The very low-frequency band of heart rate variability represents the slow recovery component after a mental stress task.

The very low-frequency (VLF) band of heart rate variability (HRV) has different characteristics compared with other HRV components. Here we investigated differences in HRV changes after a mental stress task. After the task, the high-frequency (HF) band and ratio of high- to low-frequency bands (LF/H...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Harunobu Usui, Yusuke Nishida
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Public Library of Science (PLoS) 2017-01-01
Series:PLoS ONE
Online Access:https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182611&type=printable
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850229078253109248
author Harunobu Usui
Yusuke Nishida
author_facet Harunobu Usui
Yusuke Nishida
author_sort Harunobu Usui
collection DOAJ
description The very low-frequency (VLF) band of heart rate variability (HRV) has different characteristics compared with other HRV components. Here we investigated differences in HRV changes after a mental stress task. After the task, the high-frequency (HF) band and ratio of high- to low-frequency bands (LF/HF) immediately returned to baseline. We evaluated the characteristics of VLF band changes after a mental stress task. We hypothesized that the VLF band decreases during the Stroop color word task and there would be a delayed recovery for 2 h after the task (i.e., the VLF change would exhibit a "slow recovery"). Nineteen healthy, young subjects were instructed to rest for 10 min, followed by a Stroop color word task for 20 min. After the task, the subjects were instructed to rest for 120 min. For all subjects, R-R interval data were collected; analysis was performed for VLF, HF, and LF/HF ratio. HRV during the rest time and each 15-min interval of the recovery time were compared. An analysis of the covariance was performed to adjust for the HF band and LF/HF ratio as confounding variables of the VLF component. HF and VLF bands significantly decreased and the LF/HF ratio significantly increased during the task compared with those during rest time. During recovery, the VLF band was significantly decreased compared with the rest time. After the task, the HF band and LF/HF ratio immediately returned to baseline and were not significantly different from the resting values. After adjusting for HF and LF/HF ratio, the VLF band had significantly decreased compared with that during rest. The VLF band is the "slow recovery" component and the HF band and LF/HF ratio are the "quick recovery" components of HRV. This VLF characteristic may clarify the unexplained association of the VLF band in cardiovascular disease prevention.
format Article
id doaj-art-8f4a44d425414cd48ef604eb4973385f
institution OA Journals
issn 1932-6203
language English
publishDate 2017-01-01
publisher Public Library of Science (PLoS)
record_format Article
series PLoS ONE
spelling doaj-art-8f4a44d425414cd48ef604eb4973385f2025-08-20T02:04:20ZengPublic Library of Science (PLoS)PLoS ONE1932-62032017-01-01128e018261110.1371/journal.pone.0182611The very low-frequency band of heart rate variability represents the slow recovery component after a mental stress task.Harunobu UsuiYusuke NishidaThe very low-frequency (VLF) band of heart rate variability (HRV) has different characteristics compared with other HRV components. Here we investigated differences in HRV changes after a mental stress task. After the task, the high-frequency (HF) band and ratio of high- to low-frequency bands (LF/HF) immediately returned to baseline. We evaluated the characteristics of VLF band changes after a mental stress task. We hypothesized that the VLF band decreases during the Stroop color word task and there would be a delayed recovery for 2 h after the task (i.e., the VLF change would exhibit a "slow recovery"). Nineteen healthy, young subjects were instructed to rest for 10 min, followed by a Stroop color word task for 20 min. After the task, the subjects were instructed to rest for 120 min. For all subjects, R-R interval data were collected; analysis was performed for VLF, HF, and LF/HF ratio. HRV during the rest time and each 15-min interval of the recovery time were compared. An analysis of the covariance was performed to adjust for the HF band and LF/HF ratio as confounding variables of the VLF component. HF and VLF bands significantly decreased and the LF/HF ratio significantly increased during the task compared with those during rest time. During recovery, the VLF band was significantly decreased compared with the rest time. After the task, the HF band and LF/HF ratio immediately returned to baseline and were not significantly different from the resting values. After adjusting for HF and LF/HF ratio, the VLF band had significantly decreased compared with that during rest. The VLF band is the "slow recovery" component and the HF band and LF/HF ratio are the "quick recovery" components of HRV. This VLF characteristic may clarify the unexplained association of the VLF band in cardiovascular disease prevention.https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182611&type=printable
spellingShingle Harunobu Usui
Yusuke Nishida
The very low-frequency band of heart rate variability represents the slow recovery component after a mental stress task.
PLoS ONE
title The very low-frequency band of heart rate variability represents the slow recovery component after a mental stress task.
title_full The very low-frequency band of heart rate variability represents the slow recovery component after a mental stress task.
title_fullStr The very low-frequency band of heart rate variability represents the slow recovery component after a mental stress task.
title_full_unstemmed The very low-frequency band of heart rate variability represents the slow recovery component after a mental stress task.
title_short The very low-frequency band of heart rate variability represents the slow recovery component after a mental stress task.
title_sort very low frequency band of heart rate variability represents the slow recovery component after a mental stress task
url https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0182611&type=printable
work_keys_str_mv AT harunobuusui theverylowfrequencybandofheartratevariabilityrepresentstheslowrecoverycomponentafteramentalstresstask
AT yusukenishida theverylowfrequencybandofheartratevariabilityrepresentstheslowrecoverycomponentafteramentalstresstask
AT harunobuusui verylowfrequencybandofheartratevariabilityrepresentstheslowrecoverycomponentafteramentalstresstask
AT yusukenishida verylowfrequencybandofheartratevariabilityrepresentstheslowrecoverycomponentafteramentalstresstask