Lower heart rate variability is associated with worse memory function: The Maastricht Study

Figure 1.. Flowchart delineating the derivation of the final study population. * not mutually exclusive. HRV: heart rate variability; HDL: high density lipoprotein.

Figure 2.. Association of time domain composite z-score HRV with memory function, executive function and information processing speed. Standardized regression coefficients (stβ) represent the differences in global cognitive performance, memory function, executive function and information processing speed in SD, for every 1 standard deviation (SD) lower time domain composite z-score HRV. Results are adjusted for age, sex, glucose metabolism status, educational level, waist, alcohol consumption status, smoking status, total cholesterol-to-HDL cholesterol ratio, use of lipid-modifying medication, use of anti-hypertensive medication and office systolic blood pressure. *p < 0.05. Time domain z-score combines SDNN, SDANN, RMSSD, SDNN index and pNN50. Stβ: standardized beta; CI: confidence interval; SD: standard deviation.

Figure 3.. Association of frequency domain composite z-score HRV with memory function, executive function and information processing speed. Standardized regression coefficients (stβ) represent the differences in global cognitive performance, memory function, executive function and information processing speed in SD, for every 1 standard deviation (SD) lower frequency domain composite z-score HRV. Results are adjusted for age, sex, glucose metabolism status, educational level, waist, alcohol consumption status, smoking status, total cholesterol-to-HDL cholesterol ratio, use of lipid-modifying medication, use of anti-hypertensive medication and office systolic blood pressure. * denotes p < 0.05. Frequency domain z-score combines TP, ULF, VLF, LF, and HF. Stβ: standardized beta; CI: confidence interval; SD: standard deviation.