[Analysis of scalp potential activity and heart rate variability during volitional control of heart beat]

In the study the changes of scalp potential and cardiac autonomic nervous system during volitional control of heart beat are explored with the wavelet packet parameters and approximate entropy (ApEn) of Electroencephalogram (EEG) and heart rate variability. The results show that volition can control heart beat and the changes of brain activity are earlier than that of autonomic activity. But its control of heart beat is very different from the motor nervous system because different cortical positions are respectively concerned during the quick and slow control of heart beat. The pre-central areas of brain are correlated with parasympathetic activity by which HR is controlled to slow down. The post-central areas of brain are correlated with sympathetic activity by which HR is controlled to accelerate.