Breathing Rate Research Articles

Intelligent Electrocardiogram Acquisition Via Ubiquitous Photoplethysmography Monitoring.

Recent advances in machine learning, particularly deep neural network architectures, have shown substantial promise in classifying and predicting cardiac abnormalities from electrocardiogram (ECG) data. Such data are rich in information content, typically in morphology and timing, due to the close correlation between cardiac function and the ECG. However, the ECG is usually not measured ubiquitously in a passive manner from consumer devices, and generally requires 'active' sampling whereby the user prompts a device to take an ECG measurement. Conversely, photoplethysmography (PPG) data are typically measured passively by consumer devices, and therefore available for long-period monitoring and suitable in duration for identifying transient cardiac events. However, classifying or predicting cardiac abnormalities from the PPG is very difficult, because it is a peripherally-measured signal. Hence, the use of the PPG for predictive inference is often limited to deriving physiological parameters (heart rate, breathing rate, etc.) or for obvious abnormalities in cardiac timing, such as atrial fibrillation/flutter ("palpitations"). This work aims to combine the best of both worlds: using continuously-monitored, near-ubiquitous PPG to identify periods of sufficient abnormality in the PPG such that prompting the user to take an ECG would be informative of cardiac risk. We propose a dual-convolutional-attention network (DCA-Net) to achieve this ECG-based PPG classification. With DCA-Net, we prove the plausibility of this concept on MIMIC Waveform Database with high performance level (AUROC 0.9 and AUPRC 0.7) and receive satisfactory result when testing the model on an independent dataset (AUROC 0.7 and AUPRC 0.6) which it is not perfectly-matched to the MIMIC dataset.

Effect of chronic prenatal exposure to the food additive titanium dioxide E171 on respiratory activity in newborn mice.

Nanoparticles (NPs) possess unique properties that make their use valuable in all industries. Titanium dioxide (TiO2) NPs are extensively used as a white pigment in food (labeled under the European number E171) and personal care products, which creates a significant potential for chronic consumer exposure. Concerns about the potential toxic effects of TiO2 NPs have arisen, particularly in vulnerable populations, including pregnant women and infants. Recently, human materno-fetal transfer of E171 was demonstrated, and simultaneously, we reported that chronic prenatal exposure to reference P25 TiO2 NPs was found to alter the developing respiratory neural networks. In this study, using whole body plethysmography from postnatal day (P) 0 to P7, we assessed the respiratory function of newborn mice born to mothers fed with E171 during pregnancy. We also evaluated the potential alterations to respiratory centers by using brainstem-spinal cord electrophysiological recordings from P0 to P6. Our study reveals that E171-prenatally exposed animals displayed an abnormally elevated breathing rate from P3 onwards. From P5 to P6, the respiratory-related burst frequency generated by the isolated brainstem-spinal cord preparations was significantly higher in E171-exposed animals than in non-exposed animals. These findings demonstrate prenatal toxicity of E171 to the developing respiratory function and may contribute to policy-making regarding the use of TiO2 NPs.

Yoga meditation: A path to holistic health and healing

The word meditation is derived from a Latin word ‘madri’ which means “to heal”. Meditation can certainly be considered as a great healing process - spiritual, mental, and emotional - with proven benefits to physical well-being. In the current communication, an attempt has been made to explain some of these benefits and provide science based evidence to explain them. Meditation develops our ability to maintain inner peace at all times in our actions and thereby achieve the best physical and mental health. With psychosomatic ailments, meditation provides the vital element that modern therapies lack. During Yogic breathing, some of the oxygen generates •OH free radicals according to the Haber Weiss process, which immediately react with glucose molecules to oxidize them. Some of these oxidation products are very useful, such as gluconic acid, which removes some undesirable metals from the body. Additionally, glucuronic acid is another product, and it is part of the natural detoxification process found in the body. It removes harmful toxins and is used in the treatment of prostate cancer. Another product, D-glucarate, has been shown to decrease lung, skin, liver, breast, and colon cancers by 60%. The product Calcium-D-glucarate lowers cholesterol by 12%, LDL by 28%, and triglycerides by 43%. Lastly, D-glucono 1,4 lactone, with further reactions with •OH, is converted to D-glucaro 1,4 lactone and is a powerful liver detoxifier. Meditation boosts intelligence, IQ score, and increases the gray matter of the brain. The relaxation response decreases breathing rate and oxygen consumption by 20%. It lowers heart rate and brings blood pressure to normal levels. During meditation alpha waves of the brain are generated. This brings relaxation and serenity of mind, helping people to better cope with stress. According to the British Heart Foundation, 15 minutes of meditation a day can reduce the risk of death, heart attack and stroke by 48%. According to Dr. Dean Ornish, meditation can help in reversing heart disease. Meditation has the power to change our negativity of mind and reshape our thoughts into a more positive direction to improve our mental well-being.

