Measurement of heart rate, blood pressure, and autonomic nerve activity during a lottery with reward

Abstract

Heart rate, blood pressure, and autonomic nerve activity during a lottery with a reward were measured to determine what effect a change in the level of attention or interest has on cardiovascular functions. Ten healthy female subjects were told they would win a prize if they won a lottery. Surface electrocardiography was monitored continuously during the lottery, together with blood pressure measured with a continuous blood pressure monitor. Spectral analysis of R–R intervals using Wavelet transformation was done, and the high-frequency component (HF: 0.15–0.4 Hz) and the low-frequency component (LF: 0.04–0.15 Hz) of heart rate variability were obtained. When the prize was expensive or valuable, heart rate and blood pressure increased more than for a cheap prize throughout the lottery process, from expectation/selection until winners were announced. HF decreased during expectation/selection and increased while the acquired prize was checked after winning. LF/HF increased with the probability of winning and when the prize was checked after winning. This psychological study thus indicated that an increase in the probability of winning and in the value of the prize leads to a higher degree of attention and interest. Our results indicate that cardiovascular function changes as attention and interest increase.