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Updated: Oct 17, 2026
Calculating Heart Rate Variability from ECG Data from Youth with Cerebral Palsy During Active Video Game Sessions
Published on: June 5, 2019
Unraveling the brain-heart axis: Mendelian randomization study on the causal relationship between heart rate
Songbiao Li1, Yan Zhang1, Li Kou2
1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, The Fifth Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Zhuhai, China.
Background:
A growing number of observational studies have suggested a potential association between heart rate variability (HRV) and dementia. However, the causal nature of this relationship remains unclear.
Objective:
This study aims to investigate the causal relationship between HRV and dementia using two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis.
Methods:
Two-sample MR analysis was conducted to examine the causal effects of HRV phenotypes, including the peak-valley respiratory sinus arrhythmia or high frequency power (pvRSA/HF), the root mean square of the successive differences of inter beat intervals (RMSSD), and normal-to-normal inter-beat intervals (SDNN), on eight dementia phenotypes (any dementia, Alzheimer's disease [AD], early-onset AD, late-onset AD, Lewy body dementia [DLB], frontotemporal dementia [FTD], Parkinson's disease dementia [PDD], and vascular dementia [VaD]).
Results:
Genetically determined pvRSA/HF was associated with an elevated risk of DLB (odds ratio [OR] 1.53; 95% CI 1.04-2.25; p = 0.032) and FTD (OR 2.86; 1.06-7.66; p = 0.037). There was no significant association between HRV and the increased risks of AD, PDD, VaD, or any dementia.
Conclusions:
Our study provides suggestive evidence that pvRSA/HF has a potential causal relationship with elevated risks of DLB and FTD. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the potential role of HRV in specific dementia subtypes.
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