The effect of vibrotactile stimulation on hypoxia-induced irregular breathing and apnea in preterm rabbits.

Manual tactile stimulation is used to counteract apnea in preterm infants, but it is unknown when this intervention should be applied. We compared an anticipatory to a reactive approach using vibrotactile stimulation to prevent hypoxia induced apneas. Preterm rabbit kittens were prematurely delivered and randomized to either group. All kittens breathed spontaneously with a positive airway pressure of 8 cmH2O while they were imaged using phase contrast X-ray. Irregular breathing (IB) was induced using gradual hypoxia. The anticipatory group received stimulation at the onset of IB and the reactive group if IB transitioned into apnea. Breathing rate (BR), heart rate (HR) and functional residual capacity (FRC) were compared. Anticipatory stimulation significantly reduced apnea incidence and maximum inter-breath intervals and increased BR following IB, compared to reactive stimulation. Recovery in BR but not HR was more likely with anticipatory stimulation, although both BR and HR were significantly higher at 120 s after stimulation onset. FRC values and variability were not different. Anticipated vibrotactile stimulation is more effective in preventing apnea and enhancing breathing when compared to reactive stimulation in preterm rabbits. Stimulation timing is likely to be a key factor in reducing the incidence and duration of apnea. Anticipated vibrotactile stimulation can prevent apnea and stimulate breathing effort in preterm rabbits. Anticipated vibrotactile stimulation increases the likelihood of breathing rate recovery following hypoxia induced irregular breathing, when compared to reactive stimulation. Automated stimulation in combination with predictive algorithms may improve the treatment of apnea in preterm infants.

The effect of different bed head angles on the hemodynamic parameters of intensive care patients lying in the supine position: A quasi-experimental study.

The aim of this study was to research the effect of different bed head angles on the hemodynamic parameters of intensive care patients lying in the supine position. This study was a non-randomized and non-controlled, quasi-experimental repeated measures study. The study was conducted with 50 intensive care patients aged 18 and over in a general surgery intensive care unit in Turkey. With each patient in the supine position, the bed head was raised to an angle of 0°, 20°, 30°, and 45° without a pillow, and the hemodynamic parameters of central venous pressure, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, heart rate, breathing rate, and peripheral oxygen saturation were recorded after 0 and 10 min. It was found that the mean central venous pressure value measured at min 0 and 10 was higher when the intensive care patients' bed head angle was raised to 45° than when the bed head was at an angle of 0° or 20° (p < .05). It was found that the patients' other hemodynamic parameters were not affected by different bed head angles. It was concluded as a result of this research that in intensive care patients in the supine position, only central venous pressure was affected by bed head angle, and that central venous pressure measurement can be reliably made at a bed head angle of 30°.

The impacts of host traits on parasite infection of montane birds in southwestern China

