Abstract
Background
Previous research suggests that heart rate variability (HRV) may be an important factor
in various maladaptive psychological conditions.
Methods
This study was conducted to investigate vagal tone assessed as tonic vagally mediated
heart rate variability in alcoholic (n = 49) and control subjects (n = 45).
Results
Alcoholic subjects had faster heart rate and lower preimaginary exposure levels of
HRV compared with the control group. An increase in HRV was observed in the alcoholic
group when subjects were exposed to an imaginary alcohol script. Tonic HRV was found
to be related inversely to negative mood and chronic thought suppression and positively
to positive mood. Furthermore, the compulsive subscale of the Obsessive Compulsive
Drinking Scale (OCDS) was inversely related to HRV during the imaginary alcohol exposure.
Conclusions
It is concluded that the findings are in agreement with the neurovisceral integration
model of affective regulation, which claims that dysfunctional psychologic states
are rooted in an impaired inhibitory mechanism that is associated with low HRV.
Keywords
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Article info
Publication history
Accepted:
November 20,
2002
Received in revised form:
November 14,
2002
Received:
June 10,
2002
Identification
Copyright
© 2003 Society of Biological Psychiatry. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
