scholarly journals Heart rate variability is enhanced during mindfulness practice: A randomized controlled trial involving a 10-day online-based mindfulness intervention

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0243488
Author(s):  
Ulrich Kirk ◽  
Johanne L. Axelsen
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Sleep Quality ◽  
Active Control ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Mindfulness Practice ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Active Control Group ◽  
Training Effects ◽  
Mindfulness Intervention

Objectives The goal of the present study was to probe the effects of mindfulness practice in a naturalistic setting as opposed to a lab-based environment in the presence of continuous heart rate variability (HRV) measurements. The specific experimental goals were to examine the effects of a brief 10-day online-based mindfulness intervention on both chronic and acute HRV responses. Method We conducted a fully randomized 10-day longitudinal trial of mindfulness practice, explicitly controlling for practice effects with an active-control group (music listening) and a non-intervention control group. To assess chronic cardiovascular effects, we asked participants in the 3 groups to complete 2-day HRV pre- and post-intervention measurement sessions. Using this experimental setup enabled us to address training effects arising from mindfulness practice to assess physiological impact on daytime as well as nighttime (i.e. assessing sleep quality) on the underlying HRV response. To assess acute cardiovascular effects, we measured HRV in the 2 active intervention groups during each of the 10 daily mindfulness or music sessions. This allowed us to track the development of purported training effects arising from mindfulness practice relative to the active-control intervention in terms of changes in the HRV slope over the 10-day time-course. Results Firstly, for the acute phase we found increased HRV during the daily practice sessions in both the mindfulness and active-control group indicating that both interventions were effective in decreasing acute physiological stress. Secondly, for the chronic phase we found increased HRV in both the day- and nighttime indicating increased sleep quality, specifically in the mindfulness group. Conclusion These results suggest causal effects in both chronic and acute phases of mindfulness practice in formerly naïve subjects and provides support for the argument that brief online-based mindfulness interventions exert positive impact on HRV.

scholarly journals Psychological and physiological effects of emotion focused training for self-compassion and self-protection

2019 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Júlia Halamová ◽  
Jana Koróniová ◽  
Martin Kanovský ◽  
Mária Kénesy Túniyová ◽  
Nuriye Kupeli
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Active Control ◽  
Expressive Writing ◽  
Intervention Group ◽  
Effect Sizes ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Active Control Group ◽  
Self Compassion ◽  
Self Protection

Emotion Focused Training for Self-Compassion and Self-Protection (EFT-SCP) is a novel intervention developed on the basis of the latest findings on self-criticism from Emotion-focused therapy and existing programs designed to cultivate compassion. EFT-SCP is designed to encourage participants to cultivate self-compassion and protective anger as a way of reducing selfcriticism. Our goal was to investigate the effect of this group-based intervention on self-criticism, self-protection, and self-compassion. A total of 73 students were assigned to the EFT-SCP intervention (n=19), no-treatment control (n=34) or to an active control group (n=20). The intervention group met weekly for 1.5 hours and were instructed to incorporate EFT-SCP tasks into their daily life for 12 weeks. Whilst the no-treatment group did not undergo an intervention, the active control group completed an adapted expressive writing task once a week. In addition to the assessment of heart rate variability during imagery tasks, participants also completed self-reported measures of self-compassion and self-criticism before and after the intervention. Compared with both control groups, the intervention group showed a significant increase in heart rate variability following EFT-SCP (during self-critical imagery, P=.049; probability of superiority was .63, and during self-compassionate imagery P=.007; probability of superiority was .62, both effect sizes were medium) and significant decreases in self-criticism (Hated Self P=.017; .34 and Inadequate Self P<.001; .33) and selfuncompassionate responding (P<.001; .39). All three effect sizes were small. Participating in EFT-SCP had a positive effect on psychological and physiological outcomes.

scholarly journals Cardiovascular effects of reflexology in healthy individuals: evidence for a specific increase in blood pressure

2012 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elisabeth Ruiz Padial ◽  
Nieves Torres López ◽  
Javier Luna Bujaldón ◽  
Isabel Espadas Villanueva ◽  
Gustavo Reyes del Paso
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Waiting Time ◽  
Healing Process ◽  
Cardiovascular Effects ◽  
Baroreceptor Reflex ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Time Control ◽  
Baroreceptor Reflex Sensitivity

