Heart and the brain: the role of heart rate variability in cognitive functions

Introduction  The present study tested the neurovisceral integration model proposed by Thayer and Lane (2009) by examining the relationship between vagally mediated resting-state Heart Rate Variability (vmHRV) and performance in different cognitive tasks. Method Forty-five university students participated in the study. The participants were divided into two groups based on the median split on the HF power of HRV scores: low-vmHRV (N=22) and high-vmHRV (N=23). Cognitive tests were administered to evaluate global cognition (Mini-Mental State Examination), memory (Rey Auditory Verbal Learning Test), attention (Attentional Network Task), and executive function (Wisconsin Card Sorting Test; N-Back; GoNoGo; Stroop). Results The ANOVAs on the cognitive performance scores show significant differences between groups for the Wisconsin Card Sorting task (considering global score and non-perseverative errors), the GoNogo task, the N-Back task and the Stroop task. Discussion Participants with higher resting-state HRV (indexed both by time and frequency domain measures) showed better cognitive performance (i.e., executive functions and global cognition) than individuals with lower resting-state HRV. Our findings support the neurovisceral integration model and prove that higher levels of vagally mediated resting-state HRV facilitate cognitive functioning, in particular, working memory, cognitive and motor inhibition, cognitive flexibility and global functioning. Conclusion These findings suggest that a vagally mediated resting-state HRV could be considered as a precursor biomarker of cognitive performance. We suggest that this measure might be used as a diagnostic tool to predict the worsening of cognitive decline.