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Published on: June 5, 2019
Physiological correlates of interoception and the effect of heart rate variability biofeedback
Andy Schumann1, Lisa Schmitt1, Katrin Rieger1
1Lab for Autonomic Neuroscience, Imaging and Cognition (LANIC), Department for Psychosomatic Medicine and Psychotherapy, Jena University Hospital, Jena, Germany.
Introduction:
Interoception, the perception and interpretation of internal bodily signals, is closely linked to autonomic regulation and emotional functioning. Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRVBF) has been proposed to influence interoceptive processes through modulation of vagally mediated cardiovascular dynamics. The present study investigated physiological correlates of interoception and examined whether an 8-week HRVBF intervention was associated with changes in autonomic regulation and interoceptive processing in healthy adults.
Methods:
Twenty-five participants completed an 8-week HRVBF training. Resting autonomic function was assessed before and after the intervention using cardiovascular and respiratory indices, including heart rate, heart rate variability, baroreflex sensitivity, respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), respiration rate, and spectral HRV measures. Interoceptive accuracy was assessed using the heartbeat counting task, and interoceptive awareness was assessed using the Multidimensional Assessment of Interoceptive Awareness (MAIA).
Results:
At baseline, lower respiration rate and heart rate were associated with higher scores on several MAIA subscales. The HRVBF intervention was associated with significant multivariate changes in autonomic function, including decreased respiration rate, increased RSA, and elevated baroreflex sensitivity. Interoceptive accuracy improved modestly following the intervention. Interoceptive awareness also showed a significant multivariate change, with largest increases observed in the subscale Self-Regulation.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, HRVBF was associated with modulation of resting autonomic regulation and improvements in selected dimensions of interoceptive processing, particularly subjective self-regulatory awareness. Associations between physiological and interoceptive changes were modest, suggesting further research is needed to clarify the relationship between autonomic regulation and interoceptive function.
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