The Heart´s rhythm ‘n’ blues: Sex differences in circadian variation patterns of vagal activity vary by depressive symptoms in predominantly healthy employees

Abstract

This is the first study investigating circadian variation pattern by mild depressive symptoms in a large, rather healthy occupational sample. Depressive symptoms were associated with decreased circadian variation pattern of vagal activity in men but with increased circadian variation pattern in women. The possible underlying mechanism(s) are discussed using the neurovisceral integration model. These findings may have implications for the knowledge on etiology, diagnosis, course, and treatment of depressive symptoms and thus may be of significant public health relevance.

Circadian Rhythms of the Autonomic Nervous System: Scientific Implication and Practical Implementation

“…We also demonstrated previously a salient association between circadian variation patterns and depressive symptoms in 3030 predominantly healthy employees (mean age 41 ± 7; females 20.2%) [54]. Multivariate linear regression models revealed a negative association with MESOR and amplitude in men, but the…”

“…To the best of our knowledge, no study has yet investigated the short-or longterm reproducibility of circadian variation patterns of HRV parameters. We recently demonstrated short-term reliability in 74 men (age 41 ± 7) with repeated 24 h measures and a gap of 1 day between measures [53]. The vagal activity was indicated using estimates of HRV (RMSSD, pNN50, SDNN).…”

Menstrual Cycle Changes in Vagally-Mediated Heart Rate Variability Are Associated with Progesterone: Evidence from Two Within-Person Studies

“…A limitation shared by both studies refers to the time of day of HRV assessments. Given that HRV shows circadian variations [64,65] and since the present work focuses on within-person changes in HRV, we have kept the time of the testing consistent within each participant. Nonetheless, it is possible that the time between waking and testing showed within-person differences which, in turn, could distort the investigated effects of cyclical hormones on HRV.…”

Sex-Specific Differences in Severity of Depressive Symptoms, Heart Rate Variability, and Neurocognitive Profiles of Depressed Young Adults: Exploring Characteristics for Mild Depression

“…Previous research (22,24,25) reported a stronger association between symptoms of depression and poor cardiac vagal control in males than in females. These results are consistent with findings that suggest males and females use different strategies to cope with everyday stress and that this may result in different HRV in each sex (22). A high LF/HF ratio indicates that the sympathetic response is predominant, and this occurs when individuals engage in fight-or-flight behaviors or the parasympathetic response is suppressed (60).…”

“…Furthermore, substantial cardiac autonomic control differences between the sexes have been reported in healthy subjects, with women exhibiting increased power in the HF band. This indicates that despite their higher mean heart rates, women show greater vagal activity than men (22,23). Other studies have reported that symptoms of depression were more strongly associated with poor cardiac vagal control and sympathetic predominance among depressed males than females (24)(25)(26).…”