Alteration of cardiac autonomic functions in patients with major depression: a study using heart rate variability measures

Udupa, Kaviraja ; Sathyaprabh, T. N. ; Thirthalli, Jagadisha ; Kishore, K. R. ; Lavekar, G. S. ; Raju, T. R. ; Gangadhar, B. N. (2007) Alteration of cardiac autonomic functions in patients with major depression: a study using heart rate variability measures Journal of Affective Disorders, 100 (1). pp. 137-141. ISSN 0165-0327

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Official URL: http://www.jad-journal.com/article/S0165-0327(06)0...

Related URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jad.2006.10.007

Abstract

Background: Depression is associated with greater cardiac morbidity and mortality. One of the contributory factors for this may be altered cardiac autonomic activity in depression. However, cardiac autonomic involvement in depression remains controversial because of methodological issues. In this study, alteration of cardiac autonomic functions was studied in drug-naive patients with major depression without co-morbidity. Heart rate variability, a sensitive measure of neurocardiac autonomic regulation was used in addition to conventional methods of measuring cardiac autonomic functions. Methods: We recruited 40 patients suffering from major depression, diagnosed based on DSM-IV-TR criteria. Their cardiac autonomic functions were measured using both conventional and heart rate variability measures. These were compared with those of age- and gender-matched healthy controls. Results: Patients with major depression showed significantly lesser Valsalva ratio, maximum/minimum ratio and greater sympathovagal balance than healthy controls indicating decreased parasympathetic and increased sympathetic activity. Conclusions: Depression is associated with alteration of cardiac autonomic tone towards decreased parasympathetic activity and an increased sympathetic activity. It is possible that a common neurobiological dysfunction contributes to both depression and cardiac autonomic changes in the illness.

Item Type:Article
Source:Copyright of this article belongs to Elsevier Science.
Keywords:Major Depression; Autonomic Functions; Heart Rate Variability; Sympathovagal Balance
ID Code:38523
Deposited On:30 Apr 2011 09:28
Last Modified:30 Apr 2011 09:28

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