Cardiac autonomic balance versus cardiac regulatory capacity

Authors: Berntson, Gary G.¹; Norman, Greg J.¹; Hawkley, Louise C.²; Cacioppo, John T.²

Source: Psychophysiology, Volume 45, Number 4, July 2008 , pp. 643-652(10)

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Abstract:

The concept of autonomic balance views autonomic states along a bipolar continuum from sympathetic (S) to parasympathetic (P) dominance, whereas regulatory capacity models emphasize overall autonomic flexibility as a marker of the capacity for regulation. These two concepts were evaluated for their utility in characterizing patterns of autonomic control. Measures of P (high frequency heart rate variability, HF) and S (preejection period, PEP) cardiac control were obtained. A measure of cardiac autonomic balance (CAB) was derived as the difference in the normalized P index minus the S index, and a measure of cardiac autonomic regulation (CAR) was derived as the normalized P index plus the S index. Results reveal that CAR, but not CAB, was a significant predictor of the prior occurrence of a myocardial infarction, net of demographic and other variables, whereas CAB, but not CAR, was a significant predictor of concurrent diabetes.

Keywords: Sympathetic; Parasympathetic; Pre-ejection period; Heart rate variability; Respiratory sinus arrhythmia; Cardiac control; Autonomic balance; Myocardial infarction; Diabetes

Document Type: Research article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8986.2008.00652.x

Affiliations: 1: Department of Psychology, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, USA 2: Chicago Center for Cognitive and Social Neuroscience and The University of Chicago, Chicago, Illinois, USA

Publication date: 2008-07-01