• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.193-198
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• 2014

Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate the autonomic imbalance in syncope by comparing the baseline heart rate variability (HRV) between healthy children and those with vasovagal syncope. Methods: To characterize the autonomic profile in children experiencing vasovagal syncope, we evaluated the HRV of 23 patients aged 7-18 years and 20 healthy children. These children were divided into preadolescent (<12 years) and adolescent groups. The following time-domain indices were calculated: root mean square of the successive differences (RMSSD); standard deviation of all average R-R intervals (SDNN); and frequency domain indices including high frequency (HF), low frequency (LF), normalized high frequency, normalized low frequency, and low frequency to high frequency ratio (LF/HF). Results: HRV values were significantly different between healthy children and those with syncope. Student t test indicated significantly higher SNDD values (60.46 ms vs. 37.42 ms, P =0.003) and RMSSD (57.90 ms vs. 26.92 ms, P=0.000) in the patient group than in the control group. In the patient group, RMSSD (80.41 ms vs. 45.89 ms, P =0.015) and normalized HF (61.18 ms vs. 43.19 ms, P =0.022) were significantly higher in adolescents, whereas normalized LF (38.81 ms vs. 56.76 ms, P =0.022) and LF/HF ratio (0.76 vs. 1.89, P =0.041) were significantly lower in adolescents. In contrast, the control group did not have significant differences in HRV values between adolescents and preadolescents. Conclusion: The results of this study indicated that children with syncope had a decreased sympathetic tone and increased vagal tone compared to healthy children. Additionally, more severe autonomic imbalances possibly occur in adolescents than in preadolescents.

• Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2005

Objective:The purposes of this study were to investigate heart rate variability(HRV) in patients with generalized anxiety disorder(GAD) compared with major depressive disorder in Korea. Methods:Fifty-six GAD patients(20 male and 36 female) was classified into their comorbid psychiatric illness. Among them, Twenty-five patients(10 male and 15 female) who do not have any psychiatric comorbidity were compared with 30 major depressive disorder patients(12 male and 18 female). Clinical symptoms, HRV and MMPI were analysed between two group. Results:Comorbid psychiatric illnesses of GAD were ranked into no diagnosis(44.6%), MDD(32.1%), panic disorder(10.7%), social phobia(5.3%), PTSD(1.7%), OCD(1.7%), MDD+panic disorder(1.7%) and MDD+specific phobia(1.7%). GAD patients showed low functioning in HRV, but degree of decreasing HRV is not so severe compared with MDD patient. Balance of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve tone is more severely impaired in GAD patients compared with MDD patient. The score of MMPI did not reveal any differences between two groups. Conclusions:The result showed that HRV can differenciate GAD and MDD patients. GAD patients could show decreased HRV functioning, less than MDD patients. But autonomic imbalance could be more severe in GAD than MDD patients.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.141-147
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• 2012

In this paper, we have investigated effects of two specific meditations (Chinese qigong meditation and Kundalini yoga meditation) on the heart rate variability (HRV), which is a well-known quantitative measure of autonomic balance, of skilled students. To analyze the effects, the MIT/BIH physionet database was utilized. The database includes RR intervals of eight skilled Chinese qigong meditators (5 women and 3 men; age range 26-35) and four skilled Kundalini yoga meditators (2 women and 2 men; age range 20-52). RR intervals of each subject were measured before and during the meditations. For HRV analysis, we have used typical four HRV parameters - the low frequency to high frequency power ratio (LF/HF ratio), SD2/SD1 ratio, sample entropy, and fractal dimension. The LF/HF ratio was calculated by the autoregressive spectrum and the SD2/SD1 ratio was derived from the Poincar$\grave{e}$ plot. The sample entropy was computed from the phase space plot and the fractal dimension was estimated by the Higuchi's algorithm. In the experiments, the Wilcoxon signed rank test was employed because we used small datasets and compared HRV parameters before and during the meditations. As a result, we have found increment of the LF/HF and SD2/SD1 ratios in both meditations; whereas the sample entropy is decreased during the meditations. In addition, the fractal dimension is increased during the Chinese qigong meditation; whereas it is decreased during the Kundalini yoga meditation. The results show that the sympathetic nervous system is generally more activated in skilled Chinese qigong and Kundalini yoga meditators, but the activation of the parasympathetic nervous tone is suppressed.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.535-542
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• 2008

