Heart rate variability as a biobehavioral marker of diverse psychopathologies: A review and argument for an "ideal range"

Sydney Heiss; Bronya Vaschillo; Evgeny G Vaschillo; C Alix Timko; Julia M Hormes

doi:10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.12.004

Heart rate variability as a biobehavioral marker of diverse psychopathologies: A review and argument for an "ideal range"

Neurosci Biobehav Rev. 2021 Feb:121:144-155. doi: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.12.004. Epub 2020 Dec 9.

Authors

Sydney Heiss¹, Bronya Vaschillo², Evgeny G Vaschillo², C Alix Timko³, Julia M Hormes⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA. Electronic address: sheiss@albany.edu.
² Department of Kinesiology and Health, Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, USA.
³ Department of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences, The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, USA.
⁴ Department of Psychology, University at Albany, State University of New York, USA.

PMID: 33309905
DOI: 10.1016/j.neubiorev.2020.12.004

Abstract

Heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of the variability in intervals between subsequent heart beats, is now widely considered an index of emotion regulatory capacity and the ability to adapt flexibly to changing environmental demands. Abnormalities in HRV are implicated in a host of psychopathologies, making it a potentially powerful transdiagnostic biobehavioral change mechanism in treatment interventions. While most mental illnesses are associated with low HRV, eating disorders have been linked to elevated HRV. We examined 62 research articles on HRV in psychopathology to test the hypothesis that there is an "ideal range" of HRV that predicts optimal functioning. Relationships between symptom severity and parameters that quantify HRV were examined graphically. More extreme time-domain HRV measures, both high and low, were associated with psychopathology, whereas healthy controls displayed mid-range values. Findings preliminarily support the hypothesis that there is an "ideal range" of HRV that could be targeted in biofeedback interventions.

Keywords: Biofeedback; HRV; Heart rate variability; Paced sighing; Psychopathology; Review.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Biofeedback, Psychology
Biomarkers
Emotional Regulation*
Heart Rate
Humans
Mental Disorders*

Substances

Biomarkers