Heart rate variability response to alcohol, placebo, and emotional picture cue challenges: effects of 0.1-Hz stimulation.
Heart rate variability (HRV) supports emotion regulation and is reduced by alcohol. Based on the resonance properties of the cardiovascular system, a new 0.1-Hz methodology was developed to present emotional stimuli and assess HRV reaction in participants (N=36) randomly assigned to an alcohol, placebo, or control condition. Blocked picture cues (negative, positive, neutral) were presented at a rate of 5 s on, 5 s off (i.e., 0.1-Hz frequency). SDNN, pNN50, and HF HRV were reduced by alcohol, compared to the placebo and control. The 0.1-Hz HRV index was diminished by alcohol and placebo, suggesting that autonomic regulation can be affected by cognitive expectancy. The 0.1-Hz HRV index and pNN50 detected changes in arousal during emotional compared to neutral cues, and the 0.1-Hz HRV index was most sensitive to negative valence. The 0.1-Hz HRV methodology may be useful for studying the intersection of cognition, emotion, and autonomic regulation.
Vaschillo
Evgeny G
EG
Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA. Evaschil@rci.rutgers.edu
Bates
Marsha E
ME
Vaschillo
Bronya
B
Lehrer
Paul
P
Udo
Tomoko
T
Mun
Eun Young
EY
Ray
Suchismita
S
D000328:Adult; D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants / Q000494:pharmacology*; D003071:Cognition / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D003463:Cues; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000187:drug effects; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology*; D000431:Ethanol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010775:Photic Stimulation; D015656:Respiratory Mechanics / Q000502:physiology
D002492:Central Nervous System Depressants; D000431:Ethanol