Is there a link between heart rate variability and cognitive decline? A cross-sectional study on patients with mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy controls

Background Given that, up to date, there is no effective strategy to treat dementia, a timely start of interventions in a prodromal stage such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered an important option to lower the overall societal burden. Although autonomic functions have been related to...

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Main Authors: Bernhard Grässler, Milos Dordevic, Sabine Darius, Fabian Herold, Giuseppe Forte, Corinna Langhans, Nicole Halfpaap, Patrick Müller, Wenzel Glanz, Estélio Henrique Martin Dantas, Irina Böckelmann, Notger Müller, Anita Hökelmann
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Thieme Revinter Publicações 2023-01-01
Series:Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
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Online Access:http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.1055/s-0042-1758862
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author Bernhard Grässler
Milos Dordevic
Sabine Darius
Fabian Herold
Giuseppe Forte
Corinna Langhans
Nicole Halfpaap
Patrick Müller
Wenzel Glanz
Estélio Henrique Martin Dantas
Irina Böckelmann
Notger Müller
Anita Hökelmann
author_facet Bernhard Grässler
Milos Dordevic
Sabine Darius
Fabian Herold
Giuseppe Forte
Corinna Langhans
Nicole Halfpaap
Patrick Müller
Wenzel Glanz
Estélio Henrique Martin Dantas
Irina Böckelmann
Notger Müller
Anita Hökelmann
author_sort Bernhard Grässler
collection DOAJ
description Background Given that, up to date, there is no effective strategy to treat dementia, a timely start of interventions in a prodromal stage such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered an important option to lower the overall societal burden. Although autonomic functions have been related to cognitive performance, both aspects have rarely been studied simultaneously in MCI. Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate cardiac autonomic control in older adults with and without MCI. Methods Cardiac autonomic control was assessed by means of heart rate variability (HRV) at resting state and during cognitive tasks in 22 older adults with MCI and 29 healthy controls (HCs). Resting HRV measurement was performed for 5 minutes during a sitting position. Afterwards, participants performed three PC-based tasks to probe performance in executive functions and language abilities (i.e., Stroop, N-back, and a verbal fluency task). Results Participants with MCI showed a significant reduction of HRV in the frequency-domain (high frequency power) and nonlinear indices (SD2, D2, and DFA1) during resting state compared to HCs. Older individuals with MCI exhibited decreases in RMSSD and increases in DFA1 from resting state to Stroop and N-back tasks, reflecting strong vagal withdrawal, while this parameter remained stable in HCs. Conclusion The results support the presence of autonomic dysfunction at the early stage of cognitive impairment. Heart rate variability could help in the prediction of cognitive decline as a noninvasive biomarker or as a tool to monitor the effectiveness of therapy and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.
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spelling doaj-art-e8705551cbec44f9a6046af2f80d54ce2025-08-20T03:24:47ZengThieme Revinter PublicaçõesArquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria0004-282X1678-42272023-01-01810100901810.1055/s-0042-1758862Is there a link between heart rate variability and cognitive decline? A cross-sectional study on patients with mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy controlsBernhard Grässler0Milos Dordevic1Sabine Darius2Fabian Herold3Giuseppe Forte4Corinna Langhans5Nicole Halfpaap6Patrick Müller7Wenzel Glanz8Estélio Henrique Martin Dantas9Irina Böckelmann10Notger Müller11Anita Hökelmann12Otto von Guericke University, Institute of Sport Science, Magdeburg, Germany.German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Neuroprotection Research Group, Magdeburg, Germany.Otto von Guericke University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Occupational Medicine, Magdeburg, Germany.German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Neuroprotection Research Group, Magdeburg, Germany.Sapienza Università di Roma, Dipartimento di Psicologia, Rome, Italy.Otto von Guericke University, Institute of Sport Science, Magdeburg, Germany.Otto von Guericke University, Institute of Sport Science, Magdeburg, Germany.German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Neuroprotection Research Group, Magdeburg, Germany.German Research Group Neuroprotection Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Magdeburg, Germany.Universidade Federal do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Programa de Pós- Graduação em Enfermagem e Biociências, Rio de Janeiro RJ, Brazil.Otto von Guericke University, Faculty of Medicine, Department of Occupational Medicine, Magdeburg, Germany.German Center for Neurodegenerative Diseases, Neuroprotection Research Group, Magdeburg, Germany.Otto von Guericke University, Institute of Sport Science, Magdeburg, Germany.Background Given that, up to date, there is no effective strategy to treat dementia, a timely start of interventions in a prodromal stage such as mild cognitive impairment (MCI) is considered an important option to lower the overall societal burden. Although autonomic functions have been related to cognitive performance, both aspects have rarely been studied simultaneously in MCI. Objective The aim of the present study was to investigate cardiac autonomic control in older adults with and without MCI. Methods Cardiac autonomic control was assessed by means of heart rate variability (HRV) at resting state and during cognitive tasks in 22 older adults with MCI and 29 healthy controls (HCs). Resting HRV measurement was performed for 5 minutes during a sitting position. Afterwards, participants performed three PC-based tasks to probe performance in executive functions and language abilities (i.e., Stroop, N-back, and a verbal fluency task). Results Participants with MCI showed a significant reduction of HRV in the frequency-domain (high frequency power) and nonlinear indices (SD2, D2, and DFA1) during resting state compared to HCs. Older individuals with MCI exhibited decreases in RMSSD and increases in DFA1 from resting state to Stroop and N-back tasks, reflecting strong vagal withdrawal, while this parameter remained stable in HCs. Conclusion The results support the presence of autonomic dysfunction at the early stage of cognitive impairment. Heart rate variability could help in the prediction of cognitive decline as a noninvasive biomarker or as a tool to monitor the effectiveness of therapy and prevention of neurodegenerative diseases.http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.1055/s-0042-1758862heart ratecognitive dysfunctioncognitionautonomic nervous system diseases
spellingShingle Bernhard Grässler
Milos Dordevic
Sabine Darius
Fabian Herold
Giuseppe Forte
Corinna Langhans
Nicole Halfpaap
Patrick Müller
Wenzel Glanz
Estélio Henrique Martin Dantas
Irina Böckelmann
Notger Müller
Anita Hökelmann
Is there a link between heart rate variability and cognitive decline? A cross-sectional study on patients with mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy controls
Arquivos de Neuro-Psiquiatria
heart rate
cognitive dysfunction
cognition
autonomic nervous system diseases
title Is there a link between heart rate variability and cognitive decline? A cross-sectional study on patients with mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy controls
title_full Is there a link between heart rate variability and cognitive decline? A cross-sectional study on patients with mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy controls
title_fullStr Is there a link between heart rate variability and cognitive decline? A cross-sectional study on patients with mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy controls
title_full_unstemmed Is there a link between heart rate variability and cognitive decline? A cross-sectional study on patients with mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy controls
title_short Is there a link between heart rate variability and cognitive decline? A cross-sectional study on patients with mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy controls
title_sort is there a link between heart rate variability and cognitive decline a cross sectional study on patients with mild cognitive impairment and cognitively healthy controls
topic heart rate
cognitive dysfunction
cognition
autonomic nervous system diseases
url http://www.thieme-connect.de/DOI/DOI?10.1055/s-0042-1758862
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