Linking an Anxiety-Related Personality Trait to Cardiac Autonomic Regulation in Well-Defined Healthy Adults: Harm Avoidance and Resting Heart Rate Variability

Genetic and polygenic investigation of heart rate variability to identify biomarkers associated with Anxiety disorders

Given that anxiety disorders (AD) are associated with reduced vagally-mediated heart rate variability (HRV), genetic variants related to HRV may provide insight into anxiety etiology. This study used polygenic risk scores (PRS) to explore the genetic overlap between AD and HRV, and investigated whether HRV-related polymorphisms influence anxiety risk. Resting vagally-mediated HRV was measured using a wearable device in 188 European individuals (AD=101, healthy controls=87). AD PRS was tested for association with resting HRV, and HRV PRS for association with AD. We also investigated 15 significant hits from an HRV genome-wide association study (GWAS) for association with resting HRV and AD and if this association is mediated through resting HRV. The AD PRS and HRV PRS showed nominally significant associations with resting HRV and anxiety disorders, respectively. HRV GWAS variants associated with resting HRV were rs12980262 (NDUFA11), rs2680344 (HCN4), rs4262 and rs180238 (GNG11), and rs10842383 (LINC00477). Mediation analyses revealed that NDUFA11 rs12980262 A-carriers and GNG11 rs180238 and rs4262 C-carriers had higher anxiety risk through lower HRV. This study supports an anxiety-HRV genetic relationship, with HRV-related genetic variants translating to AD. This study encourages exploration of HRV genetics to understand mechanisms and identify novel treatment targets for anxiety.

Heart rate variability: Evaluating a potential biomarker of anxiety disorders

Establishing quantifiable biological markers associated with anxiety will increase the objectivity of phenotyping and enhance genetic research of anxiety disorders. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a physiological measure reflecting the dynamic relationship between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems, and is a promising target for further investigation. This review summarizes evidence evaluating HRV as a potential physiological biomarker of anxiety disorders by highlighting literature related to anxiety and HRV combined with investigations of endophenotypes, neuroimaging, treatment response, and genetics. Deficient HRV shows promise as an endophenotype of pathological anxiety and may serve as a noninvasive index of prefrontal cortical control over the amygdala, and potentially aid with treatment outcome prediction. We propose that the genetics of HRV can be used to enhance the understanding of the genetics of pathological anxiety for etiological investigations and treatment prediction. Given the anxiety-HRV link, strategies are offered to advance genetic analytical approaches, including the use of polygenic methods, wearable devices, and pharmacogenetic study designs. Overall, HRV shows promising support as a physiological biomarker of pathological anxiety, potentially in a transdiagnostic manner, with the heart-brain entwinement providing a novel approach to advance anxiety treatment development.

The impact of virtual reality scenes on stress response characteristics of individuals with different personality traits

Virtual reality based physical stress (VRPS) paradigms could eliminate the influence of social factors on participants, and it may be a desirable tool to explore the impact of personality traits on stress levels. In this study, we attempt to explore the effects of VRPS on stress response among individuals with different personality traits. Forty male participants with an average age of 22.79 ± 0.41 years were divided into two groups based on Harm Avoidance (HA) scores of Tridimensional Personality Questionnaire (TPQ), referred to as the Low-HA group and the High-HA group. The stress levels of the participants were assessed using salivary α-amylase (sAA) activity and heart rate variability (HRV) indices pre- and post-stress. The influence of personality traits on stress response among different groups was analyzed. VRPS significantly affected the sAA activity and HRV indicators of both groups. During and after stress, there were significant differences in sAA activity and HRV indicators between the two groups. The sAA levels and HRV indices of the Low-HA group were lower than those of the High-HA group. Furthermore, sAA levels and HRV indices were correlated with the scores of TPQ. VRPS scenarios elicit different stress responses on individuals with different harm avoidance personality traits. Stress evaluation based on VR scenarios presents potential in personality trait assessments, particularly for distinguishing between individuals with low and high HA tendencies.

