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- Title
Cardiac Autonomic Regulation under Hypnosis Assessed by Heart Rate Variability: Spectral Analysis and Fractal Complexity.
- Authors
Aubert, André E.; Verheyden, Bart; Beckers, Frank; Tack, Jan; Vandenberghe, Joris
- Abstract
Objective: This study examined the effects of hypnosis on autonomic cardiac control. We hypothesized a modification of autonomic modulation of the heart rate with an enhanced vagal tone during hypnosis compared to baseline. Methods: In 12 healthy subjects (6 men and 6 women, 22.2 ± 1.0 years of age) ECG was recorded at baseline and during hypnosis. Heart rate variability parameters were obtained in the frequency domain (LFnu: low frequency normalized units, and HFnu: high frequency normalized units) and from nonlinear analysis methods (detrended fluctuation analysis, DFA). Results: Compared to the control condition, hypnosis showed a significantly decreased LFnu, a significantly increased HFnu, and a significantly decreased LF/HF. DFA showed a significantly decreased short-range similarity. Heart rate remained unchanged. Conclusion: Autonomic cardiac tone is significantly modified during hypnosis by shifting the balance of the sympathovagal interaction toward an enhanced parasympathetic modulation, accompanied by a reduction of the sympathetic tone and a decreased short-range similarity but without a concomitant change in heart rate. Central and secondary autonomous nervous system changes induced by hypnosis are a possible explanation for our results. Another highly probable explanation is given by a variation in the depth of respiration. Hypnosis appears to prevent the autonomic responses expected during neutral stimulation. Copyright © 2009 S. Karger AG, Basel
- Subjects
HYPNOTISM; HEART beat; HEART rate monitoring; NERVOUS system; NEURAL stimulation
- Publication
Neuropsychobiology, 2009, Vol 60, Issue 2, p104
- ISSN
0302-282X
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.1159/000239686