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Stick M, Leone A, Fischer F, Schulz JB, Maier A. Deep abdominal breathing reduces heart rate and symptoms during orthostatic challenge in patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Eur J Neurol 2024:e16402. [PMID: 38962840 DOI: 10.1111/ene.16402] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/20/2024] [Revised: 06/19/2024] [Accepted: 06/20/2024] [Indexed: 07/05/2024]
Abstract
BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE This study investigated the effects of deep abdominal breathing on cardiovascular parameters and symptoms in patients with postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) during head-up tilt-table (HUT) challenge. METHODS Thirty POTS patients completed two consecutive rounds of 10-min HUT in a crossover design. One round was HUT without intervention, and one round combined the HUT with deep breathing at a rate of 6 breaths/min. Cardiovascular parameters, including mean blood pressure and maximum and mean heart rate (HR), were measured supine and standing. Symptoms were assessed using the Vanderbilt Orthostatic Symptom Score (VOSS). RESULTS During the breathing technique, the mean HR increase was -7.35 bpm (95% confidence interval [CI] = -11.71 to -2.98), and the maximum HR increase was -6.27 bpm (95% CI = -11.85 to -0.68, p = 0.041), significantly lower compared to normal breathing. Additionally, improvements were observed in all absolute cardiovascular parameters during standing, with VOSS symptoms simultaneously and significantly decreasing by -5.38 (95% CI = -10.43 to -0.36). CONCLUSIONS Slow deep abdominal breathing can act as a simple technique to reduce the standing HR increase upon HUT in patients with POTS. This suggests that modulation of the cardiopulmonary neurocircuits and the respiratory pump may reduce HR increase and symptoms in patients with POTS. The findings of this study highlight the use of a safe, zero-cost, and simple behavioral tool to suggest to POTS patients for symptom relief apart from standard treatment. The observed improvements in cardiovascular parameters and symptoms offer a promising therapeutic approach for patients in times of inadequate treatment options.
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Affiliation(s)
- Moritz Stick
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Rheinisch Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Ariane Leone
- Department of Pediatrics, München Rechts der Isar (MRI) Chronic Fatigue Center for Young People, University Hospital, Technical University of Munich, Munich, Germany
| | - Fiona Fischer
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Rheinisch Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Jörg B Schulz
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Rheinisch Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
- Jülich Aachen research alliance (JARA)-BRAIN Institute, Molecular Neuroscience and Neuroimaging, Forschungszentrum Jülich, Medical Faculty RWTH Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
| | - Andrea Maier
- Department of Neurology, Medical Faculty Rheinisch Westfälische Technische Hochschule (RWTH) Aachen University, Aachen, Germany
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Blaser BL, Weymar M, Wendt J. Alleviating premenstrual symptoms with smartphone-based heart rate variability biofeedback training: a pilot study. Front Digit Health 2024; 6:1337667. [PMID: 38946728 PMCID: PMC11211633 DOI: 10.3389/fdgth.2024.1337667] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 11/30/2023] [Accepted: 05/28/2024] [Indexed: 07/02/2024] Open
Abstract
Introduction Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) is a well-studied intervention known for its positive effects on emotional, cognitive, and physiological well-being, including relief from depressive symptoms. However, its practical use is hampered by high costs and a lack of trained professionals. Smartphone-based HRVB, which eliminates the need for external devices, offers a promising alternative, albeit with limited research. Additionally, premenstrual symptoms are highly prevalent among menstruating individuals, and there is a need for low-cost, accessible interventions with minimal side effects. With this pilot study, we aim to test, for the first time, the influence of smartphone-based HRVB on depressive and premenstrual symptoms, as well as anxiety/stress symptoms and attentional control. Methods Twenty-seven participants with above-average premenstrual or depressive symptoms underwent a 4-week photoplethysmography smartphone-based HRVB intervention using a waitlist-control design. Laboratory sessions were conducted before and after the intervention, spaced exactly 4 weeks apart. Assessments included resting vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV), attentional control via the revised attention network test (ANT-R), depressive symptoms assessed with the BDI-II questionnaire, and stress/anxiety symptoms measured using the DASS questionnaire. Premenstrual symptomatology was recorded through the PAF questionnaire if applicable. Data analysis employed linear mixed models. Results We observed improvements in premenstrual, depressive, and anxiety/stress symptoms, as well as the Executive Functioning Score of the ANT-R during the intervention period but not during the waitlist phase. However, we did not find significant changes in vmHRV or the Orienting Score of the ANT-R. Discussion These findings are promising, both in terms of the effectiveness of smartphone-based HRVB and its potential to alleviate premenstrual symptoms. Nevertheless, to provide a solid recommendation regarding the use of HRVB for improving premenstrual symptoms, further research with a larger sample size is needed to replicate these effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- Berenike Lisa Blaser
