Heart rate variability (HRV) as a way to understand associations between the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and affective states: A critical review of the literature

Evidence suggests affective disorders such as depression and bipolar disorder are characterised by dysregulated autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity. These findings suggest ANS dysregulation may be involved in the pathogenesis of affective disorders. Different affective states are characterised by different ANS activity patterns (i.e., an increase or decrease in sympathetic or parasympathetic activity). To understand how ANS abnormalities are involved in the development of affective disorders, it is important to understand how affective states correlate with ANS activity before their onset. Using heart rate variability (HRV) as a tool to measure ANS activity, this review aimed to look at associations…

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  UK Research and Innovation