BACKGROUND: Parkinson\'s patients have significant autonomic dysfunction, early detect the disorder is a major challenge. To assess the autonomic function in the rat model of rotenone induced Parkinson\'s disease (PD), Blood pressure and ECG signal acquisition are very important.
METHODS: we used telemetry to record the electrocardiogram and blood pressure signals from awake rats, with linear and nonlinear analysis techniques calculate the heart rate variability (HRV) and blood pressure variability (BPV). we applied nonlinear analysis methods like sample entropy and detrended fluctuation analysis to analyze blood pressure signals. Particularly, this is the first attempt to apply nonlinear analysis to the blood pressure evaluate in rotenone induced PD model rat.
RESULTS: HRV in the time and frequency domains indicated sympathetic-parasympathetic imbalance in PD model rats. Linear BPV analysis didn\'t reflect changes in vascular function and blood pressure regulation in PD model rats. Nonlinear analysis revealed differences in BPV, with lower sample entropy results and increased detrended fluctuation analysis results in the PD group rats.
CONCLUSIONS: our experiments demonstrate the ability to evaluate autonomic dysfunction in models of Parkinson\'s disease by combining the analysis of BPV with HRV, consistent with autonomic impairment in PD patients. Nonlinear analysis by blood pressure signal may help in early detection of the PD. It indicates that the fluctuation of blood pressure in the rats in the rotenone model group tends to be regular and predictable, contributes to understand the PD pathophysiological mechanisms and to find strategies for early diagnosis.

BACKGROUND: Heart rate variability (HRV) is often reduced in patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and is linked to symptoms. However, prior studies have mainly focused on short-term HRV, with limited exploration of the 24-h HRV circadian rhythm, despite its ability to comprehensively capture overall HRV distribution and dynamic fluctuations. In this study, we investigated the circadian rhythms of 24-h HRV indices in patients with MDD and their associations with symptom severity.
METHODS: We recorded 24-h electrocardiograms in 73 patients with MDD (53 in major depressive episode and 20 in remission period) and 31 healthy controls. An extended cosine model was used to model the circadian rhythm of six HRV indices by five parameters: the mesor, amplitude, duty cycle, curve smoothness, and acrophase. Symptom severity was evaluated using the Hamilton Depression Scale and Hamilton Anxiety Scale.
RESULTS: Compared with the control group, patients with MDD had a significantly smaller SampEn mesor, higher HF duty cycle, and lower heart rate (HR) duty cycle. They also had a significantly higher curve smoothness for HR, RMSSD, and HF. The mesor for SampEn, along with the curve smoothness for HR and ln RMSSD, were associated with certain symptoms in patients with MDD.
CONCLUSIONS: The cross-sectional design and psychiatric treatment of most patients with MDD limited our findings.
CONCLUSIONS: Patients with MDD exhibit abnormal HRV circadian rhythms that are associated with symptoms. Moreover, 24-h ECG monitoring may potentially serve as an adjunct value to objectively evaluate clinical symptoms in these patients.