Parasitic infections have the potential to impact the hosts’ body condition, elevate physiological responses, and ultimately lead to increased mortality. Host-parasite interactions are tied to the ecological and life-history traits of the hosts. While montane birds are susceptible to avian blood parasites, few studies have simultaneously assessed how inter- and intra-specific traits of hosts influence their probability of parasite infection. In this study, we screened for avian blood parasites across 214 individuals from 51 species at two sites, including a lowland farmland at 700 m and a highland forest at 2,500 m, in the Gaoligong Mountains in southwestern China. Overall blood parasite prevalence was 53.74%, with divergent species-specific prevalence ranging from 6.25% to 66.67%. We also measured traits indicative of body condition and physiological responses of each sampled individual. Using Bayesian phylogenetic logistic models, we assessed whether parasite infection probability is associated with ecological and life history traits of host species. Larger bird species were more likely to be infected than smaller bird species, and omnivore species showed lower susceptibility than those with other diets such as insectivores and herbivores. In contrast, foraging strata, nest type, and participation in mixed-species flocks of host species did not affect infection probability. We then used a reduced sample of eight species with more than five individuals, to assess the associations between intra-specific infection probability and host body condition, represented by fat and muscle reserves, and acute stress responses measured through breath rate. While infected individuals were likely to have more fat reserves than non-infected individuals, we did not find any association between infection probability and muscle reserve and body mass, nor with breath rate. Our results revealed that at the species level, specific traits (body mass and diet) of host species predict infection probability and implied a potential link at the individual level between enhanced body condition and increased resilience to parasite infection.

The effects of flow settings during high-flow nasal cannula oxygen therapy for neonates and young children.

During neonatal and paediatric high-flow nasal cannula therapy, optimising the flow setting is crucial for favourable physiological and clinical outcomes. However, considerable variability exists in clinical practice regarding initial flows and subsequent adjustments for these patients. Our review aimed to summarise the impact of various flows during high-flow nasal cannula treatment in neonates and children. Two investigators independently searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, Scopus and Cochrane for in vitro and in vivo studies published in English before 30 April 2023. Studies enrolling adults (≥18 years) or those using a single flow setting were excluded. Data extraction and risk of bias assessments were performed independently by two investigators. The study protocol was prospectively registered with PROSPERO (CRD42022345419). 38 406 studies were identified, with 44 included. In vitro studies explored flow settings' effects on airway pressures, humidity and carbon dioxide clearance; all were flow-dependent. Observational clinical studies consistently reported that higher flows led to increased pharyngeal pressure and potentially increased intrathoracic airway pressure (especially among neonates), improved oxygenation, and reduced respiratory rate and work of breathing up to a certain threshold. Three randomised controlled trials found no significant differences in treatment failure among different flow settings. Flow impacts exhibited significant heterogeneity among different patients. Individualising flow settings in neonates and young children requires consideration of the patient's peak inspiratory flow, respiratory rate, heart rate, tolerance, work of breathing and lung aeration for optimal care.

Cardiorespiratory synchronization under the influence of strength endurance training

Purpose: to determine changes in the parameters of cardiorespiratory relationships during the maneuver with a change in breathing rate after a 4-month cycle of training aimed at the development of strength endurance. Material &amp; Methods: the results of the spiroarteriocardiorhythmographic study of 22 healthy men aged 20.7±2.3 years, who for 4 months 2 times a week for 90 minutes, were analyzed (a total of 30 classes were held) engaged in training for the development of strength endurance. The indicators of heart rate (min–1), respiratory rate (min–1), cardiac output (dm3×min–1), minute lung ventilation (L×min–1) and their derivatives – the Hildebrandt index (HR/RR) and volume synchronization index (CO/V), which were obtained during spontaneous respiration and controlled breathing at 0.1 Hz and 0.25 Hz. Results: it was shown that strength endurance training led to a probable decrease in heart rate from 71.4 (63.9; 77.5) to 64.3 (60.8; 68.3), p=0.002, respiratory rate from 14.1 (12, 7; 16.8) to 13.8 (10.7; 15.3), p= 0.020 and minute lung ventilation from 8.19 (6.24; 8.86) to 6.40 (3.73; 7.74) ), p=0.004 during spontaneous breathing, as well as a significant increase in the volumetric synchronization index. (dm3×L–1) during spontaneous respiration from 0.597 (0.490; 0.832) to 0.725 (0.564; 1.148), p=0.008, during controlled respiration at 0.1 Hz from 0.327 (0.382; 0.529) to 0.532 (0.441; 0.723), p=0.012 and during controlled respiration at 0.25 Hz from 0,245 (0,339; 0,455) to 0,481 (0,373; 0,616), р=0,003 against the background of a decrease in the Hildebrandt index during controlled respiration 0,1 Hz from 11.14 (10.43; 12.49) to 10.18 (9.54; 11.00), p=0.001, as well as with controlled respiration at 0.25 Hz from 5.33 (4.68; 5.85) to 4.46 (4.13; 4, 78), p=0.000. Conclusions: endurance training for 4 months led to an economization of the cardiovascular and respiratory systems function and a decrease in the response to sympathoadrenal activation and hyperventilation.

