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Characteristics of Resonance in Heart Rate Variability Stimulated by Biofeedback

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As we previously reported, resonant frequency heart rate variability biofeedback increases baroreflex gain and peak expiratory flow in healthy individuals and has positive effects in treatment of asthma patients. Biofeedback readily produces large oscillations in heart rate, blood pressure, vascular tone, and pulse amplitude via paced breathing at the specific natural resonant frequency of the cardiovascular system for each individual. This paper describes how resonance properties of the cardiovascular system mediate the effects of heart rate variability biofeedback. There is evidence that resonant oscillations can train autonomic reflexes to provide therapeutic effect. The paper is based on studies described in previous papers. Here, we discuss the origin of the resonance phenomenon, describe our procedure for determining an individual's resonant frequency, and report data from 32 adult asthma patients and 24 healthy adult subjects, showing a negative relationship between resonant frequency and height, and a lower resonant frequency in men than women, but no relationship between resonant frequency and age, weight, or presence of asthma. Resonant frequency remains constant across 10 sessions of biofeedback training. It appears to be related to blood volume.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by Grant #R01 HL58805 from the Heart, Lung and Blood Institute, National Institutes of Health and by Grant # R01 AA0 15248–01 from NIDA and NIAAA. The authors are indebted to Dwain Eckberg for his assistance in this research.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Rutgers University, Piscataway, NJ, USA

    Evgeny G. Vaschillo & Bronya Vaschillo

  2. UMDNJ—Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, Piscataway, NJ, USA

    Paul M. Lehrer

  3. Center of Alcohol Studies, The State University of New Jersey, Rutgers, 607 Allison Road, Piscataway, NJ, 08854, USA

    Evgeny G. Vaschillo

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  1. Evgeny G. Vaschillo
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  2. Bronya Vaschillo
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  3. Paul M. Lehrer
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Correspondence to Evgeny G. Vaschillo.

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Vaschillo, E.G., Vaschillo, B. & Lehrer, P.M. Characteristics of Resonance in Heart Rate Variability Stimulated by Biofeedback. Appl Psychophysiol Biofeedback 31, 129–142 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10484-006-9009-3

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