UNASSIGNED: Treatment of disorders of consciousness (DOC) poses a huge challenge for clinical medicine. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a non-invasive neuromodulation method, which shows potential in improving recovery of DOC. However, the evidence came from single-center, small-sample randomized controlled trial, which is insufficient to form a conclusion. Thereby, we propose a prospective, multicenter, double-blind, stratified, two-arm randomized controlled trial protocol to investigate the efficacy and safety of bilateral synchronous taVNS for treatment of DOC.
UNASSIGNED: We aim to recruit 382 patients with prolonged DOC, and divide them into an active stimulation group and a sham stimulation group. The patients in the active stimulation group will receive bilateral synchronous taVNS with a 200 μs pulse width, 20 Hz frequency, and personal adjusted intensity. The sham stimulation group will wear the same stimulator but without current output. Both groups will receive treatment for 30 min per session, twice per day, 6 days per week lasting for 4 weeks. The clinical assessment including Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R), Full Outline of Unresponsiveness (FOUR), Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS), and Extended Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS-E) will be conducted to evaluate its efficacy. Heart rate variability (HRV), blood pressure, and adverse events will be recorded to evaluate its safety.
UNASSIGNED: These results will enable us to investigate the efficacy and safety of taVNS for DOC. This protocol will provide multicenter, large-sample, high-quality Class II evidence to support bilateral synchronous taVNS for DOC, and will advance the field of treatment options for DOC.Clinical trial registration:https://www.chictr.org.cn/showproj.html?proj=221851, ChiCTR2400081978.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the differences in cardiac autonomic function, cardiac structure and diastolic function between individuals with diabetic foot (DF) and those with diabetes but without DF.
METHODS: A total of 413 individuals with DF and 437 without DF who underwent a 24-h electrocardiogram Holter and a Doppler echocardiogram were included. The heart rate variability parameters to evaluate cardiac autonomic function, and the indices for the assessment of cardiac structure and left ventricular (LV) diastolic function, including left atrium, LV posterior wall thickness, interventricular septum and E/e\' ratio, were measured or calculated. Propensity score matching was used for the sensitivity analysis to minimize potential imbalance.
RESULTS: In both the crude and propensity score matching analyses, significant differences were observed in heart rate variability between individuals with and without DF, as evidenced by lower standard deviation of the normal sinus interval, lower low-frequency power/high-frequency power ratio, lower standard deviation of the 5-min average RR intervals, lower low-frequency power, lower percentage of normal adjacent RR interval difference >50 ms, lower root mean square of successive RR interval differences and lower high-frequency power (all P < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, DF showed an independent negative correlation with the aforementioned indices of heart rate variability (all P < 0.05). Individuals with DF showed higher left atrium, LV posterior wall thickness, interventricular septum and a higher E/e\' ratio than those without DF in the crude analysis (all P < 0.05), whereas these indices were no longer associated with DF in the multivariate analysis and the propensity score matching analyses.
CONCLUSIONS: Cardiac autonomic modulation was more severely impaired in individuals with DF than in their counterparts without DF. There has been insufficient evidence to demonstrate the independent association of DF and LV diastolic dysfunction.

UNASSIGNED: Postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) is considered the most prevalent irregular heart rhythm after heart surgery. The cardiac autonomic nervous system significantly affects POAF, and neuropeptide Y (NPY), an abundant neuropeptide in the cardiovascular system, is involved in this autonomic regulation. The current work aimed to examine the potential association of NPY with POAF in individuals administered isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting.
UNASSIGNED: From January 1 to May 31, 2020, we examined consecutive cases administered successful isolated off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting with no previously diagnosed atrial fibrillation (AF). Clinical characteristics and plasma samples were collected before surgery. NPY was quantified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in peripheral blood, and POAF cases were identified through a 7-day Holter monitoring.
UNASSIGNED: Among 120 cases with no previously diagnosed AF, 33 (27.5 %) developed POAF during hospitalization. Median NPY levels were markedly elevated in the POAF group in comparison with the sinus rhythm group (31.72 vs. 27.95, P = 0.014). Multivariable logistic regression analysis revealed age (OR = 1.135, 95%CI 1.054-1.223; P = 0.001), left atrial size (OR = 1.136, 95%CI 1.004-1.285; P = 0.043), and NPY levels in peripheral blood (OR = 1.055, 95%CI 1.002-1.111; p = 0.041) independently predicted POAF. Additionally, NPY levels were positively correlated with high-frequency (HF) (r = 0.2774, P = 0.0022) and low-frequency (LF) (r = 0.2095, P = 0.0217) components of heart rate variability.
UNASSIGNED: In summary, this study demonstrates an association between elevated NPY levels in peripheral blood before surgery and POAF occurrence.