Cerebrovascular responses to a 90° tilt in healthy neonates

BackgroundTilts can induce alterations in cerebral hemodynamics in healthy neonates, but prior studies have only examined systemic parameters or used small tilt angles (<90°). The healthy neonatal population, however, are commonly subjected to large tilt angles (≥90°). We sought to characterize the cerebrovascular response to a 90° tilt in healthy term neonates.MethodsWe performed a secondary descriptive analysis on 44 healthy term neonates. We measured cerebral oxygen saturation (rcSO2), oxygen saturation (SpO2), heart rate (HR), breathing rate (BR), and cerebral fractional tissue oxygen extraction (cFTOE) over three consecutive 90° tilts. These parameters were measured for 2-min while neonates were in a supine (0°) position and 2-min while tilted to a sitting (90°) position. We measured oscillometric mean blood pressure (MBP) at the start of each tilt.ResultsrcSO2 and BR decreased significantly in the sitting position, whereas cFTOE, SpO2, and MBP increased significantly in the sitting position. We detected a significant position-by-time interaction for all physiological parameters.ConclusionA 90° tilt induces a decline in rcSO2 and an increase in cFTOE in healthy term neonates. Understanding the normal cerebrovascular response to a 90° tilt in healthy neonates will help clinicians to recognize abnormal responses in high-risk infant populations.ImpactHealthy term neonates (≤14 days old) had decreased cerebral oxygen saturation (~1.1%) and increased cerebral oxygen extraction (~0.01) following a 90° tilt.We detected a significant position-by-time interaction with all physiological parameters measured, suggesting the effect of position varied across consecutive tilts.No prior study has characterized the cerebral oxygen saturation response to a 90° tilt in healthy term neonates.

Multigenerational inheritance of breathing deficits following perinatal exposure to titanium dioxide nanoparticles in the offspring of mice

BackgroundThe utilization of titanium dioxide nanoparticles (TIO2NPs) has experienced a significant surge in recent decades, and these particles are now commonly found in various everyday consumer products. Due to their small size, TIO2NPs can penetrate biological barriers and elicit adverse interactions with biological tissues. Notably, exposure of pregnant females to TIO2NPs during the perinatal period has been shown to disrupt the growth of offspring. Furthermore, this exposure induces epigenetic modifications in the DNA of newborns, suggesting the possibility of multigenerational effects. Thus, perinatal exposure to TIO2NPs may induce immediate metabolic impairments in neonates, which could be transmitted to subsequent generations in the long term.ResultsIn this study, we utilized perinatal exposure of female mice to TIO2NPs through voluntary food intake and observed impaired metabolism in newborn male and female F1 offspring. The exposed newborn mice exhibited reduced body weight gain and a slower breathing rate compared to non-exposed animals. Additionally, a higher proportion of exposed F1 newborns experienced apneas. Similar observations were made when the exposure was limited to the postnatal period, highlighting lactation as a critical period for the adverse effects of TIO2NPs on postnatal metabolism. Importantly, the breathing deficits induced by TIO2NPs were transmitted from F1 females to the subsequent F2 generation. Moreover, re-exposure of adult F1 females to TIO2NPs exacerbated the breathing deficits in newborn F2 males.ConclusionsOur findings demonstrate that perinatal exposure to TIO2NPs disrupts postnatal body weight gain and respiration in the offspring, and these deficits are transmissible to future generations.

A public dataset of dogs vital signs recorded with ultra wideband radar and reference sensors

Recently, radar sensors have been extensively used for vital sign monitoring in dogs, owing to their noncontact and noninvasive nature. However, a public dataset on dog vital signs has yet to be proposed since capturing data from dogs requires special training and approval. This work presents the first ever ultra wideband radar-based dog vital sign (UWB-DVS) dataset, which was captured in two independent scenarios. In the first scenario, clinical reference sensors are attached to the fainted dogs, and data from UWB radar and reference sensors are captured synchronously. In the second scenario, the dogs can move freely, and video recordings are provided as a reference for movement detection and breathing extraction. For technical validation, a high correlation, above 0.9, is found between the radar and clinical reference sensors for both the heart rate and breathing rate measurements in scenario 1. In scenario 2, the vital signs and movement of the dogs are shown in the form of dashboards, demonstrating the long-term monitoring capability of the radar sensor.

