Key result
Exposure to a higher number and impact of life events was associated with elevated heart rate reactivity and decreased heart rate complexity (Sample Entropy) in response to acute stress.
Why the study?
It was unknown whether exposure to life events and their reported impact are associated with altered cardiac reactivity to an acute psychological stressor.
Are life events associated with altered cardiac reactivity to an acute psychological stressor?
Cross-Sectional (n=69)
Are life events associated with altered cardiac reactivity to an acute psychological stressor?
Life events are associated with elevated heart rate and diminished heart rate complexity in response to acute psychological stress.
Life events may heighten autonomic stress responses; hypothesis-generating for prospective studies on cardiac complexity.
The current study examined whether the exposure to life events and reported impact of life events are associated with altered cardiac reactivity to an acute psychological stressor. Participants (N = 69) completed the Life Experience Survey (LES) and Positive and Negative Affect Schedule (PANAS) and undertook a standardized social-evaluative stress task. Cardiac activity was measured via heart rate and non-linear heart rate variability (HRV) indices Sample Entropy, SD1, SD2 and SD1/SD2 ratio. Heart rate and non-linear HRV were measured before, during and after stress exposure. Findings suggest higher heart rate reactivity in individuals reporting higher number and impact of negative and total life events. Decreases in Sample Entropy were evident for number as well as impact of life events. No associations were found for SD1, SD2 and SD1/SD2 ratio. Findings suggest that life-events are associated with elevated heart rate and diminished heart rate complexity in response to acute stress.
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Schneider et al. (2021) reported a cross-sectional. Exposure to life events was evaluated on Cardiac reactivity (heart rate and non-linear HRV indices) to an acute psychological stressor. Exposure to a higher number and impact of life events was associated with elevated heart rate reactivity and decreased heart rate complexity (Sample Entropy) in response to acute stress.
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