- Department of Biological Psychology and Affective Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Mathias Weymar
- Department of Biological Psychology and Affective Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
- Faculty of Health Sciences Brandenburg, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
| | - Julia Wendt
- Department of Biological Psychology and Affective Science, Faculty of Human Sciences, University of Potsdam, Potsdam, Germany
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Kramer AC, Neubauer AB, Schmiedek F. The Effectiveness of A Slow-Paced Diaphragmatic Breathing Exercise in Children's Daily Life: A Micro-Randomized Trial. JOURNAL OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY : THE OFFICIAL JOURNAL FOR THE SOCIETY OF CLINICAL CHILD AND ADOLESCENT PSYCHOLOGY, AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION, DIVISION 53 2023; 52:797-810. [PMID: 35704507 DOI: 10.1080/15374416.2022.2084743] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 06/15/2023]
Abstract
OBJECTIVE Breathing exercises have been proposed as an effective intervention to improve subjective well-being and manage anxiety symptoms. As they are comparatively easy to learn and to implement, breathing exercises may be particularly beneficial for children. Although breathing exercises are ultimately supposed to provide salutary effects in individuals' everyday lives, immediate effects of breathing exercises in naturalistic contexts have received limited empirical attention. The purpose of this study was to examine immediate effects of slow-paced diaphragmatic breathing on negative affect as well as on relaxation in an ecologically valid setting. To that end, we conducted a micro-randomized trial in children's daily life. METHOD On each of 15 days, children (N = 171, aged 9-13 years, 54% female) were randomized to different conditions: performing a video-guided slow-paced diaphragmatic breathing exercise (experimental condition), watching a different video (active control condition), or a passive control condition. RESULTS The breathing exercise had no immediate effects on negative affect or relaxation compared to both control conditions. However, in situations when children reported higher levels of worries than usual, relaxation was higher when children performed the breathing exercise compared to the passive control condition. Compared to the active control condition, the breathing exercise did not result in higher levels of relaxation in situations when children worried more than normally. CONCLUSIONS Findings highlight that context-specific factors can modulate the effectiveness of breathing exercises and should be taken into account to tailor interventions to individuals' needs.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrea C Kramer
- Department of Education and Human Development, DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education
- Center for Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA)
| | - Andreas B Neubauer
- Department of Education and Human Development, DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education
- Center for Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA)
| | - Florian Schmiedek
- Department of Education and Human Development, DIPF | Leibniz Institute for Research and Information in Education
- Center for Individual Development and Adaptive Education of Children at Risk (IDeA)
- Department of Psychology and Sport Sciences, Goethe University Frankfurt
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Szulczewski MT, D'Agostini M, Van Diest I. Expiratory-gated Transcutaneous Auricular Vagus Nerve Stimulation (taVNS) does not Further Augment Heart Rate Variability During Slow Breathing at 0.1 Hz. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 2023; 48:323-333. [PMID: 36920567 PMCID: PMC10412484 DOI: 10.1007/s10484-023-09584-4] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Accepted: 03/03/2023] [Indexed: 03/16/2023]
Abstract
As cardiac vagal control is a hallmark of good health and self-regulatory capacity, researchers are seeking ways to increase vagally mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV) in an accessible and non-invasive way. Findings with transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) have been disappointing in this respect, as its effects on vmHRV are inconsistent at best. It has been speculated that combining taVNS with other established ways to increase vmHRV may produce synergistic effects. To test this idea, the present study combined taVNS with slow breathing in a cross-over design. A total of 22 participants took part in two sessions of breathing at 6 breaths/min: once combined with taVNS, and once combined with sham stimulation. Electrical stimulation (100 Hz, 400 µs) was applied during expiration, either to the tragus and cavum conchae (taVNS) or to the earlobe (sham). ECG was recorded during baseline, 20-minutes of stimulation, and the recovery period. Frequentist and Bayesian analyses showed no effect of taVNS (in comparison to sham stimulation) on the root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats, mean inter-beat interval, or spectral power of heart rate variability at a breathing frequency of 0.1 Hz. These findings suggest that expiratory-gated taVNS combined with the stimulation parameters examined here does not produce acute effects on vmHRV during slow breathing.
