PSC 126 Lecture 12: 5/17/18
Heart Rate Variability
● Psychological flexibility
○ Ability to recognize & adapt to varied situational demands
○ Shift mindset & behavior patterns when they hinder personal or social functioning
○ Maintain balance among important life domains
○ Be aware, open, & committed to behaviors congruent w/ deeply held values
● Psychological flexibility depends on physiological flexibility
○ Sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous systems co - occur & co- activate
cardiac function
○ Respiration interrupts (or gates) parasympathetic control of the heart
● Cardiac Vagal Control
○ Parasympathetic nervous system
■ Slows heart rate
■ Mediated by release of acetylcholine via the Vagus nerve
○ Heart rate variability (HRV)
■ Rhythmic changes in heart rate over time
■ Reflects degree to which cardiac activity can be modulated to meet
changing situational demands
○ Respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA)
■ Rhythmic oscillations in heart rate caused by respiration
■ Heart rate speeds up during inspiration
● Slows down during expiration
● Adaptive Profile of CVC
○ The ease with which someone can transition between high and low arousal
states
■ Vagal Control at rest (aka Vagal Tone)
● Moderate to High CVC promotes social engagement, prosociality,
& flexible behavior regulation
● *But* very high CVC can lead to rigidity & over - control
■ Vagal Withdrawal to stressor
● Rapid release of “Vagal brake” to allow fight - or - flight response
to deal with challenge or threat
■ Vagal Recovery
● Return to baseline levels of vagal control once threat has passed
● Capacity for autonomic system to “rebound” from stressful event
● Consequences of In - flexibility
○ Rigidity or lack of contextual sensitivity
■ Vagal withdrawal & rebound are reduced in depression
■ Can lead to emotional inertia - difficulty in changing emotional states
across situations & time
○ In the long - term, reduced RSA can lead to immune dysfunction, inflammation, &
cardiovascular disease
Document Summary
Ability to recognize & adapt to varied situational demands. Shift mindset & behavior patterns when they hinder personal or social functioning. Be aware, open, & committed to behaviors congruent w/ deeply held values. Sympathetic & parasympathetic nervous systems co - occur & co- activate cardiac function. Respiration interrupts (or gates) parasympathetic control of the heart. Mediated by release of acetylcholine via the vagus nerve. Rhythmic changes in heart rate over time. Reflects degree to which cardiac activity can be modulated to meet changing situational demands. Rhythmic oscillations in heart rate caused by respiration. The ease with which someone can transition between high and low arousal states. Vagal control at rest (aka vagal tone) Moderate to high cvc promotes social engagement, prosociality, *but* very high cvc can lead to rigidity & over - control. Rapid release of vagal brake to allow fight - or - flight response to deal with challenge or threat.