Breathing and Speech Adaptation: Do Speakers Adapt Toward a Confederate Talking Under Physical Effort?

This study investigated whether speakers adapt their breathing and speech (fundamental frequency [fo]) to a prerecorded confederate who is sitting or moving under different levels of physical effort and who is either speaking or not. Following Paccalin and Jeannerod (2000), we would expect breathing rate to change in the direction of the confederate's, even if the participant is physically inactive. This might in turn affect their speech acoustics. We recorded the speech and respiration of 22 native German speakers. They produced solo and synchronous read speech in interaction with a confederate who appeared on a prerecorded video. There were three within-subject experimental conditions: the confederate (a) sitting, (b) biking with light effort, or (c) biking with heavier effort. During speech, the confederate's inhalation amplitude and fo increased with physical effort, as expected. Her breath cycle duration changed differently, probably because of read speech constraints. Overall, the only adaptation the participants showed was higher fo with increase in the confederate's physical effort during synchronous, but not solo, speech. Additionally, they produced shallower inhalations when observing the confederate biking in silence, as compared to the condition without movement. Crucially, the participants' acoustic and breathing data showed large interindividual variability. Our findings indicate that, in this paradigm, convergence only took place on fo during synchronous speech and that this phonetic adaptation happened independently from any speech breathing adaptation. It also suggests that participants may adapt their quiet breathing while watching a person performing physical exercise but that the mechanism is more complex than that explained previously.

Sex-specific behavioural, metabolic, and immunohistochemical changes after repeated administration of the synthetic cannabinoid AKB48 in mice.

AKB48 is a synthetic cannabinoid illegally sold for its psychoactive cannabis-like effects that have been associated with acute intoxication and whose effects are poorly known. Using a behavioural, neurochemical, and immunohistochemical approach, we investigated the pharmaco-toxicological effects, pharmacokinetics, and neuroplasticity at cannabinoid CB1 receptors in the cerebellum and cortex induced by repeated AKB48 administration in male and female mice. The effects of AKB48 varied significantly depending on sex and treatment duration. The first injection impaired sensorimotor responses and reduced body temperature, analgesia, and breath rate to a greater extent in females than in males; the second injection induced stronger effects in males while the third injection of AKB48 induced weaker responses in both sexes, suggesting emergence of tolerance. The CB1 receptor antagonist NESS-0327 prevented the effects induced by repeated AKB48, confirming a CB1 receptor-mediated action. Blood AKB48 levels were higher in females than in males and repeated administration caused a progressive rise of AKB48 levels in both sexes, suggesting an inhibitory effect on cytochrome activity. Finally, immunohistochemical analysis revealed higher expression of CB1 receptors in the cerebellum and cortex of females, and a rapid CB1 receptor down-regulation in cerebellar and cortical areas following repeated AKB48 injections, with neuroadaptation occurring generally more rapidly in females than in males. We have shown for the first time that AKB48 effects significantly vary with prolonged use and that sex affects the pharmacodynamic/pharmacokinetic responses to repeated administration, suggesting a sex-tailored approach in managing AKB48-induced intoxication.

