心率变异性与认知控制的关系

The Relationship between Heart Rate Variability and Cognitive Control

根据神经内脏整合模型,反映迷走神经活动的心率变异性(heart rate variability,HRV)可以预测个体认知控制任务的表现,二者存在共同的神经基础。通过对HRV和认知控制的相关性、相互影响及其神经机制进行归纳和总结,发现HRV与认知控制之间存在正相关关系,即个体的HRV水平越高,认知控制任务表现越好。此外,二者之间存在相互影响,认知控制训练可以改变HRV水平,HRV干预技术(如经皮迷走神经刺激技术或HRV生物反馈训练)能够改善认知控制能力。以上正相关关系和相互影响作用的存在,可能是由于二者都受到来自前额叶-皮层下回路的调控。因此,利用HRV干预技术重塑前额叶-皮层下回路之间的连接,能够帮助改善个体的迷走神经调节功能和认知控制能力,为探讨心率变异性和认知控制的关系提供了新视角。

The neurovisceral integration model postulates that the prefrontal-subcortical neural circuit was involved in the regulation of vagally-mediated heart rate variability(HRV).The vagally-mediated HRV may predict individual's performance of cognitive control.The present paper is to summarize former researches concerning vagally-mediated HRV and cognitive control,and draw a conclusion about their correlation,mutual influences and neural basis.Three major findings were described in this review.Firstly,by summarizing the existing research,positive correlation was observed between vagally-mediated HRV and three subcomponents of cognitive control.This was in line with the neurovisceral integration model that individual differences in vagally-mediated HRV were related to performance on cognitive function tasks.Secondly,studies using techniques such as HRV biofeedback training,tVNS technique and cognitive training have shown that vagally-mediated HRV levels and cognitive performance can be improved effectively,which may help us get better understanding of the mutual influence between vagally-mediated HRV and cognitive function.Finally,convergent neuroimaging evidences show that vagally-mediated HRV and cognitive control are both regulated by the prefrontal-subcortical circuit.In the future,studies using brain imaging techniques combined with HRV biofeedback training or tVNS technique are needed to clarify the neuroplasticity mechanism.This would be helpful for further understanding of the mutual influence between vagally-mediated HRV and cognitive control.