The present study evaluates the cardiovascular effects of reflexology in a healthy sample. Forty-one participants were randomly assigned to one of three experimental groups: reflexology (n=15), non-professional foot massage (n=14), and a waiting time control group (n=12). Dependent variables were systolic, diastolic and mean blood pressure, inter-beat interval, heart rate variability and baroreceptor reflex sensitivity measured pre- and post- interventions. The study was performed during three 40-min sessions separated by weekly intervals. Results show that the three manipulations produce similar increases in inter-beat interval, heart rate variability and baroreceptor reflex sensitivity. Reflexology specifically produces an increase in blood pressure, which increases gradually over the three sessions. The parallel increase in heart rate variability and baroreceptor reflex sensitivity together with the increase in blood pressure suggest that reflexology is associated with a co-activation of both sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the Autonomic Nervous System. These changes could be helpful in optimizing homeostatic activity, promoting the healing process and increasing the human organism’s capacity to respond adaptively to internal and external challenges. Finally, the observed physiological changes in the waiting-time control group shows the relevance of habituation processes and suggests the need for addition of waiting-time control groups in future studies.

Maximizing Cochlear Implant Outcomes with Short-Term Aural Rehabilitation

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claire Marcus Bernstein ◽  
Diane Majerus Brewer ◽  
Matthew H. Bakke ◽  
Anne D. Olson ◽  
Elizabeth Jackson Machmer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Study ◽  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Cochlear Implant ◽  
Active Control ◽  
Analysis Of Variance ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Active Control Group ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Aural Rehabilitation ◽  
Profound Deafness

Abstract Background Increasing numbers of adults are receiving cochlear implants (CIs) and many achieve high levels of speech perception and improved quality of life. However, a proportion of implant recipients still struggle due to limited speech recognition and/or greater communication demands in their daily lives. For these individuals a program of aural rehabilitation (AR) has the potential to improve outcomes. Purpose The study investigated the effects of a short-term AR intervention on speech recognition, functional communication, and psychosocial outcomes in post lingually deafened adult CI users. Research Design The experimental design was a multisite clinical study with participants randomized to either an AR treatment or active control group. Each group completed 6 weekly 90-minute individual treatment sessions. Assessments were completed pretreatment, 1 week and 2 months post-treatment. Study Sample Twenty-five post lingually deafened adult CI recipients participated. AR group: mean age 66.2 (48–80); nine females, four males; months postactivation 7.7 (3–16); mean years severe to profound deafness 18.4 (2–40). Active control group: mean age 62.8 (47–85); eight females, four males; months postactivation 7.0 (3–13); mean years severe to profound deafness 18.8 (1–55). Intervention The AR protocol consisted of auditory training (words, sentences, speech tracking), and psychosocial counseling (informational and communication strategies). Active control group participants engaged in cognitive stimulation activities (e.g., crosswords, sudoku, etc.). Data Collection and Analysis Repeated measures ANOVA or analysis of variance, MANOVA or multivariate analysis of variance, and planned contrasts were used to compare group performance on the following measures: CasperSent; Hearing Handicap Inventory; Nijmegen Cochlear Implant Questionnaire; Client Oriented Scale of Improvement; Glasgow Benefit Inventory. Results The AR group showed statistically significant improvements on speech recognition performance, psychosocial function, and communication goals with no significant improvement seen in the control group. The two groups were statistically equivalent on all outcome measures at preassessment. The robust improvements for the AR group were maintained at 2 months post-treatment. Conclusion Results of this clinical study provide evidence that a short-term AR intervention protocol can maximize outcomes for adult post lingually deafened CI users. The impact of this brief multidimensional AR intervention to extend CI benefit is compelling, and may serve as a template for best practices with adult CI users.

scholarly journals Remotely delivered environmental enrichment intervention for traumatic brain injury: Study protocol for a randomised controlled trial

BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. e039767
Author(s):  
Zorry Belchev ◽  
Mary Ellene Boulos ◽  
Julia Rybkina ◽  
Kadeen Johns ◽  
Eliyas Jeffay ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Traumatic Brain Injury ◽  
Brain Injury ◽  
Active Control ◽  
Environmental Enrichment ◽  
Spatial Navigation ◽  
Controlled Trial ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Hippocampal Atrophy ◽  
Active Control Group ◽  
Navigation Group