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Affiliation(s)
| | - Martina D'Agostini
- Research Group Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
| | - Ilse Van Diest
- Research Group Health Psychology, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences, KU Leuven, Leuven, Belgium
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Vacher P, Merlin Q, Levillain G, Mourot L, Martinent G, Nicolas M. Asynchronous Heart Rate Variability Biofeedback Protocol Effects on Adolescent Athletes' Cognitive Appraisals and Recovery-Stress States. J Funct Morphol Kinesiol 2023; 8:94. [PMID: 37489307 DOI: 10.3390/jfmk8030094] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Submit a Manuscript] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/15/2023] [Revised: 06/20/2023] [Accepted: 06/27/2023] [Indexed: 07/26/2023] Open
Abstract
This study examined the effect of an asynchronous heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BFBasync) protocol on national-level adolescent swimmers' cognitive appraisals and recovery-stress states during a six-week ecological training period. A polynomial mixed-effects multilevel regression analysis approach was used with 27 adolescent national-level swimmers randomly assigned to an intervention group (n = 14) and a control group (n = 13). Six waves of assessments of cognitive appraisals and recovery-stress states were completed during six weeks of training preparation in ecological conditions. The results revealed that the HRV-BFBasync protocol significantly predicts lower levels of biopsychosocial stress states and cognitive stress. However, no significant effects were found for biopsychosocial recovery scales and cognitive perceived control. The results suggested that total stress states, sport-specific stress, and cognitive perceived stress evolutions are a function of polynomial time third-degree interactions with HRV-BFB protocol. Overall, this study suggested that the HRV-BFBasync protocol leads adolescent athletes to experience lower biopsychosocial and cognitive stress levels during training periodization. Our results also suggest that HRV-BFB induces complex evolutions over time for stress and recovery states but does not have a predictive function for the recovery states and perceived control.
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Affiliation(s)
- Philippe Vacher
- Research Center for Education Learning and Didactics (EA 3875), Faculty of Sports Science, University Brest, 29200 Brest, France
| | - Quentin Merlin
- Laboratory Psy-DREPI (EA 7458), University Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000 Dijon, France
| | - Guillaume Levillain
- Research Center for Education Learning and Didactics (EA 3875), Faculty of Sports Science, University Brest, 29200 Brest, France
| | - Laurent Mourot
- EA 3920-Prognostic Markers and Regulatory Factors of Cardiac and Vascular Diseases and Plateforme EPSI, Université de Franche-Comté, 25000 Besançon, France
| | - Guillaume Martinent
- Laboratory L-VIS (EA 7428), University of Claude Bernard Lyon 1, 69200 Lyon, France
| | - Michel Nicolas
- Laboratory Psy-DREPI (EA 7458), University Bourgogne Franche-Comté, 21000 Dijon, France
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Hotho G, von Bonin D, Krüerke D, Wolf U, Cysarz D. Unexpected Cardiovascular Oscillations at 0.1 Hz During Slow Speech Guided Breathing (OM Chanting) at 0.05 Hz. Front Physiol 2022; 13:875583. [PMID: 35620613 PMCID: PMC9127736 DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2022.875583] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/14/2022] [Accepted: 04/19/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
Slow breathing at 0.1 Hz (i.e., 6 cycles per minute, cpm) leads to strong cardiovascular oscillations. However, the impact of breathing below 6 cpm is rarely addressed. We investigated the influence of OM chanting, an ancient Indian mantra, with approx. 3 respiratory cpm (0.05 Hz) on the synchronisation of heart period (RR), respiration (RESP) and systolic blood pressure (SBP). Nine healthy, trained speech practitioners chanted three sequences of five subsequent OM with 2 min pauses in between. Each single OM chanting consisted of taking a deep breath and a long “OM” during expiration and lasted approx. 20 s. ECG, respiration and blood pressure were recorded continuously, of which the RR tachogram, RESP and SBP were derived. Synchronisation between the signals was computed using the phase difference between two signals. During OM chanting synchronisation among the oscillations of RR, SBP and RESP was significantly increased compared to rest. Furthermore, OM chanting at breathing frequencies between 0.046 and 0.057 Hz resulted in 0.1 Hz oscillations in RR and SBP. In conclusion, OM chanting strongly synchronized cardiorespiratory and blood pressure oscillations. Unexpected oscillations at 0.1 Hz in SBP and RR appear at breathing frequencies of approx. 0.05 Hz. Such frequency doubling may originate from an interaction of breathing frequency with endogenous Mayer waves.
