Cardiac vagal activity during psychological stress varies with social functioning in older women.
The polyvagal theory states that social behavior is linked to cardiac vagal control. This theory has been tested widely in infants and children, but less so in adults. Thus, we examined if resting or stress-related changes in high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV; a presumed index of vagal control) varied with social functioning in 50 healthy women (mean age 68 years). After completing assessments of social functioning, women were exposed to laboratory stressors with concurrent psychophysiological monitoring. Although stressor-induced suppression of HF-HRV was common, women with less stressor-induced suppression of HF-HRV reported more positive social functioning. Resting HF-HRV was not related to social functioning. These findings are at apparent odds with the polyvagal theory; however, they complement prior work suggesting that emotional self-regulation could plausibly modulate cardiac vagal control in association with social functioning.
Egizio
Victoria B
VB
Department of Psychology, University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15213, USA. vbe1@pitt.edu
Jennings
J Richard
JR
Christie
Israel C
IC
Sheu
Lei K
LK
Matthews
Karen A
KA
Gianaros
Peter J
PJ
D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D003071:Cognition / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006321:Heart / Q000294:innervation* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012919:Social Behavior; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*