Vital signs estimation in elderly using camera-based photoplethysmography

In the context of Ambient Assisted Living, the demand for healthcare technologies development has been increased in the last two years by the current global health situation. The contagious nature of COVID-19 warrants inevitability to the thought of easing a continuous measurement of vital signs such as Heart Rate, Breath Rate, and SpO2 in a non-invasive manner, contributing of fundamental importance in the assessment of health status especially among frail and/or elderly individuals. A widely diffused method for contactless vital signs monitoring is remote photoplethysmography from facial video streams that, contrary to traditional contact measurement techniques, allows the measurement of vital parameters without the need for wearable sensors (generally considered uncomfortable, especially by the elderly), even with commercial and low-cost digital cameras. This paper proposes the design and implementation of a new pipeline for estimating Heart Rate, Breath Rate, and SpO2 values, and its integration on Raspberry Pi 4 as an elaboration unit. The pipeline provides specific algorithmic blocks to improve vital signs estimation in elderly subjects as it is made more difficult by the skin tone and the presence on the face of wrinkles, folds, and moles. Quantitative evaluations on our dataset containing the acquisition of only elderly older than 65 years of age demonstrate the validity of the proposed pipeline. For validation against the state of the art, tests were also conducted on three standard benchmark datasets containing video with subjects of varying ages. Again, the pipeline proved to be robust concerning the estimation of vital signs considered in the present work.

Interconnected SnO2 nanoflakes decorated WO3 composites as wearable and ultrafast sensors for real-time wireless sleep quality tracking and breath disorder detection

Monitoring human breath is critical for determining human well-being. Most reported humidity sensors are unsuitable for breath monitoring because of their long response and recovery time, poor stability, and high operating temperature. To address these challenges, robust tungsten oxide (WO3) and tin oxide (SnO2) composite sensors were fabricated, and their humidity-sensing properties were investigated. The SnO2/WO3 composites were optimized by altering the SnO2 fraction to achieve high humidity sensitivity. The SnO2/WO3 composite exhibited superior sensing performance (88) than pristine WO3 and SnO2 under 97 % relative humidity. The sensor demonstrated good linearity while altering humidity from 15 % to 97 %, with an R2 = 0.9729. The sensor's rapid response (0.6 s) and recovery (0.6 s) time allow for breath rate monitoring and breath disorder detection. The wearable sensor demonstrated multifunctional human breath detections such as varied breath rates (5–60 breaths per minute), nose blocking for separate nostrils, wireless sleep quality tracking for more than 7 h continuously, and sleep apnea-hypopnea detection via a smartphone. The capabilities of the humidity sensor allow for robust application in sleep quality, sleep apnea, and hypopnea detection.

Reliability of recovery heart rate variability measurements as part of the Lamberts Submaximal Cycle Test and the relationship with training status in trained to elite cyclists

PurposeTo determine if post-exercise heart rate variability, in the form of logged transformed root mean square of successive differences of the R–R intervals (LnRMSSD) can be measured reliably during the recovery from a submaximal cycle test and what the relationship of LnRMSSD is with training status of the cyclists.MethodsFourteen male cyclists participated in the reliability part for the study, which included performing six Lamberts Submaximal Cycle Test (LSCT), during which recovery LnRMSSD was measured over 30 s (LnRMSSD30 s), 60 s LnRMSSD60 s)and 90 s LnRMSSD90 s). In addition, fifty male and twenty female cyclists completed a peak power output (PPO) test (including VO2peak) and 40 km time trial (40 km TT) before which they performed the LSCT as a standardized warm-up. Relationships between the LnRMSSD and PPO, VO2peak and 40 km TT time were studied.ResultsDue to the design of the LSCT, submaximal heart and breathing rate were similar at the end of stage 3 of the LSCT, as well as during the recovery periods. The highest reliability was found in LnRMSSD60 s (ICC: 0.97) with a typical error of the measurement (TEM: 5.8%). In line with this the strongest correlations were found between LnRMSSD60 s and PPO (r = 0.93[male]; 0.85[female]), VO2peak (r = 0.71[male]; 0.63[female];) and 40 km TT (r = – 0.83[male]; – 0.63[female]).ConclusionsLnRMSSD60 s can be measured reliably after the LSCT and can predict PPO, VO2peak and 40 km TT performance well in trained-to-elite cyclists. These findings suggest that recovery LnRMSSD can potentially play an important role in monitoring and fine-tuning training prescriptions in trained-to-elite cyclists.

Assessing the Link between Nurses' Proficiency and Situational Awareness in Neonatal Care Practice Using an Eye Tracker: An Observational Study Using a Simulator.