A simple version of resting-state heart rate variability interpretation for patients with affective disorders: A four-pattern perspective

Heart rate variability (HRV) is often considered as a biomarker reflecting well-being, but the clinical meaning of short-term resting-state HRV is not sufficiently defined. We assume that combining several common HRV indices as "HRV patterns" and using the patterns for screening purposes are meaningful approaches. Resting-state 5-min HRV data of 424 subjects were analyzed. Four of the most commonly used HRV indices were considered: standard deviation of normal-to-normal RR intervals, low-frequency power, high-frequency power and the ratio of low-frequency to high-frequency power. According to these indices, four HRV patterns were defined: normal pattern, low HRV pattern, relatively high sympathetic pattern, and relatively high vagal pattern. The associations between the demographics, lifestyles, personality traits, psychological states, and HRV patterns were explored: the low HRV pattern was positively associated with age, body mass index, and depression; the relatively high sympathetic pattern was positively associated with age and negatively associated with exercise habit; and the relatively high vagal pattern was negatively associated with having a steady job and novelty seeking. The pattern perspective may provide a convenient and evidence-based way to interpret resting-state HRV for patients with affective disorders.

The effect of short-term exposure to red and blue light on the autonomic tone of the individuals with newly diagnosed essential hypertension

The research study aimed to study the effect of short term exposure to light basically red, blue and white on the autonomic tone of essential hypertensive individuals. The objective was to find out the baseline cardiac autonomic function along with the effect of these lights on the cardiac autonomic function among them. Till date few if any study have been conducted upon the individuals with certain disorder as common as essential hypertension. This was a cross sectional observational study conducted in the institute itself that included 77 newly diagnosed hypertensive subjects who willingly participated in the study. After written informed consent, brief history taking with the help of self-made questionnaire and clinical examination, they were randomized to different intervention groups (IG) namely IG I (red) IG II (blue) and IG III (white). HRV analysis of the last 5-6 minutes of both the baseline and color exposure was finally analyzed using MS Excel version 13 and Graph Pad Prism version 7.05. Different HRV parameters have been found to be affected differently on different color exposures. Red has shown to have an impact, mainly on the sympathetic system whereas white showed a dominant vagal component thus acting as a parasympathetic regulator. On one hand, where no conclusive result was found on blue light exposure, white light showed the most prominent results affecting various time and frequency components of HRV like SDRR, TP, LF etc. The present study, both, contradicts as well as supports various other works done on the similar area of interest. One reason of such high variation in different results is because HRV is itself a very dynamic function affected by even a slight change in both the internal and external environment of the subject. As artificial lights of various colors are part and parcel of the aesthetics and designing of most of the work environment all over world, it is very pertinent to study its impact upon human health status. The outcome of the study may play a decisive role in the diagnostics and therapeutics of essential hypertension in days to come. Furthermore, on the basis of the present findings, a future study could be undertaken with bigger data base addressing the limitations of the present study to find some conclusive evidence in the area highlighted.

Susceptibility to others' emotions moderates immediate self-reported and biological stress responses to witnessing trauma

BACKGROUND

The peri-traumatic stress response is a strong predictor of symptom development after trauma exposure. Regarding witnessing trauma, the stress response might depend on the susceptibility to others' emotions (emotional contagion, EC). This study investigated whether EC moderates the immediate stress response using a trauma film paradigm.

METHODS

Ninety-five healthy participants were randomly exposed to a trauma or a neutral film. Perceived stressfulness of the film and pre-to post-film changes in self-reported anxiety, heart rate and saliva cortisol levels were assessed. EC towards negative and positive emotions was measured using the emotional contagion scale and its emotion-specific subscales.

RESULTS

Overall, the trauma film was perceived as distressing and elicited an increase in self-reported anxiety, heart rate and saliva cortisol levels relative to the neutral film. EC towards negative emotions was positively related to the perceived stressfulness of the film, increased anxiety and increased heart rate. The association with saliva cortisol levels was also in the expected direction, but not statistically significant. These associations were not found for EC towards positive emotions.

DISCUSSION

EC towards negative emotions may be an important predictor of trauma exposure outcomes. Further research should clarify its specific contribution in witnessing and undergoing trauma.