Adverse childhood experiences and autonomic regulation in response to acute stress: the role of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES

After a previous report demonstrated blunted heart rate (HR) reactivity in association with adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) [Voellmin, A., Winzeler, K., Hug, E., Wilhelm, F. H., Schaefer, V., Gaab, J., … Bader, K. (2015). Blunted endocrine and cardiovascular reactivity in young healthy women reporting a history of childhood adversity. Psychoneuroendocrinology, 51, 58-67. doi: 10.1016/j.psyneuen.2014.09.008 ], the present analysis aimed at clarifying the role of the sympathetic and parasympathetic branches of the autonomic nervous system in this relationship.

DESIGN AND METHODS

One hundred eighteen healthy young women provided data on ACEs and underwent psychosocial stress testing. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA, quantified by high-frequency HR variability) were assessed as measures of sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiovascular activity, respectively. A mediation model was calculated to test the indirect effects of ACEs on HR via SBP and RSA.

RESULTS

The effect of ACEs on HR reactivity was mediated by SBP reactivity but not by RSA reactivity. ACEs were associated with reduced SBP at rest.

CONCLUSIONS

ACEs were associated with down-regulation in a measure of sympathetic but no alteration in a measure of parasympathetic cardiovascular stress reactivity in adulthood. Future research will need to clarify whether this indicates risk or resilience.