Nurses are expected to depend on a wide variety of visually available pieces of patient information to understand situations. Thus, we assumed a relationship between nurses' skills and their gaze trajectories. An observational study using a simulator was conducted to analyze gaze during neonatal care practice using eye tracking. We defined the face, thorax, and abdomen of the neonate, the timer, and the pulse oximeter as areas of interest (AOIs). We compared the eye trajectories for respiration and heart rate assessment between 7 experienced and 13 novice nurses. There were no statistically significant differences in the time spent on each AOI for breathing or heart rate confirmation. However, in novice nurses, we observed a significantly higher number of instances of gazing at the thorax and abdomen. The deviation in the number of instances of gazing at the face was also significantly higher among novice nurses. These results indicate that experienced and novice nurses differ in their gaze movements during situational awareness. These objective and quantitative differences in gaze trajectories may help to establish new educational tools for less experienced nurses.

The effectiveness of an osteopathic manual technique compared with a breathing exercise on vagal tone as indicated by heart rate variability, a crossover study

IntroductionParasympathetic nervous system (PSNS) function can be inferred by heart rate variability (HRV) providing indications about an individual's health. Manual therapy may influence PSNS function, however the research outcomes in this regard are equivocal. This study explored the PSNS effect of a measured breathing technique with suboccipital balanced ligamentous tension, an osteopathic manipulative therapy technique. Methods: Healthy adult participants in this crossover study (n = 18) were randomly allocated into two groups with differing order of interventions. A 1:1 breathing rate of 6 breaths per minute maintained for 5 min was compared to the osteopathic intervention. HRV was measured for 5 min before and after each intervention and analysed using the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) between normal heartbeats and high frequency normalised units (HFnu). Results: The RMSSD data demonstrated no significant difference between groups or within groups (p > 0.05) over time. HFnu results showed a significant between-group difference over the four time points (p = 0.004) with a medium effect size (ηp2 = 0.240), and no significant within-group difference (p > 0.05). Discussion: The osteopathic intervention raised HRV to a small extent, however measured breathing lowered HRV. In the group that received the osteopathic technique first, HFnu values continued to rise post-osteopathic treatment possibly indicating an increasing parasympathetic effect over time. Recommendations for future studies include changing the breathing ratio to ensure parasympathetic response, take into account potential delayed effects of interventions, consider outcome measures less variable than HRV, and longer follow up times. Conclusion: This study suggests parasympathetic stimulation may occur with the application of suboccipital balanced ligamentous tension and sympathetic stimulation from measured breathing.

Analysis of Multimodal Biosignals during Surprise Conditions Correlates with Psychological Traits

Surprise can simultaneously represent bad or good, pleasant or unpleasant, with the same experiences since understanding how humans' physiological qualities link with their emotional or mental health is required. We conducted quantitative research to concisely correlate mental stress and emotional issues by measuring brain activity, breathing, and heart rate in real time while executing specialized audio-visual stimulation to elicit a surprise event. We evaluated the frequency and temporal domain characteristics to determine if physiological measurements matched biochemical metrics and subjective stress assessments during the elicit surprise condition experiment. We discovered that the brain is still preferable to most in recognizing a human's psychological changes over a short period of time. The temporal (T3) (r = 0.544, p = 0.005) and frontal (Fz) (r = 0.519, p = 0.008) regions were shown to correlate with salivary amylase activity. In comparison to other channels, there was a negative association between stress perception and the occipital site (O1, r = -0.618, p = 0.001). We also found that heart rate variability activity correlates with arousal perception. By looking at specific multimodal biosignals, it is possible to understand human psychological traits by recording specific physiological signals for daily mental health monitoring.

Brainstem astrocytes regulate breathing and may affect arousal state in rats

Variations in arousal levels can impact respiratory patterns. The mechanisms by which breathing behaviors can influence arousal state is not fully understood. In this study, we investigated the role of astrocytes in the preBötzinger complex (preBötC) in modulating arousal states via breathing in adult conscious rats. Using viral vector tools, we selectively interfered with astrocytic signaling in the preBötC. Rats with inhibited astrocytic signaling exhibited slower breathing rates and behaviors indicative of a calmer state, whereas enhanced purinergic signaling in preBötC astrocytes led to faster breathing and heightened arousal. Our findings reveal a key role for an astrocyte-mediated mechanism in the preBötC that influences both respiratory behaviors and higher-order brain functions like arousal, suggesting a bidirectional link between breathing behaviors and mental states.