A Preliminary Study: Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback for Treatment of Postconcussion Syndrome

Biofeedback ◽  
2013 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 136-143 ◽  
Author(s):  
Leah Lagos ◽  
James Thompson ◽  
Evgeny Vaschillo
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
The Body ◽  
Regulatory Control ◽  
Adjunctive Treatment ◽  
Postconcussion Syndrome ◽  
Postconcussion Symptoms ◽  
The Impact

Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback (BFB) can be used to reduce activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and increase activation of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). A growing body of research suggests that increased arousal of the SNS contributes to the sustained state of postconcussion syndrome (PCS). It has also been postulated that underactivation of the PNS may also play a role in the postinjury state of autonomic dystonia, wherein the autonomic nervous system is in a state of imbalance and does not return to normal. In addition to autonomic imbalance, patients who are generally advised not to engage in physical exertion until asymptomatic from concussion, are known to experience secondary symptoms of fatigue and reactive depression. Recent research has established that such symptoms can delay the recovery from concussion indefinitely. By addressing both autonomic dysfunction and the secondary symptoms of depression and anxiety, HRV BFB may be an effective treatment for PCS by strengthening self-regulatory control mechanisms in the body and improving autonomic balance. Recent studies have suggested that HRV BFB has a positive impact in reducing stress and anxiety among athletes, and concussed athletes with higher perceived control over their symptoms have been shown to have faster recoveries post-injury. The primary purpose of the following case study was, therefore, to assess the feasibility of implementing HRV BFB with a concussed athlete suffering from postconcussion syndrome (PCS). The second objective was to prospectively examine the impact of ten weeks of HRV biofeedback on refractory postconcussion symptoms. During this pilot case study, the athlete attended 10 weekly sessions of HRV BFB, according to the protocol set forth by Lehrer, Vaschillo, and Vaschillo (2000). After 10 weeks of HRV biofeedback, the athlete exhibited clinically significant improvements in total mood disturbance, postconcussion symptoms, and headache severity. The results suggest that HRV BFB may be a useful adjunctive treatment for PCS, associated with increases in HRV and enhanced cardiovagal activity. Given these findings, a randomized controlled trial is warranted.

A Case Report on Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback and Postconcussion Syndrome: Healing the Autonomic Nervous System

Biofeedback ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 49 (4) ◽  
pp. 86-88
Author(s):  
Leah M. Lagos
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
High Amplitude ◽  
Regulatory Control ◽  
Control Mechanisms ◽  
Postconcussion Syndrome ◽  
Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback ◽  
The Mind ◽  
The Brain ◽  
Cardiovascular Functions

Postconcussion syndrome is a devastating condition of the mind, body, and even personality. Mounting research demonstrates that heart rate variability biofeedback can help the concussed individual in three critical ways: (a) eliciting high amplitude oscillations in cardiovascular functions and thereby strengthening self-regulatory control mechanisms; (b) restoring autonomic balance; and (c) increasing the afferent impulse stream from the baroreceptors to restore balance between inhibitory and excitatory processes in the brain.

scholarly journals Assessment of the impact of 10-day intermittent hypoxia on the autonomic control measured by heart rate variability

2018 ◽  
Vol 105 (4) ◽  
pp. 386-396 ◽  
Author(s):  
ZZ Taralov ◽  
KV Terziyski ◽  
PK Dimov ◽  
BI Marinov ◽  
SS Kostianev
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Parasympathetic Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Control ◽  
Total Power ◽  
Hypoxic Exposure ◽  
Intermittent Hypoxic Training ◽  
Parasympathetic Nervous System Activity ◽  
The Impact

