Abstract

Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVB) is a controlled breathing treatment designed to increase the variation in consecutive heartbeats leading to improved regulation of one's autonomic nervous system thereby improving one's ability to self-regulate and maintain homeostasis. Changes in heart rate variability (HRV) are seen in those of increased age and lower HRV is associated with poorer outcomes (e.g., increased mortality, worse emotional functioning, cardiovascular risk factors). As such, older adults are a group that stands to benefit from HRVB principles. The current randomized control trial was designed to understand the impact of HRVB in an older adult population on resting and stress recovery HRV measures, emotional functioning, and cognitive functioning. A total of 54 healthy older adults completed all study requirements (e.g., pre- and post-testing, and 5-week intervention) and were randomized into the HRVB [Mage: 66.72 +/- 7.87 years] or active sham condition [MAge: 67.92 +/- 8.3 years]). We used five components to assess change in resting HRV and stress recovery HRV following the HRVB intervention (e.g., high frequency log transformed, low frequency log transformed, HF/LF ratio, root mean square of successive differences [RMSSD], standard deviation of nn intervals [SDNN]). The paced auditory serial addition task (PASAT) was used as the stressor task and the baseline, stressor, and recovery periods were used for the analyses of the HRV measures. Following the HRV collection portion of the testing procedures, participants completed questionnaires measuring demographic factors, emotional functioning, sleep, and quality of life. Lastly, patients completed the NIH Toolbox Cognition Battery as a measure of cognitive functioning. There were no condition differences with both conditions reporting high levels of homework adherences (HRVB [M: 19.9 +/- .62] & sham [M: 20 +/- 1.3]). Across the five HRV outcomes, there were variable findings. There was no change for HRV measures at rest. In contrast, LF and LF/HF ratio showed an increase for recovery following intervention for the HRVB condition while increases were seen in for HF, RMSSD, SDNN, cognitive functioning, and sleep for both conditions (i.e., HRVB and sham conditions). Overall, the current study presents variable findings for the impact of HRVB on HRV outcomes and emotional and cognitive functioning in older adults. Findings suggest some promise but highlights the need for better powered and standardized studies of HRVB treatment in older adults with additional consideration given to potential factors that might impact outcomes (e.g., follow-up time points, psychiatric diagnoses, intensity of the intervention, non-specific factors, etc.).

Degree

PhD

College and Department

Family, Home, and Social Sciences; Psychology

Rights

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