Postural effect on respiratory sinus arrhythmia with various respiratory frequencies

Heart rate variations during steady state respiration with various frequencies were studied on seven healthy male students at two different body positions. Respiration was controlled at four different frequencies (0.083, 0.100, 0.200, 0.250Hz), and the tidal volume was simultaneously controlled at 1500ml (0.083, 0.100Hz) or 1000ml (0.200, 0.250Hz). A tilting bed was used for changing body position, and the measurements were conducted at horizontal and vertical position. RSA (respiratory sinus arrhythmia) amplitude at 0.250Hz was significantly decreased at vertical position compared with horizontal position. At 0.200Hz the significant decrease could not be obtained although some tendency of decrease appeared. Contrary to these high frequencies, the amplitudes at low frequencies (0.083, 0.100Hz) were significantly increased (p < 0.01) during vertical position. This postural effect on the low frequency RSA could be regarded as a similar result on MWSA (Mayer wave relate sinus arrhythmia) which reflects sympathetic nervous activity. Furthermore, the ratio between the amplitude at 0.100Hz and that at 0.250Hz was significantly correlated with mean heart rate (n = 56, r = 0.73). From these results it was assumed that the RSA amplitude at low frequency associate a with not only parasympathetic nerves but also sympathetic nerves whereas the amplitude at high frequency was solely mediated by parasympathetic nerves.