IntroductionIndividuals with moderate-severe traumatic brain injury (m-sTBI) experience progressive brain and behavioural declines in the chronic stages of injury. Longitudinal studies found that a majority of patients with m-sTBI exhibit significant hippocampal atrophy from 5 to 12 months post-injury, associated with decreased cognitive environmental enrichment (EE). Encouragingly, engaging in EE has been shown to lead to neural improvements, suggesting it is a promising avenue for offsetting hippocampal neurodegeneration in m-sTBI. Allocentric spatial navigation (ie, flexible, bird’s eye view approach), is a good candidate for EE in m-sTBI because it is associated with hippocampal activation and reduced ageing-related volume loss. Efficacy of EE requires intensive daily training, prohibitive within most current health delivery systems. The present protocol is a novel, remotely delivered and self-administered intervention designed to harness principles from EE and allocentric spatial navigation to offset hippocampal atrophy and potentially improve hippocampal functions such as navigation and memory for patients with m-sTBI.Methods and analysisEighty-four participants with chronic m-sTBI are being recruited from an urban rehabilitation hospital and randomised into a 16-week intervention (5 hours/week; total: 80 hours) of either targeted spatial navigation or an active control group. The spatial navigation group engages in structured exploration of different cities using Google Street View that includes daily navigation challenges. The active control group watches and answers subjective questions about educational videos. Following a brief orientation, participants remotely self-administer the intervention on their home computer. In addition to feasibility and compliance measures, clinical and experimental cognitive measures as well as MRI scan data are collected pre-intervention and post-intervention to determine behavioural and neural efficacy.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval has been obtained from ethics boards at the University Health Network and University of Toronto. Findings will be presented at academic conferences and submitted to peer-reviewed journals.Trial registration numberVersion 3, ClinicalTrials.gov Registry (NCT04331392).

scholarly journals Cardiac Parasympathetic Withdrawal and Sympathetic Activity: Effect of Heat Exposure on Heart Rate Variability

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (11) ◽  
pp. 5934
Author(s):  
Oriol Abellán-Aynés ◽  
Pedro Manonelles ◽  
Fernando Alacid
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Environmental Conditions ◽  
Sympathetic Activity ◽  
Heat Exposure ◽  
Repeated Measurements ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Poincaré Plot ◽  
Activity Effect ◽  
And Control

(1) Background: Research on heart rate variability has increased in recent years and the temperature has not been controlled in some studies assessing repeated measurements. This study aimed to analyze how heart rate variability may change based on environmental temperature during measurement depending on parasympathetic and sympathetic activity variations. (2) Methods: A total of 22 volunteers participated in this study divided into an experimental (n = 12) and control group (n = 10). Each participant was assessed randomly under two different environmental conditions for the experimental group (19 °C and 35 °C) and two identical environmental conditions for the control group (19 °C). During the procedure, heart rate variability measurements were carried out for 10 min. (3) Results: Significantly changes were observed for time and frequency domains as well as Poincaré plot variables after heat exposure (p < 0.05). These findings were not observed in the control group, whose conditions between measurements did not change. (4) Conclusions: The reduction of heart rate variability due to exposure to hot conditions appears to be produced mostly by a parasympathetic withdrawal rather than a sympathetic activation. Therefore, if consecutive measurements have to be carried out, these should always be done under the same temperature conditions.

scholarly journals Effect of Acupuncture on Heart Rate Variability: A Systematic Review

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne W. Y. Chung ◽  
Vincent C. M. Yan ◽  
Hongwei Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Systematic Review ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Keyword Search ◽  
Data Extraction ◽  
Meta Analysis ◽  
Low Frequency ◽  
Control Group

Aim.To summarize all relevant trials and critically evaluate the effect of acupuncture on heart rate variability (HRV).Method.This was a systematic review with meta-analysis. Keyword search was conducted in 7 databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Data extraction and risk of bias were done.Results.Fourteen included studies showed a decreasing effect of acupuncture on low frequency (LF) and low frequency to high frequency ratio (LF/HF ratio) of HRV for nonhealthy subjects and on normalized low frequency (LF norm) for healthy subjects. The overall effect was in favour of the sham/control group for high frequency (HF) in nonhealthy subjects and for normalized high frequency (HF norm) in healthy subjects. Significant decreasing effect on HF and LF/HF ratio of HRV when acupuncture was performed on ST36 among healthy subjects and PC6 among both healthy and nonhealthy subjects, respectively.Discussion.This study partially supports the possible effect of acupuncture in modulating the LF of HRV in both healthy and nonhealthy subjects, while previous review reported that acupuncture did not have any convincing effect on HRV in healthy subjects. More published work is needed in this area to determine if HRV can be an indicator of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture.

Heart Rate Variability And Respiratory Muscle Strength In Patients With Type Ii Diabetes Practicing Pilates: A Randomized Clinical Trial

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samara Sousa Vasconcelos Gouveia ◽  
Guilherme Pertinni de Morais Gouveia ◽  
Leydnaya Maria Souza ◽  
Bruno Cunha da Costa ◽  
Gustavo Henrique Melo Sousa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Clinical Trial ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Normal Distribution ◽  
Randomized Clinical Trial ◽  
Respiratory Muscle ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Respiratory Muscle Strength

