The association between individual differences in executive functioning and resting high-frequency heart rate variability

• Published in: Biological psychology Vol. 148; p. 107772
• Main Authors: Williams, Paula G., Cribbet, Matthew R., Tinajero, Ruben, Rau, Holly K., Thayer, Julian F., Suchy, Yana
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Netherlands Elsevier B.V 01.11.2019
• Subjects: Adult; Brain - physiology; Executive Function - physiology; Executive functioning; Female; Healthy Volunteers; Heart Rate - physiology; Heart rate variability; Humans; Individual differences; Individuality; Male; Models, Theoretical; Neuropsychological Tests; Parasympathetic Nervous System - physiology; Rest - physiology; Self-regulation; Sympathetic Nervous System - physiology; Young Adult; Executive functioning; Heart rate variability; Individual differences; Self-regulation
• ISSN: 0301-0511; 1873-6246
• DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2019.107772

•Better performance on measures of EF was associated with higher resting HF-HRV.•EF was not significantly associated with resting PEP.•EF and resting HF-HRV were unrelated to self-report measures of self-regulation. Both resting high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) and executive functioning (EF) are individual differences implicated in vulnerability to a wide range of adverse outcomes. The overlapping set of associations, along with theoretical models positing connections between the brain regions subserving the executive functions and the parasympathetic nervous system, suggest that the two factors should be correlated. Seeking to address limitations in prior research, the current study examined the association between EF, measured comprehensively with individually-administered neuropsychological tests and controlling for lower-order cognitive processes, and resting physiology, measured with impedence cardiography, in healthy, community participants (68% female; mean age = 27, SD = 6.5). Results confirmed a significant association between EF and resting HF-HRV, but no association with resting state sympathetic nervous system activation (pre-ejection period). These findings may inform future investigation of transdiagnostic mechanisms related to these two individual difference factors.