Objectives : Ryodoraku, which is a physiological function test using electric current, is closely related to skin sympathetic tone. Pulse analysis is known to reflect cardiovascular reactivity. Refer to the previous researches Ryodoraku and pulse analysis have value as tools for diagnosing respiratory diseases. In this study we examined the diagnostic values of Ryodoraku and pulse analysis for respiratory disease patients. Methods : For this study. we conducted Ryodoraku and pulse analysis on 114 people, including 83 respiratory disease outpatients and 31 volunteers who did not have any respiratory symptoms or disease history. The respiratory patients were divided into three subgroups according to their symptoms: rhinorrhea group, cough-sputum group and wheezing-dyspnea group. Then we compared the disease groups with the control group. Results : When all experimental groups were compared with the control group, mean Ryodoraku was significantly lower. Mean H2, mean H3 and mean H6 were significantly lower in the rhinorrhea group (P<0.05), all the test results of Ryodoraku were evidently lower in the cough-sputum group (P<0.01), and most results of Ryodoraku were evidently lower in the wheezing-dyspnea group except H1 (P<0.01). Compared with the control group on pulse analysis, mean YP+/YP- was significantly lower in the wheezing-dyspnea group (P<0.05). Conclusion : Ryodoraku and pulse analysis were found to have a high value as quantitative diagnosis tools reflecting individuals' weakness and firmness. Nevertheless, more research is needed to find the further values.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Emotion and Sensibility Conference
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• 1998.11a
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• pp.225-229
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• 1998

The purpose of the current study was comparative analysis of autonomic and electrocortical responses to passive and active touch of the tektites with different subjective emotional preference. Perspective goal of the project is development of a template for classification of tactile stimuli according to subjective comfort and associated physiological manifestations. The study was carried out on 36 female college students. Physiological signals were acquired by Grass and B10PAC 100 systems with AcqKnowledge III software. Frontal, parietal and occipital EEG (relative power spectrum /percents/ of EEG bands - delta, theta, slow and fast alpha, low and fast beta), and autonomic variables, namely heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), pulse transit time (PTT), respiration rate (RSP) and skin conductance parameters (SCL, amplitude, rise time and number of SCRs) were analyzed for rest baseline and stimulation conditions. Analysis of the overall pattern of reaction indicated that autonomic response to tactile stimulation was manifested in a form of moderate HR acceleration, RSP increase, RSA decrease (lowered vagal tone), decreased n and increased electrodermal activity (increased SCL, several SCRs) that reflects general sympathetic activation. Parietal EEG effects (on contra-lateral side to stimulated hand) were featured by short-term alpha-blocking, slightly reduced theta and significantly increased delta and enhanced fast beta activity with few variations across stimuli. The main finding of the study was that most and least preferred textures exhibited significant differences in autonomic (HR, RSP, PTT, SCR, and at less extent in RSA and SCL) and electrocortical responses (delta, slow and fast alpha, fast beta relative power). These differences were recorded both in passive and active stimulation modes, thus demonstrating reproducibility of distinction between most and least emotionally preferred tactile stimuli, suggesting influence of psychological factors, such as emotional property of stimulus, on physiological outcome. Nevertheless, development of sufficiently sensitive .and reliable template for classification of emotional responses to tactile stimulation based on physiological response pattern may require more extensive empirical database.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.560-569
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• 2007

Objectives : Ryodoraku is a physiological function test using electric current, and is closely related to skin sympathetic tone. Pulse analysis is known to reflect cardiovascular reactivity. There has been no report on the correlation between ryodoraku and pulse analysis in respiratory diseases. The present study examined the diagnostic values of ryodoraku and pulse analysis for respiratory disease patients Methods : For this study, we conducted ryodoraku and pulse analysis in 103 people including 79 respiratory disease outpatients who visited the $5^{th}$ Internal Department of the Oriental Medicine Hospital of Kyung Hee University during the period from January 1, 2003 to July 25, 2006, and 24 volunteers who did not have any respiratory symptoms or disease history. The respiratory disease patients were divided into five sub-groups according to their symptom: cough-sputum group, wheezing-dyspnea group ' nasal symptoms group. cold-prone group, and fatigue prone group. We compared the disease groups with the control group in six items as follows : mean ryodoraku, mean H1, mean elastic index, the percentage of those with mean ryodoraku below $40{\mu}A$, the percentage of those with HI beyond the physiological range, and the ratio of left : right of elastic index Results and Conclusions : Ryodoraku and pulse analysis were found to have a high value as quantitative diagnosis tools reflecting individuals' weakness and firmness. The results of this research suggest that ryodoraku and pulse analysis have value as tools for diagnosing respiratory diseases.

• Science of Emotion and Sensibility
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.13-22
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• 1998

The sense of touch has both objective and subjective characteristics. During hand evaluation of the fabrics. psycho physiological processes such as emotion and stimulation. On other site, the mode of touch (passive vs. active) is also capable to modulate somatosensory responses. I.e., suppress somatocensory perception during active electrocortical responses to passive and active touch of the textiles with different subjective emotional preference. The study was carried out on 36 female college students. Physiological signals were acquired by Grass and BIOPAC 100 systems with AcqKnowledge variables, namely heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), pulse transit time (PTT), respiration rate (RSP) and skin conductance parameters (SCL, amplitude, risetime and number of SCRs) were analyzed for baseline and stimulation conditions. Analysis was manifested in a form of moderate HR acceleration. RSP increase, RSA decrease (lowered vagal tone), decreased PTT and increased electrodermal activity (increased SCL, several SCRs) that reflects general sympathetic activation. Parietal EEG effects (on contra-lateral side to stimulated hand)were featured by short-term alpha-blocking, slightly reduced theta, significantly increased delta and enhanced fast beta activity with few variations across stimuli. The main finding of the study was that most and least preferred textures exhibited significant differences in autonomic (HR, RSP, PTT, SCR, and at less extent in RSA and SCL) and electrocortical responses (delta, slow and fast alpha, fast beta relative power). These differences were recorded both in passive and active stimulation modes, thus demonstrating reproducibility of distinction between most and least emotionally preferred tactile stimuli, suggesting influence of psychological factors, such as emotional property of stimulus, on physiological outcome.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.285-290
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• 1997

