting an improved autonomic profile through increased vagal activity. In conclusion, women with FM presented with impaired cardiac autonomic modulation. One session of Maitland spine mobilization was able to acutely improve HRV.

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Heart rate and muscle sympathetic nerve variability during reflex changes of autonomic activity

AJP Heart and Circulatory Physiology ◽

10.1152/ajpheart.1990.258.3.h713 ◽

1990 ◽

Vol 258 (3) ◽

pp. H713-H721 ◽

Cited By ~ 37

Author(s):

J. P. Saul ◽

R. F. Rea ◽

D. L. Eckberg ◽

R. D. Berger ◽

R. J. Cohen

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Sympathetic Activity ◽

Spectral Power ◽

Low Frequency ◽

Plasma Norepinephrine ◽

Vagal Activity ◽

Sympathetic Outflow ◽

Low Frequencies ◽

Heart Rate Fluctuations

Low-frequency (less than 0.15 Hz) fluctuations of heart rate are increased by maneuvers, such as standing or hemorrhage, that increase sympathetic outflow to the heart and vasculature. To test the hypothesis that low-frequency heart rate fluctuations provide an index of sympathetic efferent activity, we compared power spectral measures of heart rate variability with two measures of sympathetic outflow, peroneal nerve sympathetic activity and antecubital vein plasma norepinephrine concentrations. Autonomic outflow was varied with graded stepwise infusions of nitroprusside and phenylephrine, which lowered or raised average diastolic pressures by approximately 15 mmHg. Before vasoactive drug infusions, no spectral measure of heart rate variability correlated significantly with muscle sympathetic activity, plasma norepinephrine concentration, average heart rate, or arterial pressure. During increases of muscle sympathetic activity and probable reductions of cardiac vagal activity induced by nitroprusside, the fraction of heart rate spectral power at low frequencies, but not the absolute value, correlated significantly with muscle sympathetic activity and plasma norepinephrine. However, during reductions of muscle sympathetic activity and probable elevations of cardiac vagal activity induced by phenylephrine, no measure of heart rate variability correlated significantly with muscle sympathetic activity. These findings can be explained by a model of heart rate control in which low-frequency heart rate fluctuations result from changing levels of both the sympathetic and parasympathetic inputs to the sinoatrial node.

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The effects of six-week slow, controlled breathing exercises on heart rate variability in physically active, healthy individuals

Pedagogy of Physical Culture and Sports ◽

10.15561/10.15561/26649837.2021.0101 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 (1) ◽

pp. 4-9

Author(s):

Cihan Erdem Sürücü ◽

Sarp Güner ◽

Caner Cüce ◽

Dicle Aras ◽

Fırat Akça ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Parasympathetic Activity ◽

Control Group ◽

Vagal Activity ◽

Physically Active ◽

Breathing Exercises ◽

Physical Exercises ◽

Before And After ◽

Controlled Breathing

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Effects of endurance exercise training on heart rate variability and susceptibility to sudden cardiac death: protection is not due to enhanced cardiac vagal regulation

Journal of Applied Physiology ◽

10.1152/japplphysiol.01328.2005 ◽

2006 ◽

Vol 100 (3) ◽

pp. 896-906 ◽

Cited By ~ 36

Author(s):

