Heart rate variability biofeedback as a behavioral neurocardiac intervention to enhance vagal heart rate control

Nolan, Robert P.; Kamath, Markad V.; Floras, John S.; Stanley, Jill; Pang, C.C.C.; Picton, Peter; Young, Quincy-Robyn

doi:10.1016/j.ahj.2005.03.015

Cited by 184 publications

(167 citation statements)

References 32 publications

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“…CVC can be improved via biofeedback (e.g., Nolan et al, 2005), leading to a reduction of depressive symptoms (Siepmann, Aykac, Unterdorfer, Petrowski, & Mueck-Weymann, 2008). CVC can also be enhanced by pharmacological and surgical means (Bernik et al, 2002; Singh, Kandala, & Camm, 2014).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cardiac Vagal Control and Depressive Symptoms: The Moderating Role of Sleep Quality

Werner

Ford

Mauss

et al. 2016

Behavioral Sleep Medicine

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Lower cardiac vagal control (CVC) has been linked to greater depression. However, this link has not been consistently demonstrated, suggesting the presence of key moderators. Sleep plausibly is one such factor. Therefore, we investigated whether sleep quality moderates the link between CVC (quantified by high-frequency heart rate variability, HF-HRV) and depressive symptoms (assessed using established questionnaires) in 29 healthy women. Results revealed a significant interaction between HF-HRV and sleep quality in predicting depressive symptoms: participants with lower HF-HRV reported elevated depressive symptoms only when sleep quality was also low. In contrast, HF-HRV was not associated with depressive symptoms when sleep quality was high, suggesting a protective function of high sleep quality in the context of lower CVC.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Cardiac Vagal Control and Depressive Symptoms: The Moderating Role of Sleep Quality

Werner

Ford

Mauss

et al. 2016

Behavioral Sleep Medicine

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“…However, as only marginal changes were observed in HRV, this was not sufficiently supported. In contrast, Nolan et al (2005) demonstrated an association between augmented vagal activation and reduced stress perception after five sessions HRV biofeedback in patients with coronary heart disease. Similarly, a controlled pilot study on subjects with PTSD showed that a change in HRV during HRV BF treatment was able to predict PTSD symptom reduction (Zucker et al 2009).…”

Section: Subjective Ratingsmentioning

confidence: 97%

“…It has been suggested that resonance frequency breathing (i.e., the breathing frequency that causes the largest HR oscillation amplitude) may strengthen baroreflexes, thus improving the autonomic functioning (Vaschillo et al 2002;Lehrer et al 2003). HRV BF has shown to be useful in treating symptoms in various disorders characterized by aberration of the ANS (Wheat and Larkin 2010), including posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Zucker et al 2009), depression (Siepmann et al 2008) and heart disease (Nolan et al 2005) as well as musculoskeletal pain (Hasset et al 2007;Kapitza et al 2010). However, further controlled studies are needed on muscle pain.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback in Subjects with Stress-Related Chronic Neck Pain: A Pilot Study

Hallman

Olsson

Schéele

et al. 2011

Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback

122

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Recent studies focusing on autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunctions, together with theoretical pathophysiological models of musculoskeletal disorders, indicate the involvement of ANS regulation in development and maintenance of chronic muscle pain. Research has demonstrated the effectiveness of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback (BF) in increasing HRV and reducing the symptoms of different disorders characterized by ANS aberration. The study investigated the effects of resonance frequency HRV BF on autonomic regulation and perceived health, pain, stress and disability in 24 subjects with stress-related chronic neckshoulder pain. Twelve subjects participated in 10 weekly sessions of resonant HRV BF and were compared to a control group. Subjective reports and HRV measures during relaxation and in response to a standardized stress protocol were assessed for both groups pre-and postintervention. Group X time interactions revealed a significantly stronger increase over time in perceived health (SF-36) for the treatment group, including vitality, bodily pain and social functioning. Interactions were also seen for HRV during relaxation and reactivity to stress.The present pilot study indicates improvement in perceived health over a 10 week intervention with HRV-biofeedback in subjects with chronic neck-pain. Increased resting HRV as well as enhanced reactivity to hand grip and cold pressor tests might reflect beneficial effects on ANS regulation, and suggest that this intervention protocol is suitable for a larger controlled trial.

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“…HRV biofeedback has been shown to increase HRV and heart rhythm coherence and to produce positive outcomes in various populations, including clinically significant improvements in asthma (Lehrer et al 2004), hypertension (McCraty et al 2003), and depression (Karavidas 2008;Siepmann et al 2008). This intervention has also been found to augment vagal regulation of heart rate while facilitating psychological adjustment in patients with coronary heart disease (Nolan et al 2005). Other recent effective applications of HRV biofeedback include reducing test anxiety and improving standardized test performance in high school students (Bradley et al 2007) and improving cognition in recently returned combat veterans with post-traumatic stress disorder (Ginsberg 2009).…”

Section: Description Of Intervention Programmentioning

confidence: 99%

New Hope for Correctional Officers: An Innovative Program for Reducing Stress and Health Risks

McCraty

Atkinson

Lipsenthal

et al. 2009

Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback

113

100

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This study investigated the impact of a new stress management program on physiological and psychological stress and health risk factors among 75 correctional officers. The experimental group received training in emotion self-regulation techniques intended to reduce stress and health risk factors. Practice of the techniques was enhanced by heart rate variability feedback, which helped participants learn and sustain use of the self-management tools. Measures of physiological stress included cortisol, DHEA, cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting glucose levels, 10-min resting electrocardiogram, heart rate variability, and blood pressure. Three psychological questionnaires assessed emotional stress and work-related variables. There were significant improvements in the experimental group in cholesterol, glucose, heart rate, blood pressure and positive outlook and significant reductions in overall psychological distress. There were significant increases in productivity, motivation, goal clarity, and perceived support. The mean difference between pre-and post-intervention projected health care costs was calculated to be $1,179 per employee per year.

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Heart rate variability biofeedback as a behavioral neurocardiac intervention to enhance vagal heart rate control

Cited by 184 publications

References 32 publications

Cardiac Vagal Control and Depressive Symptoms: The Moderating Role of Sleep Quality

Cardiac Vagal Control and Depressive Symptoms: The Moderating Role of Sleep Quality

Effects of Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback in Subjects with Stress-Related Chronic Neck Pain: A Pilot Study

New Hope for Correctional Officers: An Innovative Program for Reducing Stress and Health Risks

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