scholarly journals Effects of Meditation on Mental Health and Cardiovascular Balance in Caregivers

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lourdes Díaz-Rodríguez ◽  
Keyla Vargas-Román ◽  
Juan Carlos Sanchez-Garcia ◽  
Raquel Rodríguez-Blanque ◽  
Guillermo Arturo Cañadas- De la Fuente ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trial ◽  
Loved One ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Significant Amelioration ◽  
Vagal Nerve Activity ◽  
And Control

Background: Caring for a loved one can be rewarding but also associated with substantial caregiver burden, developing mental outcomes and affecting happiness. Eventually, these physical and psychological disorders can lead to an imbalance of the autonomic nervous system. Meditation has been found to offer multiple benefits to relieve these disorders and reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a four-week 16-hour presential meditation program on physiological and psychological parameters and vagal nerve activity in high-burden caregivers, comparing the results with those not receiving this program. Methods: A non-randomized repeated-measures controlled clinical trial was conducted, dividing participants between intervention and control groups by convenience allocation because random assignment was ethically inappropriate. Results: After the meditation program, the experimental group showed a significant reduction in anxiety levels (F= 24.92, p<0.001), a non-significant amelioration of depression levels (F= 1.75, p=0.19), and significantly improved heart rate variability (F= 8.40, p<0.05) and SDNN (F=15.59, p<0.05). Conclusions: Meditation can be a useful therapy to enhance the mental health and autonomic nervous system balance of informal caregivers, improving symptoms of physical and mental overload.

scholarly journals Effects of Meditation on Mental Health and Cardiovascular Balance in Caregivers

2021 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 617
Author(s):  
Lourdes Díaz-Rodríguez ◽  
Keyla Vargas-Román ◽  
Juan Carlos Sanchez-Garcia ◽  
Raquel Rodríguez-Blanque ◽  
Guillermo Arturo Cañadas-De la Fuente ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Controlled Clinical Trial ◽  
Loved One ◽  
Group Methods ◽  
Vagal Nerve Activity ◽  
The Time Domain ◽  
Mental Overload ◽  
Experimental Group

Background: Caring for a loved one can be rewarding but is also associated with substantial caregiver burden, developing mental outcomes and affecting happiness. The aim of this study was to determine the effects of a four-week, 16-h presential meditation program on physiological and psychological parameters and vagal nerve activity in high-burden caregivers, as compared to a control group. Methods: A non-randomized repeated-measures controlled clinical trial was conducted. Results: According to the ANCOVA results, the global happiness score (F = 297.42, p < 0.001) and the scores for all subscales were significantly higher in the experimental group than in the control group at 5 weeks. Anxiety levels were also significantly reduced in the experimental group (F = 24.92, p < 0.001), systolic (F = 16.23, p < 0.001) and diastolic blood (F = 34.39, p < 0.001) pressures, and the resting heart rate (F = 17.90, p < 0.05). HRV results revealed significant between-group differences in the HRV Index (F = 8.40, p < 0.05), SDNN (F = 13.59, p < 0.05), and RMSSD (F = 10.72, p < 0.05) in the time domain, and HF (F = 4.82 p < 0.05)) in the frequency domain, which were all improved in the experimental group after the meditation program. Conclusions: Meditation can be a useful therapy to enhance the mental health and autonomic nervous system balance of informal caregivers, improving symptoms of physical and mental overload.

scholarly journals Autonomic Nervous System Is Related to Inhibitory and Control Function Through Functional Inter-Region Connectivities of OFC in Major Depression

2020 ◽  
Vol Volume 16 ◽  
pp. 235-247 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongaling Zhou ◽  
Lingling Hua ◽  
Haiteng Jiang ◽  
Zongpeng Dai ◽  
yinglin han ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Major Depression ◽  
Control Function ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
And Control

Syncope in migraine

Neurology ◽  
2006 ◽  
Vol 66 (7) ◽  
pp. 1034-1037 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. D. Thijs ◽  
M. C. Kruit ◽  
M. A. van Buchem ◽  
M. D. Ferrari ◽  
L. J. Launer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Orthostatic Intolerance ◽  
Population Based ◽  
Lifetime Prevalence ◽  
Postural Tachycardia Syndrome ◽  
Population Based Study ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Control Subjects ◽  
And Control

Objective: To examine the association between migraine and syncope-related autonomic nervous system (ANS) symptoms.Methods: A population-based study among migraineurs with and without aura (n = 323) and control subjects (n = 153) was conducted. A systematic questionnaire and cardiovascular measurements during rest, while standing, and after venipuncture addressed the prevalence of syncope, orthostatic intolerance, orthostatic hypotension (OH), and the postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) in migraineurs and control subjects.Results: The lifetime prevalence of syncope in all participants was 41%, more often in women (45 vs 32%; p = 0.02). Compared with control subjects, migraineurs had a higher lifetime prevalence of syncope (46 vs 31%; p = 0.001), frequent syncope (five or more attacks) (13 vs 5%; p = 0.02), and orthostatic intolerance (32 vs 12%; p < 0.001). There was no association between ANS symptoms and the severity of migraine or migraine subtype. Cardiovascular measurements and the prevalence of POTS and OH did not differ significantly between migraineurs and control subjects.Conclusion: This population-based study demonstrated an elevated prevalence of syncope and orthostatic intolerance in migraineurs without clear interictal signs of autonomic nervous system dysfunction.

