Heart rate variability in acute psychosis

Abstract

Heart rate variability (HRV) provides reliable tools to assess the integrity and reactivity of autonomic nervous function. Our aim was to examine HRV in the resting condition and during different mental loads in acute psychosis compared to healthy controls. HRV was measured in 17 first-episode drug-naive patients with psychosis and 21 healthy controls during oddball tasks and while performing the Wisconsin Card Sorting Test. A discrete event series was constructed by an adaptive QRS detector algorithm and power spectrum estimation was carried out. The RMSSD (representing interval differences of successive heartbeats) and the amount of high frequency (HF) power were significantly reduced in patients. Moreover, the patients' HRV remained unaltered during the tasks, whereas in controls the HRV diminished with increasing mental load of the task. Patients with psychosis displayed less short-term HR reactivity than healthy controls. They also failed to adapt HRV according to the task-connected strain. Acute psychosis is characterized by a limited capacity to respond to external demands at the level of autonomic nervous system.

Analyses of Heart Rate, Respiration and Cardiorespiratory Coupling in Patients with Schizophrenia

“…However, there is ample evidence that a dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (ANS), determined by investigating heart rate variability (HRV), is obviously present in schizophrenia patients. These studies found a vagal withdrawal and a sympathetic predominance for these patients, as well as in part for their healthy first-degree relatives [6][7][8][9][10].…”

Autonomic nervous system dysfunction in psychiatric disorders and the impact of psychotropic medications: a systematic review and meta-analysis

“…224,225 A more important question for future research may be what impact age and earlier manifestions of the disorder have on changes in HRV over time, including first-episode and prodromal periods, as symptoms change or worsen. 65,226,227 Additionally, the inclusion of cross-sectional studies in the case-control analysis does not address the question of whether reduced vagal control in these populations is part of a potential mechanism placing these individuals at a greater risk for cardiovascular disease, or whether reduced HRV in these groups compared to controls is actually a downstream effect of altered neural pathways that control autonomic regulation of the heart. 228 Our search strategy included other classes of psychotropic medications (e.g., mood stabilizers, benzodiazepines) and …”

Autonomic Dysfunction in Unaffected First-Degree Relatives of Patients Suffering From Schizophrenia

“…[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] In particular, a disease-associated decrease in vagal modulation causes reduced heart rate variability (HRV) and diminished baro-reflex sensitivity (BRS). 2 HRV describes the continuous interplay between sympathetic and parasympathetic modulation of heart rate that reflects information on autonomic flexibility and responsiveness.…”