1,721,277 research outputs found
A comparative evaluation of resting state proxies of sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system activity in adolescent major depression.
No full textMajor depressive disorder (MDD) is associated with autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction, characterized by decreased parasympathetic (PNS) and increased sympathetic (SNS) activity. Although findings on reduced PNS activity in adult MDD have been replicated in adolescents, comprehensive studies assessing PNS and SNS proxies in underage patients with MDD are scarce. Proxies of resting PNS (heart rate variability (HRV) and SNS activity (skin conductance response [SCR] and salivary alpha amylase [sAA], as well as mixed activity (heart rate [HR]) were collected in adolescents with MDD (n = 29) and non-depressed controls (n = 29). Primary analyses addressed differences between groups and correlations with depression severity. Patients with MDD showed significantly decreased HRV (g = - 0.87; 95% CI [- 1.39; - 0.35]) and increased HR (g = 0.66; 95% CI [0.14; 1.18]). Proxies of pure SNS activity showed no significant differences between groups. HR (positive) and HRV (negative) were significantly correlated with self- and clinician-rated depression severity. Alterations of ANS activity are evident in adolescent MDD, but characterized by decreased PNS activity only. We found no evidence for altered SNS activity. Findings suggest that ANS dysfunction early in the course of MDD might be predominantly driven by decreased PNS activity
Autonomic and brain morphological predictors of stress resilience
Full text linkStressful life events are an important cause of psychopathology. Humans exposed to aversive or stressful experiences show considerable inter-individual heterogeneity in their responses. However, the majority does not develop stress-related psychiatric disorders. The dynamic processes encompassing positive and functional adaptation in the face of significant adversity have been broadly defined as resilience. Traditionally, the assessment of resilience has been confined to self-report measures, both within the general community and putative high-risk populations. Although this approach has value, it is highly susceptible to subjective bias and may not capture the dynamic nature of resilience, as underlying construct. Recognizing the obvious benefits of more objective measures of resilience, research in the field has just started investigating the predictive value of several potential biological markers. This review provides an overview of theoretical views and empirical evidence suggesting that individual differences in heart rate variability (HRV), a surrogate index of resting cardiac vagal outflow, may underlie different levels of resilience toward the development of stress-related psychiatric disorders. Following this line of thought, recent studies describing associations between regional brain morphometric characteristics and resting state vagally-mediated HRV are summarized. Existing studies suggest that the structural morphology of the anterior cingulated cortex (ACC), particularly its cortical thickness, is implicated in the expression of individual differences in HRV. These findings are discussed in light of emerging structural neuroimaging research, linking morphological characteristics of the ACC to psychological traits ascribed to a high-resilient profile and abnormal structural integrity of the ACC to the psychophysiological expression of stress-related mental health consequences. We conclude that a multidisciplinary approach integrating brain structural imaging with HRV monitoring could offer novel perspectives about brain-body pathways in resilience and adaptation to psychological stres
Early Career Award Address: Neurovisceral Regulatory Circuits of Affective Resilience in Youth
No full textHeart Rate Variability in the Psychiatric Sciences: Origins, Methods and Caveats in its Measurement and Interpretation across Species
No full textPatterns of Altered Autonomic Function in Non-Suicidal Self-Injury and Related Psychopathology.
No full textNeurobiological and neuropsychological insights into adolescent non-suicidal selfinjury and borderline personality disorder
No full textVagale Dysfunktion bei Jugendlichen mit Depressionen. Neuronale Grundlagen und Innovative Behandlungsansätze
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