Electrocardiogram (ECG) abnormalities are the most common cardiac complications after acute ischemic stroke (AIS) and predict poor outcomes. The arterial baroreflex is an essential determinant of cardiovascular autonomic regulation, with receptors mainly residing in carotid sinuses and aortic arch. The atherosclerosis of these baroreceptor-resident arteries (BRA) is very common in AIS patients and might impair baroreflex function. However, the associations between the atherosclerosis of BRA and ECG abnormalities after AIS are still unknown. In total, 228 AIS patients within 7 days after onset without a pre-existing heart disease were prospectively recruited. With computed tomography angiography, atherosclerosis conditions in 10 segments of the carotid sinuses and aortic arch were scored and summed as the Total Atherosclerosis Burden of BRA (TAB-BRA), and asymptomatic coronary artery stenosis (ACAS) ≥50% was simultaneously assessed. We performed 12-lead ECG to dynamically detect abnormal repolarization, and 24 h Holter ECG to monitor arrhythmias and heart rate variability (HRV) parameters, which are reliable indicators to assess cardiac autonomic function. We found that TAB-BRA was positively associated with abnormal repolarization (OR 1.09; CI% 1.03-1.16; p = 0.003) and serious cardiac arrhythmias (OR 1.08; CI% 1.01-1.15; p = 0.021). In addition, TAB-BRA was an important predictor of abnormal repolarization, persisting over 3 days (OR 1.17; CI% 1.05-1.30; p = 0.003). However, ACAS ≥ 50% did not relate to these ECG abnormalities. TAB-BRA was negatively correlated with parasympathetic-related HRV parameters. Our results indicated that AIS patients with a high TAB-BRA are more likely to have ECG abnormalities and delayed normalization, which may relate to the decreased cardiac parasympathetic activity, but not the accompanied ACAS ≥ 50%.

OBJECTIVE: Depression in children and adolescents has gradually attracted social attention. Heart rate variability (HRV) has been found to be influenced by depression severity, but results have not been uniformed in children and adolescents. This study investigated the relationship between depression severity and heart rate variability in children and adolescents, aiming to provide additional evidence for an objective, effective, and convenient depression screening tool in this population.
METHODS: Literature searching was conducted in China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data, Web of Science, PubMed, ScienceDirect, and EBSCO. Relevant studies investigating the relationship between depression severity and HRV in children and adolescents were selected for meta-analysis.
RESULTS: 31 articles were included in this meta-analysis, involving 4534 participants. Depression severity in children and adolescents was significantly negatively correlated with high frequency (HF) and root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) in HRV (HF: r = -0.10, 95% CI: -0.17 to -0.04, p = 0.001; RMSSD: r = -0.18, 95% CI: -0.30 to -0.05, p = 0.01). The relationship between HF and depression severity was moderated by age, higher among those aged >12 than among those aged <12 (r = -0.17, -0.02, Q = 7.32, p = 0.007).
CONCLUSIONS: Heart rate variability is associated with depression severity in children and adolescents.