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the effect of a Pilates protocol on respiratory muscle strength and heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Method: A randomized clinical trial (RBR-2gc2qj) was conducted with a type 2 diabetic target population. Patients practiced the Pilates protocol for 8 weeks, with two visits per week. The variables tested were maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), and HRV (time and frequency domains). All variables were tested for normal distribution. Using SPSS 21.0, analysis of variance was performed for variables with normal distribution, and the Wilcoxon and Friedman tests were used for variables that did not show a normal distribution, with a 5% significance level. Results: Forty-four participants were included in the study (intervention group: 22; control group: 22; mean age: 61.23 ± 8.49 years), most of whom were female (77.3%), married or in a consensual union (59.1%), had complete literacy (31.8%), and had an average body mass index of 26.96 ± 4.35 kg/m2. There were no significant differences in MIP and MEP before and after the protocol between the intervention and control groups. Regarding HRV, there were significant differences in autonomic modulation, especially between the moments before and during exercise and between the moments during and after exercise; however, it was not possible to determine which system (sympathetic or parasympathetic) is most involved in these changes. Conclusion: The exercise protocol based on the Pilates method did not alter respiratory muscle strength but promoted changes in HRV, especially between the moments before and during exercise and during and after exercise.

Effect of short-term mental stress on time- domain indices of heart rate variability in obese individuals – A case- control study

Biomedicine ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 41 (2) ◽  
pp. 274-277
Author(s):  
Priya S.A. ◽  
R. Rajalakshmi
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Neuronal Activity ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Mental Stress ◽  
Mental Arithmetic ◽  
High Body Mass Index ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Stress Task ◽  
The Individual

  Introduction and Aim: Mental stress may impact dramatically on dynamic autonomic control on heart. Many studies have demonstrated association of high body mass index (BMI) with greater risk for cardiovascular disease with disturbance in autonomic neuronal activity. Analysis of Heart rate variability (HRV)during acute mental stress assesses the autonomic status of the individual. Hence, we aimed to study the effect of acute mental stress on time domain measures in obese adults.   Materials and Methods:Sixty male volunteers of 30 each in study group (obese individuals) and control group (non-obese individuals) were recruited for the study. A basal recording of ECG in lead II was done on all the individuals. Then they underwent mental arithmetic stress task for 5 minutes during which again ECG was recorded. The change in time domain measures of HRV during rest and stress task was analyzed and compared between both the groups.   Results: Analysis of time domain measures of HRV revealed a statistically significant increase (p ? 0.001) in mean heart rate in both obese and non-obese individuals, while rMSSD(root mean square differences of successive RR interval) and SDNN (standard deviation of all NN intervals) showed a statistically significant (p? 0.001) decrease in obese individuals and non-obese individuals did not show any statistically significant change during the mental stress task.   Conclusion: In response to acute mental stress there was increased heart rate in both the groups. But the autonomic neuronal activity differed by way of sympathetic dominance in non-obese individuals and parasympathetic withdrawal in obese individuals.  

Self-Managed Music-Guided Exercise Intervention Improved Upper and Lower Extremity Muscle Strength for ICU Survivors—A Pilot Randomized Controlled Study

2021 ◽  
pp. 109980042110502
Author(s):  
Zhan Liang ◽  
Hilary Yip ◽  
Kimberly Sena Moore ◽  
Tanira Ferreira ◽  
Ming Ji ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Strength ◽  
Lower Extremity ◽  
Active Control ◽  
Exercise Intervention ◽  
Controlled Study ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Active Control Group ◽  
Randomized Controlled ◽  
Left And Right ◽  
The Mean

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate effects of a self-managed music-guided exercise intervention on muscle strength among intensive care unit (ICU) survivors. Methods We used a two-arm randomized-controlled trial. Following ICU discharge, eligible participants were assigned to one of two groups: music group ( n = 13) or active control group ( n = 13). The music group was taught to self-manage upper and lower extremity exercise movements by listening to an individualized music-guided playlist twice daily for 5 days. The active control group was provided an exercise brochure and advised to perform the same exercises at the same intervals. Dynamometers were used to measure muscle strength. T-tests and Weighted GEE models were used for testing the intervention effect between groups. Results Twenty-six subjects were enrolled. The mean age was 62.8 ( SD = 13.8), 53.8% were male, 65.4% were Caucasian, and the mean APACHE severity of illness score was 59 ( SD = 23.4). Reasons for ICU admission were mainly cardiac and medical. The music group showed significant improvements in handgrip, plantar flexion, leg extension, elbow flexion, and shoulder adduction strengths on left and right sides. Additionally, left and right leg extensor and left plantar flexor strengths showed significant post-differences, and small to moderately large effect sizes, between the music group and control group. Conclusion These findings suggest that a music-guided exercise intervention has the potential to improve muscle strength in ICU survivors and prevent further post-ICU deterioration in ICU survivors. Future trials should build upon these preliminary findings.

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