Key result
Major depressive disorder is linked to ~32% lower HRV compared to healthy controls.
Why the study?
Major depressive disorder is increasingly recognized as a significant cardiovascular risk factor mediated through autonomic nervous system dysregulation.
Does Major Depressive Disorder, along with poor sleep and physical inactivity, reduce heart rate variability in young adults?
Cross-Sectional (n=92)
No
Does Major Depressive Disorder, along with poor sleep and physical inactivity, reduce heart rate variability in young adults?
Young adults with unmedicated major depressive disorder exhibit significant cardiac autonomic dysregulation, which is further exacerbated by poor sleep quality and physical inactivity.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
Lower HRV linked to poor sleep and inactivity in MDD; hypothesis-generating and should not yet change practice.
Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading contributor to global disability and is increasingly recognised as a significant cardiovascular risk factor mediated through autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysregulation. Methods: This cross-sectional comparative study investigated associations between sleep quality, physical activity, and heart rate variability (HRV) including Poincare plot indices (SD1, SD2, SD1/SD2 ratio) in 46 adults with Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM-5-TR) confirmed MDD versus 46 non-depressed controls (aged 18-45 years) recruited at the Dr BC Roy Multi-Speciality Medical Research Centre, IIT Kharagpur, India. Results: MDD participants demonstrated markedly reduced HRV across all domains: SDNN (39.2 ± 14.8 vs 58.0 ± 18.6 ms), rMSSD (27.4 ± 12.6 vs 46.2 ± 15.4 ms), SD1 (19.4 ± 8.8 vs 32.6 ± 11.2 ms), SD2 (52.2 ± 18.6 vs 77.4 ± 21.8 ms), and high-frequency power (5.36 ± 0.88 vs 6.56 ± 0.80 ln ms²; all p < 0.001). Poor sleep quality (PSQI ≥ 7) was significantly more prevalent in MDD (82.6% vs 47.8%). PSQI scores were independently associated with reduced HRV in multivariable regression, with associations substantially stronger in MDD participants and particularly in females with MDD. Physical inactivity amplified sleep-related HRV decrements. Conclusion: These cross-sectional findings are consistent with the hypothesis that comprehensive HRV assessment, systematic sleep quality screening, and structured physical activity promotion may be beneficial components of MDD management, pending confirmation from longitudinal interventional studies.
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Banerjee et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Major depressive disorder (n=92). Major depressive disorder vs. Non-depressed controls was evaluated on Standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN) (p=<0.001). Adults with major depressive disorder demonstrated markedly reduced heart rate variability, including a lower SDNN (.
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