Neurovisceral regulatory circuits of affective resilience in youth

Abstract

The Neurovisceral Integration Model (NIM) is one of the most influential psychophysiological models addressing the interplay between the autonomic (ANS) and central nervous system (CNS). In their groundbreaking conceptual work, integrating autonomic, attentional, and affective systems into a functional and structural network, Thayer & Lane laid the foundation for empirical research in the past two decades. The present paper provides a principal outline aiming to reflect and further elaborate on the model from a dynamic developmental perspective. The central question at hand is, how does neurovisceral integration develop (early in life)? By reviewing the existing evidence, it is illustrated that key components of the model, both, on a physiological and psychological level, undergo extensive change early in the course of life. This sensitive period of human development seems key for our understanding of the integrated action of the ANS and CNS in emotion across the lifespan. Early life events may interfere with the fine-tuned interplay of this shared neural circuitry resulting in long-term dysfunction and psychiatric illness. In the absence of longitudinal data covering the entire co-development of the ANS and CNSfrom early childhood to adolescence into early adulthood, it is suggested, that vagal activity and its normative increase in adolescence is a key premise for normative brain development on a structural and functional level, subsequent psychological functioning and adaptive regulation. Implications from this dynamic perspective and suggestions for future research in the field of developmental psychophysiology are discussed. K E Y W O R D Sadolescence, brain development, emotion regulation, heart rate variability, neurovisceral integration, psychopathology 2 of 18 | KOENIG

Feelings from the heart: Developing HRV decrease‐trigger algorithms via multilevel hyperplane simulation to detect psychosocially meaningful episodes in everyday life

“…Furthermore, we want to encourage the development of algorithms capable of detecting meaningful increases in HRV, independent of movement patterns (i.e., AddHRVi). Elevated vagally mediated HRV has been associated with resilience and psychosocial resources (e.g., An et al., 2020 ; Carnevali, Thayer, et al, 2018 ; Gerteis & Schwerdtfeger, 2016 ; Koenig, 2020 ; Perna et al., 2020 ; Schwerdtfeger & Scheel, 2012 ; for an inverse association on a within‐person level, see however, Schwerdtfeger & Dick, 2019 ), which should complement the automated detection of HRV decreases. This way HRV decrease triggers could not only be compared to random prompts, but be contrasted with HRV increase triggers to maximize effects.…”

Interactive effects of childhood maltreatment and tonic respiratory sinus arrhythmia on young adults’ depressive symptoms

“…Previous research has also evidenced that RSA reactivity to stress moderated the associations of parenting stressors (Fletcher et al., 2017) or adverse life events (Daches et al., 2019) to adolescents’ depressive symptoms. Future work is advocated to simultaneously consider multiple RSA or other physiological indices (Koenig, 2020), which may have allowed for a deeper understanding of the role of physiological regulation in the relations between childhood maltreatment and symptoms of depression.…”

Predicting youth reoffending after incarceration: added value of protective factors and heart rate variability

“…When distinguishing the individual branches of the ANS, aberrant parasympathetic nervous system (PNS) activity, (often measured as heart rate variability/HRV), has been found to be related to impaired emotion regulation in antisocial behavior (Beauchaine et al, 2013;Gao et al, 2009;Raine et al, 1990). HRV is thought to be a biomarker of emotion regulation and cognitive control that explains a diversity of psychopathology (Beauchaine & Thayer, 2015;Koenig, 2020). As for sympathetic nervous system (SNS) activity, a decreased activity as indicated by lengthened pre-ejection period (PEP) and lower Skin Conductance level (SCL), has previously been found in relation to antisocial behavior (Beauchaine et al, 2013;Graziano & Derefinko, 2013;de Vries-bouw et al, 2011).…”