Title |
Heart rate variability and the relationship between trauma exposure age, and psychopathology in a post-conflict setting
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Published in |
BMC Psychiatry, May 2016
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DOI | 10.1186/s12888-016-0850-5 |
Pubmed ID | |
Authors |
Belinda J. Liddell, Andrew H. Kemp, Zachary Steel, Angela Nickerson, Richard A. Bryant, Natalino Tam, Alvin Kuowei Tay, Derrick Silove |
Abstract |
Cumulative exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTEs) increases risk for mental distress in conflict-affected settings, but the psychophysiological mechanisms that mediate this dose-response relationship are unknown. We investigated diminished heart rate variability (HRV) - an index of vagus nerve function and a robust predictor of emotion regulation capacity - as a vulnerability marker that potentially mediates the association between PTE exposure, age and symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), psychological distress and aggressive behavior, in a community sample from Timor-Leste - a post-conflict country with a history of mass violence. Resting state heart rate data was recorded from 45 cases of PTSD, depression and intermittent explosive disorder (IED); and 29 non-case controls. Resting HRV was significantly reduced in the combined case group compared with non-cases (p = .021; Cohen's d = 0.5). A significant mediation effect was also observed, whereby a sequence of increased age, reduced HRV and elevated PTSD symptoms mediated the association between PTE exposure and distress (B = .06, SE = .05, 95 % CI = [.00-.217]) and aggression (B = .02, SE = .02, 95 % CI = [.0003-.069])). The findings demonstrate an association between diminished resting HRV and psychopathology. Moreover, age-related HRV reductions emerged as a potential psychophysiological mechanism that underlies enhanced vulnerability to distress and aggression following cumulative PTE exposure. |
Mendeley readers
Geographical breakdown
Country | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Netherlands | 1 | <1% |
United States | 1 | <1% |
Unknown | 172 | 99% |
Demographic breakdown
Readers by professional status | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Student > Ph. D. Student | 36 | 21% |
Student > Master | 28 | 16% |
Researcher | 20 | 11% |
Student > Bachelor | 15 | 9% |
Student > Doctoral Student | 10 | 6% |
Other | 27 | 16% |
Unknown | 38 | 22% |
Readers by discipline | Count | As % |
---|---|---|
Psychology | 75 | 43% |
Medicine and Dentistry | 14 | 8% |
Nursing and Health Professions | 6 | 3% |
Neuroscience | 6 | 3% |
Social Sciences | 6 | 3% |
Other | 23 | 13% |
Unknown | 44 | 25% |