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Updated: May 17, 2026

Dynamic Digital Biomarkers of Motor and Cognitive Function in Parkinson's Disease
Published on: July 24, 2019
Relationships between clinical characteristics and nocturnal cardiac autonomic activity in Parkinson's disease
Naima Covassin1, Ariel B Neikrug, Lianqi Liu
1Department of General Psychology, University of Padova, Italy.
Background:
The aim of the present study was to explore the association between Parkinson's disease (PD) clinical characteristics and cardiac autonomic control across sleep stages.
Methods:
Frequency-domain heart rate variability (HRV) measures were estimated in 18 PD patients undergoing a night of polysomnography.
Results:
Significant relationships were found between PD severity and nocturnal HRV indices. The associations were restricted to rapid eye movement (R) sleep.
Conclusions:
The progressive nocturnal cardiac autonomic impairment occurring with more severe PD can be subclinical emerging only during conditions requiring active modulation of physiological functions such as R-sleep.
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