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Affiliation(s)
- Gerard Hotho
- Biologisch Onderzoek Gennep, Eindhoven, Netherland
- Research Department, Clinic Arlesheim, Arlesheim, Switzerland
| | - Dietrich von Bonin
- Group Practice Therapeutikum, Bern, Switzerland
- Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerlamd
| | - Daniel Krüerke
- Research Department, Clinic Arlesheim, Arlesheim, Switzerland
| | - Ursula Wolf
- Institute of Complementary and Integrative Medicine, University of Bern, Bern, Switzerlamd
| | - Dirk Cysarz
- Integrated Curriculum for Anthroposophic Medicine, Faculty of Health, Witten/Herdecke University, Witten, Germany
- *Correspondence: Dirk Cysarz,
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Obradović J, Sulik MJ, Armstrong-Carter E. Taking a few deep breaths significantly reduces children's physiological arousal in everyday settings: Results of a preregistered video intervention. Dev Psychobiol 2021; 63:e22214. [PMID: 34813098 DOI: 10.1002/dev.22214] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/03/2021] [Revised: 10/20/2021] [Accepted: 10/23/2021] [Indexed: 11/05/2022]
Abstract
This preregistered, randomized field experiment tested the effectiveness of a brief deep breathing intervention on children's concurrent physiological arousal in naturalistic settings (N = 342; Mage = 7.48 years; 46% female; 53% Asian, 26% White; 21% other race/ethnicity). The treatment consisted of an animated video that introduced deep breathing as a self-regulation strategy and scaffolded the child in taking a few slow-paced breaths, while the control group watched an informational video featuring similar animated images. Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) and heart rate (HR) were measured while children were sitting still (baseline) and subsequently while watching 1-min videos. Relative to baseline arousal, RSA increased and HR decreased only in response to the deep-breathing treatment video. Effects were larger in the second 30-s epoch of the video, which included most of the deep breathing practice. RSA fully mediated the intervention's effects on HR. By analyzing all children exposed to intervention video regardless of their engagement in the deep breathing practice (intention-to-treat design) and by using easily scalable treatment videos, the study identifies an effective and pragmatic approach to reducing children's physiological arousal in everyday, group settings. Implications for advancing applied developmental psychophysiological research are discussed.
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Affiliation(s)
- Jelena Obradović
- Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
| | - Michael J Sulik
- Graduate School of Education, Stanford University, Stanford, California, USA
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Laborde S, Allen MS, Borges U, Iskra M, Zammit N, You M, Hosang T, Mosley E, Dosseville F. Psychophysiological effects of slow-paced breathing at six cycles per minute with or without heart rate variability biofeedback. Psychophysiology 2021; 59:e13952. [PMID: 34633670 DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13952] [Citation(s) in RCA: 20] [Impact Index Per Article: 6.7] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/05/2021] [Revised: 08/06/2021] [Accepted: 09/13/2021] [Indexed: 12/20/2022]
Abstract
Heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback, referring to slow-paced breathing (SPB) realized while visualizing a heart rate, HRV, and/or respiratory signal, has become an adjunct treatment for a large range of psychologic and medical conditions. However, the underlying mechanisms explaining the effectiveness of HRV biofeedback still need to be uncovered. This study aimed to disentangle the specific effects of HRV biofeedback from the effects of SPB realized alone. In total, 112 participants took part in the study. The parameters assessed were emotional (valence, arousal, and control) and perceived stress intensity as self-report variables and the root mean square of the successive differences (RMSSD) as a physiologic variable. A main effect of condition was found for emotional valence only, valence being more positive overall in the SPB-HRVB condition. A main effect of time was observed for all dependent variables. However, no main effects for the condition or time x condition interaction effects were observed. Results showed that for PRE and POST comparisons (referring, respectively, to before and after SPB), both SPB-HRVB and SPB-NoHRVB conditions resulted in a more negative emotional valence, lower emotional arousal, higher emotional control, and higher RMSSD. Future research might investigate psychophysiological differences between SPB-HRVB and SPB-NoHRVB across different time periods (e.g., long-term interventions), and in response to diverse psychophysiological stressors.