George E. Billman ◽

Monica Kukielka

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Exercise Training ◽

Control Period ◽

Exercise Program ◽

Submaximal Exercise ◽

Myocardial Infarctions ◽

Vagal Activity ◽

Similar Response ◽

Before And After

Low heart rate variability (HRV) is associated with an increased susceptibility to ventricular fibrillation (VF). Exercise training can increase HRV (an index of cardiac vagal regulation) and could, thereby, decrease the risk for VF. To test this hypothesis, a 2-min coronary occlusion was made during the last min of a 18-min submaximal exercise test in dogs with healed myocardial infarctions; 20 had VF (susceptible), and 13 did not (resistant). The dogs then received either a 10-wk exercise program (susceptible, n = 9; resistant, n = 8) or an equivalent sedentary period (susceptible, n = 11; resistant, n = 5). HRV was evaluated at rest, during exercise, and during a 2-min occlusion at rest and before and after the 10-wk period. Pretraining, the occlusion provoked significantly ( P < 0.01) greater increases in HR (susceptible, 54.9 ± 8.3 vs. resistant, 25.0 ± 6.1 beats/min) and greater reductions in HRV (susceptible, −6.3 ± 0.3 vs. resistant, −2.8 ± 0.8 ln ms2) in the susceptible dogs compared with the resistant animals. Similar response differences between susceptible and resistant dogs were noted during submaximal exercise. Training significantly reduced the HR and HRV responses to the occlusion (HR, 17.9 ± 11.5 beats/min; HRV, −1.2 ± 0.8, ln ms2) in the susceptible dogs; similar response reductions were noted during exercise. In contrast, these variables were not altered in the sedentary susceptible dogs. Posttraining, VF could no longer be induced in the susceptible dogs, whereas four sedentary susceptible dogs died during the 10-wk control period, and the remaining seven animals still had VF when tested. Atropine decreased HRV but only induced VF in one of eight trained susceptible dogs. Thus exercise training increased cardiac vagal activity, which was not solely responsible for the training-induced VF protection.

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Influence of ageing on circadian rhythm of heart rate variability in healthy subjects

Journal of Cardiovascular Medicine ◽

10.2459/jcm.0000000000001048 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol Publish Ahead of Print ◽

Author(s):

Agostino Accardo ◽

Marco Merlo ◽

Giulia Silveri ◽

Lucia Del Popolo ◽

Luca Dalla Libera ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Circadian Rhythm ◽

Healthy Subjects

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Psychological and Physiological Features Associated with Swimming Performance

International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health ◽

10.3390/ijerph18094561 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 18 (9) ◽

pp. 4561

Author(s):

Vicente Javier Clemente-Suárez ◽

Juan Pedro Fuentes-García ◽

Ricardo J. Fernandes ◽

João Paulo Vilas-Boas

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Swimming Performance ◽

Aerobic Performance ◽

Anaerobic Performance ◽

Probe Characteristic ◽

Time Domains ◽

High Fatigue ◽

Psychological Features ◽

Aerobic And Anaerobic

Background: The aim of the present research was to study the psychological and physiological features associated with aerobic and anaerobic performance in trained swimmers. Methods: A correlation and stepwise regression analyses were conducted with the data obtained in a RESTQ-76 sport questionnaire, a heart rate variability test, and an anaerobic and aerobic swimming performance efforts of 20 swimmers. Results: Aerobic performance correlated, principally, with parameters related to parasympathetic modulation measured in the frequency and time domains of the heart rate variability (LF/HF r: −0.806, p < 0.001; NN50 r: 0.937, p < 0.001). Swimmers’ anaerobic performance correlated to psychological features (low stress r: 0.526, p: 0.025, and high fatigue r: −0.506, p: 0.032). Conclusion: Swimming performance presented different psychological and physiological features depending on the probe characteristic. Specifically, swimmers’ anaerobic performance was associated with psychological features (low stress and high fatigue perception) and aerobic performance with physiological features (high parasympathetic modulation). This information could help coaches to know the variables to control in their swimmers, depending on the probe in which they compete (anaerobic or aerobic).

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Direct measurement of vagal tone in rats does not show correlation to HRV

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-020-79808-8 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Joseph T. Marmerstein ◽

Grant A. McCallum ◽

Dominique M. Durand

Keyword(s):

Heart Failure ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Neural Activity ◽

Vagal Tone ◽

Neural Recording ◽

The Body ◽

Autonomic Nerve ◽

Vagal Activity ◽

Recording Technology

AbstractThe vagus nerve is the largest autonomic nerve, innervating nearly every organ in the body. “Vagal tone” is a clinical measure believed to indicate overall levels of vagal activity, but is measured indirectly through the heart rate variability (HRV). Abnormal HRV has been associated with many severe conditions such as diabetes, heart failure, and hypertension. However, vagal tone has never been directly measured, leading to disagreements in its interpretation and influencing the effectiveness of vagal therapies. Using custom carbon nanotube yarn electrodes, we were able to chronically record neural activity from the left cervical vagus in both anesthetized and non-anesthetized rats. Here we show that tonic vagal activity does not correlate with common HRV metrics with or without anesthesia. Although we found that average vagal activity is increased during inspiration compared to expiration, this respiratory-linked signal was not correlated with HRV either. These results represent a clear advance in neural recording technology but also point to the need for a re-interpretation of the link between HRV and “vagal tone”.

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