Cardiac vagal tone and sustained attention in school‐age children

SUESS, PATRICIA E.; PORGES, STEPHEN W.; PLUDE, DANA J.

doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.1994.tb01020.x

Cited by 351Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic ControlMind wandering and attentionVagus Nerve Stimulation Research

Cardiac vagal tone and sustained attention in school‐age children

SUESS, PATRICIA E., PORGES, STEPHEN W., PLUDE, DANA J.·1994·Psychophysiology

DOI 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1994.tb01020.x

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Abstract

Three hypotheses tested relationships between cardiac responses mediated via the vagus and sustained attention in a population of normal school-age children. These hypotheses addressed the theoretical relationships among resting cardiac vagal tone (using the Porges estimate of respiratory sinus arrhythmia, V), performance measures of sustained attention, and cardiac reactivity during sustained attention. Thirty-two fourth and fifth grade children performed a continuous performance task while their electrocardiograms were monitored. Children with higher resting levels of V performed better on the first 3-min block of the continuous performance task. Additionally, levels of V were significantly reduced across the blocks of the 9-min task for all children. No relationships were found between resting levels of V and change in either V or heart period during task performance. These findings support two of the three hypotheses proposed by Porges regarding individual differences in cardiac vagal tone and sustained attention.

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Authors: SUESS, P. E., PORGES, S. W., & PLUDE, D. J.
Affiliations: University of Maryland, College Park (US)
Corresponding author: SUESS, PATRICIA E.
ORCID: PORGES, STEPHEN W.
Venue: Psychophysiology
Publisher: Wiley
Published: 1994-01
Volume: 31
Issue: 1
Pages: 17-22
ISSN: 0048-5772 (ISSN-L)
1469-8986
DOI: 10.1111/j.1469-8986.1994.tb01020.x
OpenAlex: W2025886023
Cited by: 351
References: 2
Citations by year: 2026: 7 · 2025: 6 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 5 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 12 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 19 · 2018: 21 · 2017: 26 · 2016: 19 · 2015: 20 · 2014: 16 · 2013: 24 · 2012: 23
FWCI: 4.11
Type: journal article
Language: en
Open access: closed
Licence: onlinelibrary.wiley.com/termsAndConditions#vor (vor, 4777 d)
Locations: Psychophysiology (publishedVersion)
PubMed (publishedVersion)
Funders: Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (HD 22628, R01HD022628)
Topics: Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Cognitive Neuroscience › Mind wandering and attention
Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research
Keywords: cardiac vagal tone, sustained attention, respiratory sinus arrhythmia, elementary school students, continuous performance test, cardiac reactivity, heart period, individual differences, autonomic nervous system
MeSH terms: Aging, Arousal, Attention, Child, Electrocardiography, Female, Heart, Heart Rate, Humans, Male, Psychomotor Performance, Reaction Time, Sex Characteristics, Vagus Nerve

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Cardiac vagal tone and sustained attention in school‐age children

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