Heart rate variability
Heart rate variability (HRV) refers to various methods of assessing the beat-to-beat variation in the heart over time, in order to draw inference on the outflow of the autonomic nervous system. My research in this area explores the role HRV and other cardiorespiratory oscillations (e.g., respiration) on the development and maintenance of mental illnesses and how this influences somatic illnesses, such as cardiovascular disease. I also explore how HRV influences various mental processes (e.g., social cognition) and factors that can influence the measurement of HRV (e.g., sleep and liquid consumption).
Daniel S. Quintana
Senior Researcher
Investigating the oxytocin system, heart rate variability, social behavior, and meta-science.
Publications
Reduced heart rate variability is associated with disease severity in psychosis spectrum disorders
In this study we investigated heart rate variability (HRV), a proxy for vagal activity, as a biological marker for disease severity in patients with schizophrenia (SZ) and bipolar disorder (BD). Heart rate variability (HRV) was calculated in 35 patients with SZ and 52 patients with BD, as well as in 146 healthy controls Results suggest that disease severity is associated with autonomic dysfunction.
Effects of Public Green Space on Acute Psychophysiological Stress Response: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of the Experimental and Quasi-Experimental Evidence
Contact with nature is widely considered to ameliorate psychological stress, but the empirical support for a causal link is limited. We …
Major depressive disorder with melancholia displays robust alterations in resting state heart rate and its variability: implications for future morbidity and mortality
Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with increased heart rate and reductions in its variability (HRV) – markers …
Talks
Heart rate variability: physiology, methodology and experimental possibilities
The purpose of this talk is to provide a brief primer on HRV, provide guidance on what to consider when planning a HRV study, outline various methods for the collection of HRV data, and to describe how to calculate HRV data