Effect of alcohol on vagal regulation of cardiovascular function: contributions of the polyvagal theory to the psychophysiology of alcohol.
Abstract
Research was conducted to evaluate the influence of acute alcohol consumption on vagal regulation of heart rate. Nine men with histories of polydrug use participated in this residential study. On 5 separate days, they drank liquids consisting of cold water (on 2 days), a moderate dose of alcohol (0.64 g/kg), a high dose of alcohol (1.12 g/kg), and a placebo. Continuous recordings of heart period were quantified to produce 3 measures of heart rate variability, reflecting the amplitude of 3 neurophysiologically mediated rhythms. Heart period, respiratory rhythm (i.e., respiratory sinus arrhythmia [RSA]), and the 0.064-0.10-Hz vasomotor rhythm were significantly lower during the high alcohol dose condition, relative to the placebo and water conditions. Because the neural regulation of the heart by the vagus contributes to these variables, these findings suggest that alcohol reduces cardiac vagal tone. In support of this explanation, alcohol also decreased the coupling between changes in heart period and changes in RSA. This study demonstrated that alcohol produces a dysregulated state in which heart rate is relatively uncoupled from vagal activity.
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The vagal efficiency metric is sensitive to alcohol and may serve as a potential indicator of dysautonomia, since it is greatly depressed in individuals with an adversity history and in those diagnosed with the hypermotility subtype of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome.
“It is also sensitive to alcohol (Reed et al., 1999) and may serve as a potential indicator of dysautonomia, since it is greatly depressed in individuals with an adversity history (Dale et al., under review) and in those diagnosed with the hypermotility subtype of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (Kolacz et al., 2021).”
From Polyvagal Theory: A Science of Safety (2022) · cites this paper as Reed et al., 1999
VE degrades in response to alcohol.
“Previous research demonstrates that VE degrades in response to alcohol [65]”
From The vagal paradox: A polyvagal solution (2023) · cites this paper as [65]
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Cited by 80
- Authors
- Reed, S. F., Porges, S. W., & Newlin, D. B.
- ORCID
- Porges, Stephen W.
- Venue
- Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology
- Published
- 1999-11
- Volume
- 7
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 484-492
- ISSN
- 1064-1297 (ISSN-L)
- 1936-2293
- OpenAlex
- W4248076453
- Cited by
- 80
- References
- 0
- Citations by year
- 2026: 1 · 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 7 · 2021: 4 · 2020: 1 · 2019: 3 · 2018: 5 · 2017: 3 · 2016: 4 · 2015: 2 · 2014: 3 · 2013: 1 · 2012: 2
- FWCI
- 1.68
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Experimental and Clinical Psychopharmacology (publishedVersion)
- PubMed (publishedVersion)
- Topics
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
- Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research
- Health Sciences › Medicine › Pathology and Forensic Medicine › Alcohol Consumption and Health Effects
- Keywords
- alcohol, vagus nerve, vagal regulation, cardiovascular function, polyvagal theory, autonomic nervous system
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Alcohol Drinking, Ethanol, Arrhythmia, Sinus, Central Nervous System Depressants, Electrocardiography, Heart Rate, Hemodynamics, Humans, Male, Psychophysiology, Reward, Vagus Nerve
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