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Heart rate variability and its relation to prefrontal cognitive function: the effects of training and detraining

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Abstract

The aim of the present study was to investigate the relationship between physical fitness, heart rate variability (HRV) and cognitive function in 37 male sailors from the Royal Norwegian Navy. All subjects participated in an 8-week training program, after which the subjects completed the initial cognitive testing (pre-test). The subjects were assigned into a detrained group (DG) and a trained group (TG) based on their application for further duty. The DG withdrew from the training program for 4 weeks after which all subjects then completed the cognitive testing again (post-test). Physical fitness, measured as maximum oxygen consumption (V̇O2max), resting HRV, and cognitive function, measured using a continuous performance task (CPT) and a working memory test (WMT), were recorded during the pre-test and the post-test, and the data presented as the means and standard deviations. The results showed no between-group differences in V̇O2max or HRV at the pre-test. The DG showed a significant decrease in V̇O2max from the pre- to the post-test and a lower resting HRV than the TG on the post-test. Whereas there were no between-group differences on the CPT or WMT at the pre-test, the TG had faster reaction times and more true positive responses on tests of executive function at the post-test compared to the pre-test. The DG showed faster reaction times on non-executive tasks at the post-test compared to the pre-test. The results are discussed within a neurovisceral integration framework linking parasympathetic outflow to the heart to prefrontal neural functions.

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Acknowledgements

The present study was supported by grants from the Norwegian Ministry of Defense and the Meltzer Foundation, University of Bergen.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. University of Bergen, Department of Psychosocial Science, Christiesgate 12, 5015, Bergen, Norway

    Anita Lill Hansen & Bjørn Helge Johnsen

  2. National Institute on Aging, Intramural Research Program, Gerontology Research Center, 5600 Nathan Shock Drive, Baltimore, MD 21224-6825, USA

    John J. Sollers III & Julian F. Thayer

  3. Headquarters Defense Command Norway, Oslo Mil Huseby, 0016, Oslo, Norway

    Kjetil Stenvik

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  1. Anita Lill Hansen
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  2. Bjørn Helge Johnsen
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  3. John J. Sollers III
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  4. Kjetil Stenvik
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  5. Julian F. Thayer
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Correspondence to Anita Lill Hansen.

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Hansen, A.L., Johnsen, B.H., Sollers, J.J. et al. Heart rate variability and its relation to prefrontal cognitive function: the effects of training and detraining. Eur J Appl Physiol 93, 263–272 (2004). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1208-0

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-004-1208-0

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