The association between individual differences in executive functioning and resting high-frequency heart rate variability

Williams, Paula; Cribbet, Matthew R.; Tinajero, Ruben; Rau, Holly; Thayer, Julian F.; Suchy, Yana

doi:10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.107772

Cited by 32 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 69 publications

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“…Associations of resting vmHRV with cognitive executive functions that support self‐regulation and goal‐directed adaptive behavior are also consistent with the NVIM and related perspectives. Higher resting vmHRV is associated with better performance in attentional switching, cognitive flexibility, inhibitory control, and other cognitive control tasks (Colzato, Jongkees, de Wit, van der Molen, & Steenbergen, ; Kemp et al, ; Ottaviani et al, ; Roos et al, ) and on composite tests of executive functioning (Williams et al, ), as well as with more flexible attention and better attentional inhibition in emotional processing (Park, Van Bavel, Vasey, & Thayer, , ). Some studies find limited support for the integration of regional brain activity, vmHRV, and executive function predicted by NVIM (e.g., Jennings, Allen, Gianaros, Thayer, & Manuck, ), but it is important to note that establishing neurobiological underpinnings of self‐regulation can be challenging, as it requires precise and reliable assessments of both domains (Kelley, Wagner, & Heaterton, ; Suchy, ).…”

Section: Empirical Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Further, higher vmHRV predicts increasing social connection over time, and initial social connection predicts increases in resting vmHRV, suggesting a reciprocal association between parasympathetic functioning and social engagement (Kok & Fredrickson, ). Finally, low‐resting vmHRV is associated with greater perceived ethnic discrimination among African Americans, especially if they report rumination (Williams, Pandya, et al, ).…”

Section: Empirical Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Toward a social psychophysiology of vagally mediated heart rate variability: Concepts and methods in self‐regulation, emotion, and interpersonal processes

Smith

Deits‐Lebehn

Williams

et al. 2020

Social & Personality Psych

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Theory and research on self‐regulation, emotional adjustment, and interpersonal processes focus increasingly on parasympathetic functioning, using measures of vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) or respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). This review describes models of vmHRV in these areas, and issues in measurement and analysis. We propose a framework organizing theory and research as examining (a) vmHRV as an individual difference or a situational response, and (b) resting, reactive, or recovery levels. Evidence supports interpretation of individual differences in resting vmHRV as a broad biomarker for adaptive functioning, but its specificity and underlying mechanisms require elaboration. Individual differences in vagal reactivity (i.e., trait‐like differences in vmHRV decreases during challenge or stress) are less commonly studied in adults and results are mixed. Many stressors and challenges evoke temporary decreases in vmHRV, and in some research self‐regulatory effort evokes increases. In a smaller literature, positive interpersonal experiences and some restorative processes increase resting vmHRV, whereas depletion of self‐regulatory capacity through related effort decreases it. Greater attention to conceptual distinctions regarding vmHRV constructs and several methodological issues will strengthen future research. Importantly, researchers should exercise caution in equating vmHRV with specific psychosocial constructs, especially in the absence of converging assessments and precise experimental manipulations.

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Section: Empirical Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Empirical Findingsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Toward a social psychophysiology of vagally mediated heart rate variability: Concepts and methods in self‐regulation, emotion, and interpersonal processes

Smith

Deits‐Lebehn

Williams

et al. 2020

Social & Personality Psych

Self Cite

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“…Evidence suggests that executive brain function, defined as the proper or adaptive activity of executive brain regions such as the prefrontal cortex (PFC), is responsible for memory encoding and retrieval (Tulving et al, 1994;Blumenfeld and Ranganath, 2007) and thus, correctly distinguishing true from false memories (Storbeck and Clore, 2005). Resting-state 3 vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) is widely recognized as a potential index of executive brain function, with higher resting vmHRV being related to better functioning of the aforementioned brain regions (Williams et al, 2019;Stenfors et al, 2016), in particular the PFC (Thayer et al, 2012). Here we sought to investigate if resting vmHRV plays a role in both memory encoding and memory retrieval in a false memory paradigm.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Resting state heart rate variability and false memories

Feeling

Williams

Speller

et al. 2021

International Journal of Psychophysiology

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Recent studies have shown higher resting-state vagally-mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) to be related to greater memory retrieval. Research has not yet linked resting vmHRV with memory encoding and retrieval, as both are thought to play an important role in correctly distinguishing between true and false memories. The current study investigated this possible link in n = 71 undergraduate students. VmHRV was assessed during a 5minute resting baseline period. Participants then completed the Deese-Roediger-McDermott (DRM) task, where they first viewed 6 word lists (12 words per list), and were later asked to identify previously shown words (true memories) and reject non-presented words. Results showed that participants with lower resting vmHRV were less able to discriminate true from false items. These data extend previous work on resting vmHRV and memory suggesting that resting vmHRV represents a psychophysiological pathway involved in both the proper encoding and retrieval of memories.

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“…Additionally, descending projections from the PFC to the brainstem and hypothalamic structures allow for bi-directional communication between the central nervous system and the ANS through the vagus nerve [12]. As such, high levels of vagally-mediated HRV is associated with superior executive function [26], working memory [13], and emotional regulation [27]. Prior cognitive training interventions revealed a link between autonomic vagal activity and improvements in working memory and other executive functions, suggesting that vagal activity might reflect enhanced cognitive control via greater automaticity and reduced activation between the striatum and prefrontal networks [28].…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Competitive dynamics underlie cognitive improvements during sleep

Chen

Niknazar

Wa³

et al. 2021

Preprint

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Both working memory (WM) and long-term memory (LTM) utilize non-rapid eye movement (NREM) sleep for improvement. LTM systems consolidation is supported by hippocampal-cortical communication, whereas WM improvement is associated with the strengthening of prefrontal-autonomic networks. Prior studies have demonstrated that these two networks demonstrate mutual antagonism during sleep; but this trade-off has not been confirmed in human sleep and its functional significance is unknown. Here, we investigated the functional impact of central and autonomic activity on LTM and WM improvement. We pharmacologically enhanced central activity and observed targeted suppression of autonomic activity, and using effective connectivity, we showed greater causal influence of central over autonomic activity. Finally, we demonstrated that the central and autonomic antagonism was reflected in a behavioral trade-off between overnight LTM and WM processing. These results suggest that NREM sleep confers benefits to working and long-term memory by switching between autonomic and central processing.

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The association between individual differences in executive functioning and resting high-frequency heart rate variability

Cited by 32 publications

References 69 publications

Toward a social psychophysiology of vagally mediated heart rate variability: Concepts and methods in self‐regulation, emotion, and interpersonal processes

Toward a social psychophysiology of vagally mediated heart rate variability: Concepts and methods in self‐regulation, emotion, and interpersonal processes

Resting state heart rate variability and false memories

Competitive dynamics underlie cognitive improvements during sleep

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