Purpose The purpose of this study is to establish the alterations in the activity of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) via heart rate variability (HRV) in subjects exposed to 1 h of exogenous hypoxia for 10 consecutive days. Methods Twelve healthy non-smoker males at mean age of 29.8 ± 7.4 (mean ± SD) breathed hypoxic air delivered through hypoxicator (FiО2 = 12.3% ± 1.5%) for 1 h in 10 consecutive days. Pulse oximetry and electrocardiography were monitored during the visit and HRV was calculated for the entire 1-h hypoxic period. Results Comparing the last hypoxic visit to the first, subjects had higher standard deviation of normal-to-normal interbeat intervals (SDNNs) (65.7 ± 32.5 vs. 81.1 ± 32.0 ms, p = 0.013) and root mean square of successive R–R interval difference (RMSSD) (58.1 ± 30.9 vs. 76.5 ± 34.6 ms, p = 0.029) as well as higher lnTotal power (8.1 ± 1.1 vs. 8.5 ± 0.9 ms2, p = 0.015) and high frequency (lnHF) (6.8 ± 1.3 vs. 7.5 ± 1.2 ms2, p = 0.05) and lower LF/HF (2.4 ± 1.4 vs. 1.5 ± 1.0, p = 0.026). Changes in saturation (87.0 ± 7.1 vs. 90.8 ± 5.0%, p = 0.039) and heart rate (67.1 ± 8.9 vs. 62.5 ± 6.0 beats/min, p = 0.040) were also observed. Conclusions Intermittent hypoxic training consisting of 1-h hypoxic exposure for 10 consecutive days could diminish the effects of acute exogenous hypoxia on the ANS characterized by an increased autonomic control (SDNN and total power) with augmentation of the parasympathetic nervous system activity (increased RMSSD and HF and decreased LF/HF). Therefore, it could be applied as a pre-acclimatization technique aiming at an increase in the autonomic control and oxygen saturation in subjects with upcoming sojourn to high altitude.

Classification of Individuals Based on Autonomic Response to Virtual Gaming

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 4385-4393
Author(s):  
S. Chandana ◽  
B. R. Purnima ◽  
Prabhu Ravikala Vittal
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
The Body ◽  
Autonomic Response ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Non Invasive

Modern games consists of digital gaming consoles that involves interaction with a user and has an interface to generate visual feedback through 2D/3D monitor. These games have several psychological side effects like loss of spatial awareness, back pains, insomnia, addiction, aggression, stress, and hypertension. Virtual reality (VR) Gaming is one of the most emerging and novel technologies in the field of entertainment. Evaluation of this new technology has become important in order to analyze the effects of its predecessors (2D and 3D gaming). The main focus of this paper is on detection of stress levels in individuals due to VR gaming and classify them depending on their sympathetic and parasympathetic dominance. This is done through acquisition of electrocardiogram (ECG) and photo plethysmograph signals (PPG) signals and extracting their time domain and frequency domain features before, during and after gaming (Fatma Uysal and Mahmut Tokmakçi, 2018. Evaluation of stress parameters based on heart rate variability measurement. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey. [email protected], [email protected]., da Silva1, A.G.C.B., Arauj, D.N., et al, 2018. Increase in perceived stress is correlated to lower heart rate variability in healthy young subjects. Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. s/n., 81531–980, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected].). The physiological signal variation is analyzed by performing Heart Rate Variability (HRV) analysis over ECG signals which is one of the fast emerging methods in non-invasive research and clinical tools for assessing autonomic nervous system function (Juan Sztajzel, 2004. Heart rate variability: Aa non-invasive electrocardiographic method to measure the autonomic nervous system. Cardiology Center and Medical Policlinics, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland, SWISS MED WKLY 2004;134:514–522. www.smw.ch). Pulse-transmissiontime-variability (PTTV), which is extracted, has high coherence with heart rate variability and is also used as an objective measure of stress. In this paper we obtain the response of an individual during VR gaming and correlate them with the HRV/PTT parameters. The game chosen for the data acquisition was ‘VR city view rope crossing-360 android VR,’ during which data recording is done. It was found that there was a quantitative increase in physiological stress when individuals were exposed to virtual high heights in comparison with time relative to unaltered viewing. Mean Heart rate showed a significant increase during gaming for both boys and girls which indicates that the body is under the influence of a sympathetic activity like a physical exercise.

Testing the impact of physiological stress response on police performance during critical job tasks

2020 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Lois James ◽  
Michael S. Goldstein ◽  
Peter Lecy ◽  
Stephen Mase
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Real Time ◽  
Police Officers ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
The Body ◽  
Stress Profile ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Body Of Knowledge ◽  
The Impact

