Heart Rate Variability and Decision-Making: Autonomic Responses in Making Decisions

Decision-making is one of the most crucial cognitive processes in daily life. An adaptable, rapid, and flexible decision requires integration between brain and body. Heart rate variability (HRV) indexes this brain–body connection and appears to be related to cognitive performance. However, its relationship with decision-making is poorly analyzed. This study investigates the relationship between HRV and the decision-making process, assessed through the Iowa Gambling Task (IGT). One hundred and thirty healthy university students (mean age = 23.35 ± 2.50) participated in the study. According to IGT performance, they were divided into high decision-makers (n = 79) and low decision-makers (n = 51). Heart rate variability was measured in the resting, reactivity (i.e., during IGT), and recovery phases. Higher vagally mediated HRV (vmHRV; indexed in frequency domain measures) was evidenced in good decision-makers in the resting, reactivity, and recovery phases. During the task, a higher vagal modulation after a first evaluation was highlighted in good decision-makers. In conclusion, HRV proves to be a valid index of inhibitory circuit functioning in the prefrontal cortex. The relationship with cognitive functions was also confirmed, considering the ability to inhibit disadvantageous responses and make better decisions.

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The relationship between effects of heat on performance, core temperature and heart rate variability.

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e422042004-001 ◽

1990 ◽

Author(s):

Shahram Razmjou ◽

Anders Kjellberg

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Core Temperature ◽

The Relationship

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The Relationship Between Mindfulness and Heart Rate Variability

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e566842012-338 ◽

2010 ◽

Author(s):

Erin V. Rodgers ◽

Raymond Fleming ◽

Aaryn R. Schuster

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

The Relationship

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Emotional and cognitive processes of decision-making in the Iowa Gambling Task

PsycEXTRA Dataset ◽

10.1037/e722292011-016 ◽

2007 ◽

Author(s):

Brianna Beck ◽

Stacey Wood

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Cognitive Processes ◽

Iowa Gambling Task ◽

Gambling Task

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The Relationship Among Electroencephalography,Skin Conductance Response,Heart Rate Variability and Mental Health Among Smartphone Users After Receiving Texting or Calling

Case Medical Research ◽

10.31525/ct1-nct04133597 ◽

2019 ◽

Author(s):

Keyword(s):

Mental Health ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Skin Conductance ◽

Skin Conductance Response ◽

The Relationship

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The Relationship between Heart Rate Variability and Metabolic Syndrome at a Rural Area

Korean Journal of Occupational and Environmental Medicine ◽

10.35371/kjoem.2004.16.4.459 ◽

2004 ◽

Vol 16 (4) ◽

pp. 459

Author(s):

Kyoung Bok Min ◽

Jin Young Min ◽

Kyung Hee Jung-Choi ◽

Hyung Joon Jhun ◽

Sung Il Cho ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Metabolic Syndrome ◽

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Rural Area ◽

The Relationship

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Indices of Heart Rate Variability and Performance During a Response-Conflict Task Are Differently Associated With ADHD and Autism

Journal of Attention Disorders ◽

10.1177/1087054720972793 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 108705472097279

Author(s):

Alessio Bellato ◽

Iti Arora ◽

Puja Kochhar ◽

Chris Hollis ◽

Madeleine J. Groom

Keyword(s):

Heart Rate ◽

Heart Rate Variability ◽

Sensory Information ◽

Response Conflict ◽

Mediation Model ◽

Conflict Task ◽

Accurate Performance ◽

And Performance ◽

Comorbid Adhd ◽

The Relationship

We investigated autonomic arousal, attention and response conflict, in ADHD and autism. Heart rate variability (HRV), and behavioral/electrophysiological indices of performance, were recorded during a task with low and high levels of response conflict in 78 children/adolescents (7–15 years old) with ADHD, autism, comorbid ADHD+autism, or neurotypical. ANOVA models were used to investigate effects of ADHD and autism, while a mediation model was tested to clarify the relationship between ADHD and slower performance. Slower and less accurate performance characterized ADHD and autism; however, atypical electrophysiological indices differently characterized these conditions. The relationship between ADHD and slower task performance was mediated by reduced HRV in response to the cue stimulus. Autonomic hypo-arousal and difficulties in mobilizing energetic resources in response to sensory information (associated with ADHD), and atypical electrophysiological indices of information processing (associated with autism), might negatively affect cognitive performance in those with ADHD+autism.

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Decision making under ambiguity and risk in adolescent-onset schizophrenia

BMC Psychiatry ◽

10.1186/s12888-021-03230-1 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 21 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Dandan Li ◽

Fengyan Zhang ◽

Lu Wang ◽

Yifan Zhang ◽

Tingting Yang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Decision Making ◽

Executive Function ◽

Iowa Gambling Task ◽

Clinical Symptoms ◽

Healthy Controls ◽

Syndrome Scale ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Abnormal Pattern ◽

Negative Syndrome ◽

The Relationship

Abstract Objective Numerous studies have identified impaired decision making (DM) under both ambiguity and risk in adult patients with schizophrenia. However, the assessment of DM in patients with adolescent-onset schizophrenia (AOS) has been challenging as a result of the instability and heterogeneity of manifestations. The Iowa Gambling Task (IGT) and Game of Dice Task (GDT), which are frequently used to evaluate DM respectively under ambiguity and risk, are sensitive to adolescents and neuropsychiatric patients. Our research intended to examine the performance of DM in a relatively large sample of patients with AOS using the above-mentioned two tasks. We also aimed to take a closer look at the relationship between DM and symptom severity of schizophrenia. Methods We compared the performance of DM in 71 patients with AOS and 53 well-matched healthy controls using IGT for DM under ambiguity and GDT for DM under risk through net scores, total scores and feedback ration. Neuropsychological tests were conducted in all participants. Clinical symptoms were evaluated by using Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) in 71 patients with AOS. Pearson’s correlation revealed the relationship among total score of DM and clinical and neuropsychological data. Results Compared to healthy controls, patients with AOS failed to show learning effect and had a significant difference on the 5th block in IGT and conducted more disadvantageous choices as well as exhibited worse negative feedback rate in GDT. Apart from DM impairment under risk, diminished DM abilities under ambiguity were found related to poor executive function in AOS in the present study. Conclusions Our findings unveiled the abnormal pattern of DM in AOS, mainly reflected under the risky condition, extending the knowledge on the performance of DM under ambiguity and risk in AOS. Inefficient DM under risk may account for the lagging impulse control and the combined effects of developmental disease. In addition, our study demonstrated that the performance on IGT was related to executive function in AOS.

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