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Affiliation(s)
- Sylvain Laborde
- Department of Performance Psychology, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Normandie Université, UFR STAPS, EA 4260 CESAMS, Caen, France
| | - Mark S Allen
- School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia
| | - Uirassu Borges
- Department of Performance Psychology, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany.,Department of Health & Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Maša Iskra
- Department of Performance Psychology, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Nina Zammit
- Department of Performance Psychology, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University Cologne, Cologne, Germany
| | - Min You
- Normandie Université, UFR Psychologie, EA3918 CERREV, Caen, France
| | - Thomas Hosang
- Experimental Psychology Unit, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces, Hamburg, Germany
| | - Emma Mosley
- Department of Sport Science and Performance, School of Sport, Health and Social Science, Solent University Southampton, Southampton, UK
| | - Fabrice Dosseville
- Normandie Université, UMR-S 1075 COMETE, Caen, France.,INSERM, UMR-S 1075 COMETE, Caen, France
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Laborde S, Allen MS, Borges U, Hosang TJ, Furley P, Mosley E, Dosseville F. The Influence of Slow-Paced Breathing on Executive Function. J PSYCHOPHYSIOL 2021. [DOI: 10.1027/0269-8803/a000279] [Citation(s) in RCA: 10] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 01/06/2023]
Abstract
Abstract. The aim of this experiment was to test the immediate effects of slow-paced breathing on executive function. Slow-paced breathing is suggested to increase cardiac vagal activity, and the neurovisceral integration model predicts that higher cardiac vagal activity leads to better executive functioning. In total, 78 participants (41 men, 37 women; Mage = 23.22 years) took part in two counterbalanced experimental conditions: a 3 × 5 min slow-paced breathing condition and a television viewing control condition. After each condition, heart rate variability was measured and participants performed three executive function tasks: the color-word match Stroop (inhibition), the automated operation span task (working memory), and the modified card sorting task (cognitive flexibility). Results showed that performance on executive function tasks was better after slow-paced breathing compared to control, with higher scores observed for Stroop interference accuracy, automated operation span score, and perseverative errors, but not Stroop interference reaction times. This difference in executive function between experimental conditions was not mediated by cardiac vagal activity. Therefore, findings only partially align with predictions of the neurovisceral integration model. Slow-paced breathing appears a promising technique to improve immediate executive function performance. Further studies are recommended that address possible alternative underlying mechanisms and long-term effects.
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Affiliation(s)
- S. Laborde
- Department of Performance Psychology, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University Cologne, Germany
- UFR STAPS, EA 4260 CESAMS, University of Caen Normandy, Caen, France
| | - M. S. Allen
- School of Psychology, University of Wollongong, Australia
| | - U. Borges
- Department of Performance Psychology, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University Cologne, Germany
- Department of Health & Social Psychology, Institute of Psychology, German Sport University Cologne, Germany
| | - T. J. Hosang
- Experimental Psychology Unit, Helmut Schmidt University/University of the Federal Armed Forces, Hamburg, Germany
| | - P. Furley
- Institute for Training and Computer Science in Sport, German Sport University Cologne, Germany
| | - E. Mosley
- Department of Sport Science and Performance, Solent University, Southampton, UK
| | - F. Dosseville
- UMR-S 1075 COMETE, Caen, France
- INSERM, UMR-S 1075 COMETE, University of Caen Normandy, Caen, France
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An Anti-hyperventilation Instruction Decreases the Drop in End-tidal CO 2 and Symptoms of Hyperventilation During Breathing at 0.1 Hz. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 2020; 44:247-256. [PMID: 31065914 PMCID: PMC6685922 DOI: 10.1007/s10484-019-09438-y] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 12/11/2022]
Abstract
Breathing at a frequency of around 0.1 Hz is widely used in basic research and in applied psychophysiology because it strongly increases fluctuations in the cardiovascular system and affects psychological functioning. Volitional control of breathing often leads to hyperventilation among untrained individuals, which may produce aversive symptoms and alter the psychological and physiological effects of the paced breathing. The present study investigated the effectiveness of a brief anti-hyperventilation instruction during paced breathing at a frequency of 0.1 Hz. Forty-six participants were randomly assigned to one of two groups: a group given an anti-hyperventilation instruction and a control group without such an instruction. The instruction asked participants to avoid excessively deep breathing and to breathe shallowly and naturally. Participants performed the breathing task for 10 min. Hyperventilation was measured by partial pressure of end-tidal CO2 (PetCO2); furthermore, symptoms of hyperventilation, feeling of air hunger, task difficulty, and affective state were measured by self-report. The results showed that paced breathing without instruction decreased PetCO2 by 5.21 mmHg and that the use of the anti-hyperventilation instruction reduced the drop in PetCO2 to 2.7 mmHg. Symptoms of hyperventilation were lower in the group with the anti-hyperventilation instruction. Neither the feeling of air hunger nor task difficulty were affected by the instruction. There were no significant effects of the instruction on affective state. The present study indicates that a brief anti-hyperventilation instruction may be used to decrease drop in PetCO2 and symptoms of hyperventilation during breathing at 0.1 Hz and that the instruction is well tolerated.