PurposeTo add to the existing body of knowledge on the relationship between stress and job performance in policing, we monitored police officers' physiology using Hexoskin shirts while they responded to simulated scenarios.Design/methodology/approachWe employed mixed repeated measures (baseline, intervention, post-intervention), between groups (treatment vs control group) design. Using this approach, our aims were (1) to determine whether an individualized physiological stress profile—a combination of heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), sympathetic nervous system (SNS) index and parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) index—could be developed for each participant; (2) to investigate the association between physiological stress and scenario performance and (3) to pilot test an intervention for decreasing physiological stress in real time.FindingsWe found that it was possible to individualize physiological stress profiles for each participant that alerted us when the participant was becoming stressed. We also found that physiological stress was significantly and negatively/inversely associated with scenario performance. However, our intervention to try and decrease participants' stress in real time was not successful. Several key lessons can be taken from our attempt that could inform future efforts in this area.Research limitations/implicationsThis was a small pilot study, precluding generalizability of results. Furthermore, our intervention was simplistic and potentially affected by an experimenter effect. Future research should explore better ways to intervene when officers are becoming physiologically stressed to help them overcome stress in real time and safeguard against the cumulative effects of stress on health and performance.Originality/valueThis research adds to the body of knowledge on physiological stress and job-task performance in police officers.

scholarly journals The Heart of an Endurance Athlete: Impact of and Recovery After an Ultra-Endurance Event.

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Swart ◽  
Demitri Constantinou
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
The Body ◽  
Mountain Biking ◽  
Vagal Activity ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Ultra Endurance

Abstract Background: Acute bouts of ultra-endurance exercise may cause an acute reduction in cardiac function, causing a physiological cascade which releases cardiac biomarkers. This study set out to determine the cardiac stress and recovery of participation in a three-day ultra-endurance mountain biking event of athletes using heart rate variability (HRV) as an outcome measure. Sixteen healthy participants (male and female) participating in a three-day ultra-endurance mountain biking event underwent a five-minute resting electrocardiography (ECG) recording in a supine position. Heart rate variability measurements were recorded two days before the race (baseline testing), after each race day, and at 24-hour post-event (recovery). Results: Time-domain and frequency domain measures showed significant (p≤0.05) changes from baseline in HRV parameters after each race day. The significant changes in HRV parameters reflected an increase in sympathetic activity after each day of the event. Our data revealed that the mean HR and RR variability variables did not return to baseline value after 24-hours of recovery, reflecting autonomic nervous system dysfunction, and that changes persisted for at least 24-hours post-event.Conclusion: Our study shows that competing in an ultra-endurance mountain bike event led to diminished vagal activity and a decrease in HRV throughout the event and persisted for at least 24-hours post-event. The body was under continuous sympathetic dominance during rest as well as during each day of racing, implying each race day can be considered a physiological stress. This may, in turn, cause a disturbance in homeostasis and an increase in autonomic nervous system dysfunction. This has implications for further research, including dysrhythmia risk, and monitoring of athletes in advising a return to strenuous activity.

scholarly journals The heart of an endurance athlete: impact of and recovery after an ultra-endurance event.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anton Swart ◽  
Demitri Constantinou
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
The Body ◽  
Mountain Biking ◽  
Vagal Activity ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System Dysfunction ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Ultra Endurance

Objectives Our study set out to determine the cardiac stress and recovery of participation in a three-day ultra-endurance mountain biking event of athletes using heart rate variability (HRV) as an outcome measure. Methods Sixteen healthy participants (male and female) participating in a three-day ultra-endurance mountain biking event underwent a five-minute resting ECG recording in a supine position. Heart rate variability measurements were recorded two days before the race (baseline testing), after each race day, and at 24-hour post-event (recovery). Results Time-domain and frequency domain measures showed significant (p≤0.05) changes from baseline in HRV parameters after each race day. Our study found significant changes in HRV parameters, all of which reflected an increase in sympathetic activity after each day of the event. These data also revealed that the mean HR and RR variability variables did not return to baseline value after 24-hours of recovery, reflecting autonomic nervous system dysfunction, and that changes persisted for at least 24-hours post-event. Conclusion Our study shows that competing in an ultra-endurance mountain bike event led to diminished vagal activity and a decrease in HRV throughout the event and persisted for at least 24 hours post-event. The body was under continuous sympathetic dominance during rest as well as during each day of racing, implying each race day can be considered a physiological stress. This may, in turn, cause a disturbance in homeostasis and an increase in autonomic nervous system dysfunction. This has implications for further research, including dysrhythmia risk, and monitoring of athletes in advising a return to strenuous activity.

scholarly journals Dead Science in Live Psychology: A Case Study from Heart Rate Variability (HRV)

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
James Heathers ◽  
Matthew Goodwin
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Evidence Base ◽  
Psychological Research ◽  
The Body ◽  
Psychological Science ◽  
Psychological Theories ◽  
Publishing Practice ◽  
Physiological Research

