Emotion, Respiration, and Heart Rate Variability: A Mathematical Model and Simulation Analyses

Satoko Hirabayashi,Masami Iwamoto

doi:10.3390/app9235008

Abstract

Although the generation mechanism of the low-frequency (LF) component of heart rate variability (HRV) is controversial, HRV is a potential candidate in designing objective measurement methodologies for emotions. These methodologies could be valuable for several biosignal applications. Here, we have conducted a simulation analysis using a novel mathematical model that integrates emotion, respiration, the nervous system, and the cardiovascular system. Our model has well reproduced experimental results, specifically concerning HRV with respiratory sinus arrhythmia and LF, the relation between HRV total power and the respiration frequency, and the homeostatic maintenance by the baroreflex. Our model indicates the following possibilities: (i) The delay in the heart rate control process of the parasympathetic activity works as a low-pass filter and the HRV total power decreases with a higher respiration frequency; (ii) the LF component of HRV and the Mayer wave are generated as transient responses of the baroreflex feedback control to perturbations induced by an emotional stimulus; and (iii) concentration on breathing to reduce the respiration frequency can reduce LF/HF and the reduction can be fed back to the emotional status.

Highlights

Despite the increasingly recognized importance of emotions in human activity, objective measurement methodologies of emotions are yet to be established
CeA, central nucleus of the amygdala; nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS), nucleusistractus solitarii; CVLM, caudal ventrolateral medulla; rostral ventrolateral medulla; in our model shown on the upper-right of the figure
We developed a mathematical model by integrating emotion, the nervous system, and the

Summary

Introduction

Despite the increasingly recognized importance of emotions in human activity, objective measurement methodologies of emotions are yet to be established. Besides HR, the ratio of low-frequency (LF, 0.05–0.15 Hz) to high-frequency (HF, 0.15–1.0 Hz) components of HR variability (HRV) is often used as the measure of autonomous reaction corresponding to emotions [3,8,9,10,11], as this ratio (LF/HF) has been related to the activity balance between the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems [12,13]. This relation has been questioned [14]. Some experiments [3,15] have proven that LF/HF increases with a random number generation task or a mental task, but this change is less significant than the change in mean HR

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Conclusion