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Heart rate variability (HRV): From brain death to resonance breathing at 6 breaths per minute. Clin Neurophysiol 2020; 131:676-693. [DOI: 10.1016/j.clinph.2019.11.013] [Citation(s) in RCA: 50] [Impact Index Per Article: 12.5] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 02/18/2019] [Revised: 10/14/2019] [Accepted: 11/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/13/2022]
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12
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Gholamrezaei A, Van Diest I, Aziz Q, Vlaeyen JWS, Van Oudenhove L. Influence of inspiratory threshold load on cardiovascular responses to controlled breathing at 0.1 Hz. Psychophysiology 2019; 56:e13447. [DOI: 10.1111/psyp.13447] [Citation(s) in RCA: 8] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.6] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 04/01/2019] [Revised: 06/05/2019] [Accepted: 07/06/2019] [Indexed: 12/21/2022]
Affiliation(s)
- Ali Gholamrezaei
- Laboratory for Brain‐Gut Axis Studies (LaBGAS), Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing University of Leuven Leuven Belgium
- Health Psychology Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences University of Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Ilse Van Diest
- Health Psychology Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences University of Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Qasim Aziz
- Centre for Neuroscience and Trauma Blizard Institute, Wingate Institute of Neurogastroeneterology, Queen Mary University of London London UK
| | - Johan W. S. Vlaeyen
- Health Psychology Research Group, Faculty of Psychology and Educational Sciences University of Leuven Leuven Belgium
| | - Lukas Van Oudenhove
- Laboratory for Brain‐Gut Axis Studies (LaBGAS), Translational Research Center for Gastrointestinal Disorders (TARGID), Department of Chronic Diseases, Metabolism and Ageing University of Leuven Leuven Belgium
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Szulczewski MT. Training of paced breathing at 0.1 Hz improves CO2 homeostasis and relaxation during a paced breathing task. PLoS One 2019; 14:e0218550. [PMID: 31220170 PMCID: PMC6586331 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0218550] [Citation(s) in RCA: 12] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.4] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [MESH Headings] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/28/2019] [Accepted: 06/04/2019] [Indexed: 01/27/2023] Open
Abstract
Volitional control of breathing often leads to excessive ventilation (hyperventilation) among untrained individuals, which disrupts CO2 homeostasis and may elicit a set of undesirable symptoms. The present study investigated whether seven days of training without any anti-hyperventilation instructions improves CO2 homeostasis during paced breathing at a frequency of 0.1 Hz (6 breaths/minute). Furthermore, the present study investigated the effects of training on breathing-related changes in affective state to examine the hypothesis that training improves the influence of slow paced breathing on affect. A total of 16 participants performed ten minutes of paced breathing every day for seven days. Partial pressure of end-tidal CO2 (PetCO2), symptoms of hyperventilation, affective state (before and after breathing), and pleasantness of the task were measured on the first, fourth, and seventh days of training. Results showed that the drop in PetCO2 significantly decreased with training and none of the participants experienced a drop in PetCO2 below 30 mmHg by day seven of training (except one participant who already had PetCO2 below 30 mmHg during baseline), in comparison to 37.5% of participants on the first day. Paced breathing produced hyperventilation symptoms of mild intensity which did not decrease with training. This suggests that some participants still experienced a drop of PetCO2 that was deep enough to produce noticeable symptoms. Affective state was shifted towards calmness and relaxation during the second and third laboratory measurements, but not during the first measurement. Additionally, the breathing task was perceived as more pleasant during subsequent laboratory measurements. The obtained results showed that training paced breathing at 0.1 Hz led to decrease in hyperventilation. Furthermore, the present study suggests that training paced breathing is necessary to make the task more pleasant and relaxing.
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