In this paper, the power spectral analysis and the fractal analysis of heart rate variability(HRV) were performed to evaluate the effects of brain lesion on cardiovascular system and autonomic function for 24 normal subjects and 22 hemiplegic patients. The ECG and respiration signals were recorded at tilt angles of $0^{\circ}$ and $70^{\circ}$ for 5 and 6 minutes successively under the condition of frequency controlled respiration (0.25Hz). For normal subjects, HR, LF component, HF component and fractral dimension of HRV were distinctly changed after orthostatic stress, whereas, for hemiplegic patients, those were little changed. Complexity and variability of heart rate of patients were smaller than those of normal subjects. Sympathetic tone of patients was higher than that in normal subjects. All of these results support that autonomic disorder and cardiovascular disturbance accompanied by brain lesion could be assessed by the power spectral analysis and fractal analysis of HRV.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.287-295
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• 1998

Diazepam is known to have cardiovascular depressive effects through a combined action on benzodiazepinergic receptor and the GABA receptor-chloride ion channel complex. Moreover, it is known that barbiturates also have some cardiovascular regulatory effects mediated by the central GABAergic system. Therefore, this study was undertaken to delineate the regulatory actions and interactions of these systems by measuring the responses of the cardiovascular system and renal nerve activity to muscimol, diazepam and pentobarbital, administered intracerebroventricularly in rabbits. When muscimol $(0.03{\sim}0.3\;{\mu}\;g/kg)$, diazepam $(10{\sim}100\;{\mu}\;g/kg)$ and pentobarbital $(1{\sim}10\;{\mu}\;g/kg)$ were injected into the lateral ventricle of the rabbit brain, there were similar dose-dependent decreases in blood pressure (BP) and renal nerve activity (RNA). The relative potency of the three drugs in decreasing BP and RNA was muscimol ＞ pentobarbital ＞ diazepam. Muscimol and pentobarbital also decreased the heart rate in a dose-dependent manner; however, diazepam produced a trivial, dose-independent decrease in heart rate. Diazepam $(30\;{\mu}g/kg)$ augmented the effect of muscimol $(0.1\;{\mu}g/kg)$ in decreasing blood pressure and renal nerve activity, but pentobarbital $(3\;{\mu}g/kg)$ did not. Bicuculline $(0.5\;{\mu}g/kg)$, a GABAergic receptor blocker, significantly attenuated the effect of muscimol in decreasing BP and RNA, either alone or with diazepam, and that of pentobarbital in decreasing BP and RNA, either alone or with muscimol. We inferred that the central benzodiazepinergic and barbiturate systems help regulate peripheral cardiovascular function by modulating the GABAergic system, which adjusts the output of the vasomotor center and hence controls peripheral sympathetic tone. Benzodiazepines more readily modulate the GABAergic system than barbiturates.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.27-39
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• 2023

Purpose : The aim of this study was to identify the influence of transient isokinetic exercise on cardiac autonomic modulation and muscle properties in healthy male subjects. Methods : Twenty-eight healthy males underwent isokinetic exercise of both knee joints using a Biodex systems 3 isokinetic dynamometer with an angular velocity of 60 °/sec. The changes in activity of the autonomic nervous system, as determined by heart rate variability (HRV), and in muscle properties were evaluated at three times: pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and 10 min post-exercise. Results : The time domain analysis of HRV revealed significant changes in the beat count and mean and minimal heart rate (HR) measured at pre-exercise, immediately post-exercise, and 10 min post-exercise (p<.001). The beat count and mean HR were markedly increased immediately post-exercise compared to pre-exercise, but then significantly decreased at 10 min post-exercise (p<.001). All parameters of the frequency domain were significantly altered by isokinetic exercise (p<.01). The low frequency/high frequency (LF/HF) ratio, as an index for the sympathovagal balance, was elevated by exercise and remained at a similarly high level at 10 min post-exercise (p<.01). The muscle properties of rectus femoris were changed as follows: Muscle tone and stiffness were significantly increased between pre-exercise and immediately post-exercise (p<.001), and between pre-exercise and at 10 min post-exercise (p<.001). Whereas, the elasticity showed no significant change. Conclusion : These results demonstrated that transient isokinetic exercise could induce changes in cardiac autonomic control and muscle properties. In particular, up-regulation of LF/HF ratio after exercise signifies thus enhanced sympathetic modulation by isokinetic exercise. Therefore, it is needed to understand the cardiovascular risks that may arise during isokinetic exercise for providing the basic evidence to establish appropriate isokinetic exercise protocols as effective rehabilitation exercises.