Key result
Electroconvulsive therapy in patients with schizophrenia significantly increased high-frequency power and decreased the LF/HF ratio, normalizing heart rate variability to resemble healthy controls.
Why the study?
The study was conducted to investigate autonomic nervous system imbalance in schizophrenia by comparing HRV between patients and healthy controls, and to assess changes in HRV before and after ECT.
Does electroconvulsive therapy improve heart rate variability in patients with schizophrenia?
Observational (n=34)
Does electroconvulsive therapy improve heart rate variability in patients with schizophrenia?
Electroconvulsive therapy appears to restore autonomic balance in patients with schizophrenia by increasing parasympathetic activity, as measured by heart rate variability.
May suggest autonomic imbalance in schizophrenia; leaves open clinical utility of HRV or ECT effects pending controlled trials.
Aim: The aim of this study was to investigate autonomic nervous system imbalance in schizophrenia by comparing heart rate variability (HRV) between patients with schizophrenia and healthy controls, and to assess changes in HRV in patients before and after electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). Methods: = 34). Changes in HRV were also assessed in patients pre- and post-ECT. Additionally, the relationship between HRV and Positive and Negative Symptom Scale (PANSS) scores in patients with schizophrenia was investigated. Results: Patients with schizophrenia showed significantly lower high-frequency (HF) and low-frequency (LF) power compared with healthy controls, with a trend towards a higher LF/HF ratio. Following ECT, HF power increased significantly while the LF/HF ratio decreased significantly, resulting in no significant differences between patients and controls for these HRV parameters. The associations between HRV and symptoms observed before ECT were largely diminished after ECT, with only changes in the LF component correlating with changes in PANSS scores. Conclusion: Following ECT, we observed a shift in autonomic balance from sympathetic dominance towards increased parasympathetic activity and a state more closely resembling that in healthy controls.
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Yoshida et al. (2024) conducted an observational in Schizophrenia (n=34). Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) vs. Healthy controls and pre-ECT baseline was evaluated on Heart rate variability (HF power, LF power, LF/HF ratio). Electroconvulsive therapy in patients with schizophrenia significantly increased high-frequency power and decreased the LF/HF ratio, normalizing heart rate variability to resemble healthy controls.
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