The influence of monocular viewing on heart period variability.
Monocular viewing seems to differentially activate the cerebral hemispheres. Viewing with only one eye is accompanied by a relatively greater activation of the contralateral hemisphere. In this study heart periods were measured during binocular, left and right monocular viewing in 29 right-handed males. Power spectral analysis of heart period variability showed that the amount of heart rate fluctuations in the 0.07-0.13 Hz frequency range (the mid-frequency peak of the spectrum) depends on the viewing eye. Only viewing with the left eye produced a significant increase of the mid-frequency peak. It is known that sympathetic activity contributes strongly to the mid-frequency component of the heart rate. Therefore, it is concluded that the effects of left monocular viewing result in an increased sympathetic influence on the sinoatrial node.
Weisz
J
J
Psychophysiological Research Group, Hungarian Academy of Sciences, Budapest.
Szilágyi
N
N
Láng
E
E
Adám
G
G
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D004569:Electroencephalography; D007839:Functional Laterality / Q000502:physiology; D006321:Heart / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012849:Sinoatrial Node / Q000502:physiology; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology; D015349:Vision, Monocular / Q000502:physiology*; D014796:Visual Perception / Q000502:physiology*