P445 HEART RATE VARIABILITY AND HYPNOTIC COMMUNICATION

Abstract

Abstract Background Heart rate variability (HRV) can be influenced by the autonomic nervous system and several studies showed that hypnotic communication could modulate the autonomic nervous system. In particular, HRV is related to the activity of the vagus nerve and an increment of the vagal activation has been associated to an improvement in prognosis. It is, however, unclear whether hypnotic communication could influence HRV. Aim of the study The aim of the present study is to evaluate the impact of hypnotic communication on HRV. Methods Seven volunteer were included in the present study (5 M/2F) from June to August 2022. Each one of the volunteer underwent 1 hour of ECG registration in normal condition, 30 minutes during depth hypnotic communication and 1 hour after the hypnotic communication. The hypnotic communication was performed via 30 minutes of neutral depth hypnosis; the parameter considered for HRV evaluation were sNN50 (dec), SDNN(ms), SDNNi, RMS SD and the triangular index, analyzed throughout the dedicated software Pathfinder SL (V 1.9.3.13414, spacelabs healthcare Ltd 2021, WA, USA). The variation of each parameter was evaluated by Student T test. Results There was no statistically significant variation of sNN50 (dec), SDNN(ms), SDNNi, RMS SD among the normal condition, the hypnotic communication and the post hypnotic communication. There was a statistically significant variation of the triangular index (Fig.1) and of heart rate (Fig. 2). Conclusion Hypnotic communication could increase HRV, assessed as triangular index (the index suggested by European society of cardiology (ESC) and American college of cardiology (ACC) to measure HRV). The absence of a statistically significant variation between the normal condition and hypnotic communication could be explained by the deep modification in the respiratory pattern and heart rate induced by hypnotic communication; those parameter could mask the increment in the vagal activity due to hypnotic communication, that is unmasked in the post–hypnotic period in which the heart rate and the respiratory return to normal value. Further studies are needed to understand whether the increment in HRV due to hypnotic communication could show an improvement in prognosis in cardiopathic patients, as it has been demonstrated for the HRV increment due to muscular training.