Thayer J F, Friedman B H, Borkovec T D
Department of Psychology, University of Missouri-Columbia, USA.
Biol Psychiatry. 1996 Feb 15;39(4):255-66. doi: 10.1016/0006-3223(95)00136-0.
Autonomic characteristics of generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) and worry were examined using measures of heart period variability. The cardiorespiratory responses of 34 GAD clients and 32 nonanxious control subjects were recorded during resting baseline, relaxation, and worry periods. Results indicated differences between GAD subjects and controls as well as among baseline, relaxation, and worry periods. GAD clients exhibited shorter cardiac interbeat intervals (IBIs) and lower high frequency spectral power across all task conditions. Relative to baseline and relaxation conditions, worry was associated with (1) shorter IBIs, (2) smaller mean successive differences (MSD) of the cardiac IBIs, and (3) lower high frequency spectral power. These findings suggest that GAD and its cardinal feature (worry), are associated with lower cardiac vagal control. The findings of the present study provide evidence for the utility of further exploration of the role of autonomic nervous system activity in GAD.
使用心率变异性测量方法研究了广泛性焦虑症（GAD）和担忧的自主神经特征。在静息基线、放松和担忧期间，记录了34名GAD患者和32名非焦虑对照受试者的心肺反应。结果表明，GAD受试者与对照组之间以及基线、放松和担忧期间存在差异。在所有任务条件下，GAD患者的心脏搏动间期（IBIs）较短，高频谱功率较低。相对于基线和放松条件，担忧与以下因素相关：（1）较短的IBIs，（2）心脏IBIs的平均连续差值（MSD）较小，以及（3）较低的高频谱功率。这些发现表明，GAD及其主要特征（担忧）与较低的心脏迷走神经控制有关。本研究结果为进一步探索自主神经系统活动在GAD中的作用的实用性提供了证据。
