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Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System ANS Activity in Children
Published on: April 29, 2013
Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System Activation and Metabolic Profile in Young Children: The ABCD Study
Tanja G M Vrijkotte1, Bert-Jan H van den Born2, Christine M C A Hoekstra1
1Department of Public Health, Academic Medical Center-University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
Insights
Early childhood autonomic nervous system (ANS) imbalances, specifically reduced parasympathetic activity, are linked to unfavorable metabolic profiles in children. This suggests metabolic risk factors can emerge in early life.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Autonomic Nervous System Function
- Childhood Metabolic Health
- Cardiovascular Physiology in Children
Background:
- In adults, autonomic nervous system (ANS) imbalance (high sympathetic, low parasympathetic activity) correlates with poor metabolic health.
- The presence of such associations in early childhood remains largely unexplored.
- Understanding early-life ANS-metabolic links is crucial for preventative strategies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between autonomic nervous system (ANS) activation and metabolic profile in 5-6-year-old children.
- To identify specific ANS components linked to metabolic risk factors in early childhood.
Main Methods:
- Cross-sectional analysis of 1540 healthy children aged 5-6 years from the ABCD study.
- Assessment of autonomic function via heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA; parasympathetic), and pre-ejection period (PEP; sympathetic).
- Evaluation of metabolic components: waist-height ratio (WHtR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), triglycerides, glucose, and HDL-cholesterol.
Main Results:
- Increased HR and decreased RSA were significantly associated with higher WHtR, SBP, and a cumulative metabolic score, even after adjusting for confounders.
- Lower PEP showed a weaker association, linked only to higher SBP.
- Children with 3+ adverse metabolic components exhibited higher HR (OR=1.56 per 10 bpm increase).
Conclusions:
- Decreased parasympathetic activity (lower RSA) is associated with central adiposity and elevated SBP in young children (5-6 years).
- These findings indicate increased metabolic risk is detectable at a very early age.
- Early life ANS function may be a critical determinant of future metabolic health.
Background:
In adults, increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic nervous system activity are associated with a less favorable metabolic profile. Whether this is already determined at early age is unknown. Therefore, we aimed to assess the association between autonomic nervous system activation and metabolic profile and its components in children at age of 5-6 years.
Methods:
Cross-sectional data from an apparently healthy population (within the ABCD study) were collected at age 5-6 years in 1540 children. Heart rate (HR), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA; parasympathetic activity) and pre-ejection period (PEP; sympathetic activity) were assessed during rest. Metabolic components were waist-height ratio (WHtR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), fasting triglycerides, glucose and HDL-cholesterol. Individual components, as well as a cumulative metabolic score, were analyzed.
Results:
In analysis adjusted for child's physical activity, sleep, anxiety score and other potential confounders, increased HR and decreased RSA were associated with higher WHtR (P< 0.01), higher SBP (p<0.001) and a higher cumulative metabolic score (HR: p < 0.001; RSA: p < 0.01). Lower PEP was only associated with higher SBP (p <0.05). Of all children, 5.6% had 3 or more (out of 5) adverse metabolic components; only higher HR was associated with this risk (per 10 bpm increase: OR = 1.56; p < 0.001).
Conclusions:
This study shows that decreased parasympathetic activity is associated with central adiposity and higher SBP, indicative of increased metabolic risk, already at age 5-6 years.
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