Psychological theories often build from theoretically separate fields in the biosciences – physiology, biology, neuroscience, etc. – to situate human behavior within the body. However, these are increasingly sophisticated areas of research which rapidly change and adapt their evidence base. The current paper is a case study examining what happens to psychological research when its foundational biological context is invalidated or superseded. The example we use is heart rate variability (HRV) as a purported measure of cardiac sympathetic outflow. While objections to this technique within physiological research have been established and confirmed for decades, its false status continues to be maintained in applied psychological research. We review a combination of factors within scientific and publishing practice, practical and conceptual barriers to experimental interface, and personal/professional value of the invalidated theory in attempt to understand how dead science can be kept alive in psychological science.

scholarly journals Indicators of vegetative homeostasis in children with mitral valve prolapse before and after treatment

2019 ◽  
Vol 23 (2) ◽  
pp. 234-237
Author(s):  
A. V. Kuleshov ◽  
Y. A. Medrazhevska
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Mitral Valve ◽  
Mitral Valve Prolapse ◽  
Medical Literature ◽  
The Body ◽  
Control Group ◽  
Healthy Children ◽  
Before And After

For children with mitral valve prolapse (MVP) characterized by disorders of vegetative homeostasis, especially pronounced effect on the body sympathetic link of the autonomic nervous system. In the medical literature, the question of correction of vegetative tone in children with primary MVP is now open. The purpose of the study was to study the parameters of vegetative homeostasis in children with mitral valve prolapse before and after treatment. 66 children with primary and primary MVP stage I and II at the age of 13–17 years were examined. The control group consisted of 23 practically healthy children. The evaluation of vegetative homeostasis was performed using a clinorostatic test and cardiointervalography, followed by an analysis of the parameters and parameters of the heart rate variability spectral analysis. To restore vegetative homeostasis to patients with PMC, an existing treatment regimen with our correction was prescribed. Namely, we added therapies levocarnitine and magnesium. According to the data obtained from the CP, we found that treatment led to the normalization of vegetative maintenance of the organism, mainly in the form of a decrease in the hypersympathicotonic tonic type after treatment, along with the baseline (p<0.05). Consequently, the proposed treatment scheme with the use of levocarnitine and magnesium, positively affects the autonomic system in children with primary MVP, reducing its dysfunction.

scholarly journals A Comparative Study of the Impact of Himalayan Singing Bowls and Supine Silence on Stress Index and Heart Rate Variability

2019 ◽  
Vol 2 (1) ◽  
pp. 40-50 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gunjan Y Trivedi ◽  
Banshi Saboo
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Objective Assessment ◽  
The Body ◽  
Stress Index ◽  
Expert Teacher ◽  
The Mind ◽  
Singing Bowl ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Singing Bowls

Introduction Sound vibrations have a profound impact on the body and the mind with evidence confirming reduced anxiety and increased wellbeing. The likely reason for driving the benefit is relaxation. The Himalayan Singing Bowls, used for therapeutic intervention to enhance the individual’s emotional & physical wellbeing, may facilitate faster and deeper relaxation as compared to simple, supine relaxation. Aim of the Study The study aimed to validate the hypothesis that short 20 minutes sessions to relax with the help of the Himalayan Singing Bowl (HSB) could provide better depth of relaxation as compared to Supine Silence (SS) based on the objective assessment of physiology parameters i.e. Stress Index & Heart Rate Variability (HRV). Methods Seven metal Himalayan singing bowls were used in a particular sequence learned from an expert teacher for 16 subjects. The SS group consisted of 17 subjects. The HRV data was measured by the Emwave Pro device and analyzed using Kubios HRV Premium software. The analysis compared key HRV parameters within and between the groups. Result Overall, as expected, both groups achieved relaxation as measured by changes in HRV parameters. However, further analysis confirmed a more consistent relaxation, as measured by a statistically significant reduction in stress index and an increase in HRV, for HSB group. The HSB group achieved more consistent depth of relaxation during each subsequent 5 minutes interval throughout the session as compared to SS group. Conclusion The study confirms that singing bowls sessions can be leveraged as a tool for inducing good quality relaxation response (increased parasympathetic tone, reduced stress) to facilitate healing and energy recovery in just 20 minutes and achieve significant health benefits. More comprehensive studies must be conducted to further evaluate the findings with more sample size, different methods of relaxation and varied demographics.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document