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.
Center of Alcohol Studies, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, Piscataway, New Jersey 08854, USA. Evaschil@rci.rutgers.edu
Evgeny G
EG
Vaschillo
Marsha E
ME
Bates
Bronya
B
Vaschillo
Paul
P
Lehrer
Tomoko
T
Udo
Eun Young
EY
Mun
Suchismita
S
Ray
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