Brain network localization of high-frequency heart rate variability: A meta-analysis and coordinate-based network mapping approach

This study investigated the neural mechanisms behind high-frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV), a marker of cardiac parasympathetic tone, which is crucial for understanding the interplay between physiological and emotional regulation. Previous neuroimaging studies have yielded inconsistent results, making it challenging to identify the specific brain networks involved in cardiac vagal control. To address this issue, we conducted a systematic search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus for studies linking HF-HRV with brain activation coordinates. An Activation Likelihood Estimation (ALE) meta-analysis was performed to identify convergence in brain activation associated with HF-HRV. We subsequently used coordinate-based network mapping to investigate the functional connectivity of brain regions related to HF-HRV, via a database of resting-state functional connectivity from 1000 healthy volunteers. Despite the high heterogeneity among studies, which prevented the ALE meta-analysis from identifying significant voxels or clusters, coordinate-based network mapping revealed consistent network overlap in the subgenual anterior cingulate cortex (sgACC) and ventromedial prefrontal cortex (vmPFC), both of which were positively correlated with HF-HRV. No significantly correlated areas were detected in the brain networks that were negatively correlated with HF-HRV. These findings suggest that HF-HRV is associated with a distributed network of brain regions, with the sgACC and the vmPFC playing crucial roles in cardiac vagal control. This study introduces an innovative approach to understanding the role of the brain in HF-HRV control and provides a foundation for future research into the neural mechanisms underlying cardiac autonomic regulation.