Passive translational acceleration (PTA) has been demonstrated to induce the stress response and regulation of autonomic balance in healthy individuals. Electrodermal activity (EDA) and heart rate variability (HRV) measurements are reliable indicators of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and can be used to assess stress levels. The objective of this study was to investigate the potential of combining EDA and HRV measurements in assessing the physiological stress response induced by PTA. Fourteen healthy subjects were randomly assigned to two groups of equal size. The experimental group underwent five trials of elevator rides, while the control group received a sham treatment. EDA and HRV indices were obtained via ultra-short-term analysis and compared between the two groups to track changes in the ANS. In addition, the complexity of the EDA time series was compared between the 4 s before and the 2-6 s after the onset of PTA to assess changes in the subjects\' stress levels in the experimental group. The results revealed a significant increase in the skin conductance response (SCR) frequency and a decrease in the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) and high frequency (HF) components of HRV. In terms of stress assessment, the results showed an increase in the complexity of the EDA time series 2-6 s after the onset of PTA. These results indicate an elevation in sympathetic tone when healthy subjects were exposed to a translational transport scenario. Furthermore, evidence was provided for the ability of EDA complexity to differentiate stress states in individual trials of translational acceleration.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate the potential association between the circadian rhythm of blood pressure and deceleration capacity (DC)/acceleration capacity (AC) in patients with essential hypertension.
METHODS: This study included 318 patients with essential hypertension, whether or not they were being treated with anti-hypertensive drugs, who underwent 24-hour ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). Patients were categorized into three groups based on the percentage of nocturnal systolic blood pressure (SBP) dipping: the dipper, non-dipper and reverse dipper groups. Baseline demographic characteristics, ambulatory blood pressure monitoring parameters, Holter recordings (including DC and AC), and echocardiographic parameters were collected.
RESULTS: In this study, the lowest DC values were observed in the reverse dipper group, followed by the non-dipper and dipper groups (6.46 ± 2.06 vs. 6.65 ± 1.95 vs. 8.07 ± 1.79 ms, P < .001). Additionally, the AC gradually decreased (-6.32 ± 2.02 vs. -6.55 ± 1.95 vs. -7.80 ± 1.73 ms, P < .001). There was a significant association between DC (r = .307, P < .001), AC (r=-.303, P < .001) and nocturnal SBP decline. Furthermore, DC (β = 0.785, P = .001) was positively associated with nocturnal SBP decline, whereas AC was negatively associated with nocturnal SBP (β = -0.753, P = .002). By multivariate logistic regression analysis, deceleration capacity [OR (95% CI): 0.705 (0.594-0.836), p < .001], and acceleration capacity [OR (95% CI): 1.357 (1.141-1.614), p = .001] were identified as independent risk factors for blood pressure nondipper status. The analysis of ROC curves revealed that the area under the curve for DC/AC in predicting the circadian rhythm of blood pressure was 0.711/0.697, with a sensitivity of 73.4%/65.1% and specificity of 66.7%/71.2%.
CONCLUSIONS: Abnormal DC and AC density were correlated with a blunted decline in nighttime SBP, suggesting a potential association between the circadian rhythm of blood pressure in essential hypertension patients and autonomic nervous dysfunction.

Objectives: A randomized controlled experimental design that combines exercise and music intervention was adopted in this study to verify whether this approach could help improve human affect. The differences in the effect of music listening on affective improvement were compared in four different periods: before, during, and after aerobic power cycling exercise and the whole exercise course. Method: A total of 140 subjects aged 19-30 years (average age: 23.6 years) were recruited and randomly divided into four music intervention groups, namely, the pre-exercise, during-exercise, post-exercise, and the whole-course groups. The subjects\' demographic and sociological variables and daily physical activities were collected using questionnaires. Individual factors, such as the subjects\' noise sensitivity, personality traits, and degree of learning burnout, were collected via scale scoring. A laboratory in Zhejiang Normal University was selected as the experimental site. The testing procedure can be summarized as follows. In a quiet environment, the subjects were asked to sit quietly for 5 min after completing a preparation work, and then they were informed to take a pre-test. The four subject groups wore headphones and completed 20 min of aerobic cycling (i.e., 7 min of moderate-intensity cycling [50%*HRR + RHR] + 6 min of low-intensity interval cycling [30%*HRR + RHR] + 7 min of moderate-intensity cycling [50%*HRR + RHR] after returning to a calm state (no less than 20 min) for post-testing. The affect improvement indicators (dependent variables) collected in the field included blood pressure (BP), positive/negative affect, and heart rate variability indicators (RMSSD, SDNN, and LF/HF). Results: 1) Significant differences were found in the participants\' systolic BP (SBP) indices and the effect of improvement of the positive affect during the exercise-music intervention among the four groups at different durations for the same exercise intensity (F = 2.379, p = 0.030, ɳp 2 = 0.058; F = 2.451, p = 0.043, ɳp 2 = 0.091). 2) Music intervention for individuals during exercise contribute more to the reduction of SBP than the other three time periods (F = 3.170, p = 0.047, ɳp 2 = 0.068). Improvement in the participants\' negativity affective score was also better during exercise, and it was significantly different than the other three time periods (F = 5.516, p = 0.006, ɳp 2 = 0.113). No significant differences were found in the improvement effects of the other effective indicators for the four periods. Conclusion: Exercise combined with music intervention has a facilitative effect on human affect improvement, and listening to music during exercise has a better impact on affective improvement than music interventions at the other periods. When people perform physical activities, listening to music during exercise positively affects the progress effect among them.