Putting back respiration into respiratory sinus arrhythmia or high-frequency heart rate variability: Implications for interpretation, respiratory rhythmicity, and health

Biol Psychol. 2023 Dec 11:108728. doi: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108728. Online ahead of print.ABSTRACTResearch on respiratory sinus arrhythmia, or high-frequency heart rate variability (its frequency-domain equivalent), has been popular in psychology and the behavioral sciences for some time. It is typically interpreted as an indicator of cardiac vagal activity. However, as research has shown for decades, the respiratory pattern can influence the amplitude of these noninvasive measures substantially, without necessarily reflecting changes in tonic cardiac vagal activity. Although changes in respiration are systematically associated with experiential and behavioral states, this potential confounder in the interpretation of RSA, or HF-HRV, is rarely considered. Interpretations of within-individual changes in these parameters are therefore only conclusive if undertaken relative to the breathing pattern. The interpretation of absolute levels of these parameters between individuals is additionally burdened with the problem of residual inspiratory cardiac vagal activity in humans. Furthermore, multiple demographic, anthropometric, life-style, health, and medication variables can act as relevant third variables that might explain associations of RSA or HF-HRV with experiential and behavioral variables. Because vagal activity measured by these parameters only represents the portion of cardiac vagal outflow that is modulated by the respiratory rhythm, alternative interpretations beyon...
Source: Biological Psychology - Category: Psychiatry & Psychology Authors: Source Type: research