Abstract 231: Decreased Parasympathetic Activity in the Ovulatory Phase of the Menstrual Cycle

2013 ◽  
Vol 113 (suppl_1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrew Tweedell ◽  
Matthew Tenan ◽  
Anthony C Hackney ◽  
Matthew Brothers ◽  
Lisa Griffin
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Menstrual Cycle ◽  
Power Spectrum ◽  
High Frequency ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Total Power ◽  
Cycle Phase ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Frequency Components

The Heart rate variability (HRV) power spectrum is a non-invasive index of parasympathetic and sympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Sex hormone oscillations may affect autonomic nervous system function; however, no systemic difference in HRV across the menstrual cycle has been shown. The purpose of this study is to test the hypothesis that there are changes in HRV spectral power components across the menstrual cycle. Method: Eleven women (24.4±3.6 years) volunteered for this experiment. Menstrual cycle phase was determined via basal body temperature mapping. Participants were tested once in each cycle phase. A 3 lead ECG was sampled at 1000 Hz. A piezoelectric force transducer, placed around the chest, recorded breathing rate. After 20 minutes of quiet seated rest, 5 minutes of data was collected in the upright seated position. Power spectral density analysis was performed on the R-R interval variations by fast Fourier transformation. The spectrum was divided into low (0.04-0.15, Hz) and high (0.15-0.40 Hz) frequency components. In order to attain data normality, the components were transformed with a natural logarithm. A repeated measures ANCOVA was used with a piece-wise covariate function for breathing rates higher and lower than 10 breaths per minute. Results: A significant decrease in total power spectrum was observed at the ovulatory phase (P=0.04) compared to the early follicular, late follicular and mid luteal phases. Furthermore, high-frequency oscillations were lower (P=0.04) in the ovulatory phase compared to late follicular phase. There were no changes observed (P>0.05) in the low frequency power spectrum across the menstrual cycle. Conclusions: The decrease in the high-frequency components of the HRV power spectrum during the ovulatory phase indicates a decrease in parasympathetic regulation of the heart. The ovulatory phase is characterized by an elevated level of progesterone, follicle stimulating and luteinizing hormones, and a moderate level of estradiol. Thus, the changes in these hormones during ovulation appear to affect ANS function.

scholarly journals Role of the central autonomic nervous system intrinsic functional organisation and psychosocial factors in primary microvascular angina and Takotsubo syndrome

Open Heart ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. e001315
Author(s):  
Magdalena Maria Cattaneo ◽  
Emanuele Pravatà ◽  
Micol Provenzi ◽  
Marco Moccetti ◽  
Alain Kaelin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Takotsubo Syndrome ◽  
Mental Health Score ◽  
Microvascular Angina ◽  
Health Score ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Sf 36 ◽  
Functional Organisation

Introduction and objectiveDysfunctional central autonomic nervous system network (CAN) at rest may result in aberrant autonomic responses to psychosocial stressors. We hypothesised that patients with primary microvascular angina (MVA) or Takotsubo syndrome (TTS) would exhibit a peculiar functional organisation of the CAN, potentially associated with psychological patterns.MethodsPatients underwent a psychosocial evaluation: a clinical diagnostic interview, Millon Clinical Multiaxial Inventory III, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory form Y and Short Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36). The strength of intrinsic functional connectivity (FC) between various nodes of the CAN was investigated using cerebral resting state functional MRI (RS-fMRI).ResultsWe evaluated 50 (46 women) stable patients: 16 patients with MVA, 17 patients with TTS and 17 patients with previous acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Compared with AMI, patients with MVA showed a lower (higher impairment) SF-36 Body-Pain score (p 0.046) and a higher SF-36 Mental-Health score (p 0.039). Patients with TTS showed the strongest FC between two nodes of the CAN (sympathetic midcingulate cortex and parasympathetic primary motor area) (F 6.25, p 0.005) using RS-fMRI.ConclusionsThe study implements an innovative collaborative research among cardiologists, neuroscientists and psychiatrists (‘Neuro-psycho-heart Team’). MVA showed a discrepancy between the highest level of self-reported body pain and the best mental health score, which might suggest a mechanism of somatisation. TTS exhibited an increased functional integration between two areas of the CAN involved in interoceptive pain awareness and negative emotional status. We implemented an innovative research collaboration among cardiologists, neuroscientists and psychiatrists. These data are hypothesis generating and suggest potential prospective investigations on pathophysiology and implementation of psychotherapy and stress-reducing techniques as therapeutic strategies.Trial registration numberNCT02759341.

Practising through the pandemic

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (1) ◽  
pp. 119-120
Author(s):  
Gülcan Sutton Purser
Keyword(s):  
Mental Health ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Crisis Management ◽  
After Effects ◽  
Autonomic Nervous

Practising psychotherapy online during Covid-19; uncertainties and crisis management; after effects of lockdown; trauma and its effects on autonomic nervous system; how we regulate. This article consists of my work during the global Covid-19 crisis and to address the consequences of it on mental health.

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