Related Experiment Videos
Cosinor analysis of heart rate variability in ambulatory migraineurs
M Tabata1, T Takeshima, N Burioka
1Division of Neurology, Institute of Neurological Sciences, Tottori University Faculty of Medicine, Yonago, Japan.
Insights
Migraine patients exhibit altered heart rate variability circadian rhythms, indicating reduced parasympathetic nervous system function during headache-free periods. This study reveals key differences in autonomic regulation in migraineurs.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cardiology
- Chronobiology
Background:
- Migraine is a complex neurological disorder.
- Autonomic nervous system dysfunction is implicated in migraine pathophysiology.
- Circadian rhythms influence physiological processes, including cardiovascular function.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the presence and characteristics of circadian rhythms in heart rate variability (HRV) parameters in migraine patients during headache-free periods.
- To compare HRV circadian rhythms between migraine patients and healthy controls.
- To identify specific HRV patterns associated with migraine.
Main Methods:
- Utilized 48-hour Holter electrocardiograms in 27 migraine patients and 24 healthy controls during normal activity.
- Analyzed circadian rhythms of HRV parameters including mean interval, standard deviation (SD), root-mean-square successive differences (RMSSD), %RR50, and low/high frequency fluctuations.
- Employed group mean cosinor and acrophase-amplitude analyses.
Main Results:
- Significant differences in circadian rhythm amplitudes for SD, RMSSD, %RR50, and high frequency were observed between migraineurs and controls.
- Migraineurs showed smaller amplitudes in these HRV parameters, suggesting parasympathetic hypofunction.
- A significantly smaller MESOR (midline estimating statistic of rhythms) for low frequency was found in migraineurs compared to controls.
Conclusions:
- Patients with migraine demonstrate hypofunction of the parasympathetic nervous system during normal daily activity in headache-free intervals.
- Circadian rhythm analysis of HRV provides insights into autonomic dysregulation in migraine.
- These findings highlight potential targets for therapeutic interventions in migraine management.
Objective:
To clarify whether the circadian rhythm of heart rate variability parameters can be identified in patients with migraine during a headache-free period and to identify any specific pattern of the circadian rhythm of heart rate variability, using time-domain and spectral analysis and cosinor rhythm analysis of heart rate variability during normal daily activity.
Methods:
Forty-eight-hour Holter electrocardiograms were recorded for 27 patients with migraine during headache-free periods and 24 healthy controls during free activity. The circadian rhythms of heart rate fluctuation parameters, that is, mean interval, standard deviation, root-mean-square successive differences (RMSSD), %RR50, and low (0. 020 to 0.150 Hz) and high frequency (0.150 to 0.400 Hz) heart rate fluctuations were analyzed with the group mean cosinor method.
Results:
The group mean cosinor analysis and the acrophase-amplitude analysis demonstrated significant differences in circadian rhythm in SD, RMSSD, %RR50, and high frequency between the group with migraine and controls. The amplitudes of SD, RMSSD, %RR50, and high frequency in the group with migraine were smaller than those in controls, which implied parasympathetic hypofunction in migraineurs. There were no significant differences in the MESOR (midline estimating statistic of rhythms) of the analyzed heart rate parameters except for low frequency. The MESOR of low frequency in the migraineurs was significantly smaller than that in the controls.
Conclusions:
Patients with migraine have hypofunction in the parasympathetic nervous system during normal daily activity in the headache-free period.