Key result
Low cardiovagal tone linked to strict schizophrenia diagnosis and ~6 years later disease onset.
Cross-Sectional (n=23)
Absolute Event Rate: 100% vs 54.5%
p-value: p=0.013
Schizophrenia patients exhibit a bimodal distribution of cardiac vagal tone, with low vagal tone associated with later age of onset and altered brain laterality.
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No immediate clinical implications for schizophrenia; hypothesis-generating for cardiovagal tone links to subtype and laterality.
Malaspina et al. (1997) conducted a cross-sectional in Schizophrenia or schizoaffective disorder (n=23). Low cardiovagal tone (PNN50 ≤ 4.0) vs. High cardiovagal tone (PNN50 ≥ 8.0) was evaluated on Schizophrenia (not schizoaffective) diagnosis (p=0.013). Low cardiovagal tone was significantly associated with a strictly schizophrenia diagnosis (100% vs 54.5%, p=0.013) and a later age of onset (20.5 vs 14.8 years, p=0.005).
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