Lowered parasympathetic activity in apparently healthy subjects with self reported symptoms of pain: preliminary results from a pilot study
Abstract
Objectives: The aim was to evaluate differences in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, indexed by heart rate variability (HRV) in apparently healthy subjects with self‐reported symptoms of pain (SRSP) within an exploratory analysis. Methods: HRV data from 14 apparently healthy male individuals were analyzed to address potential differences in subjects with and without SRSP. SRSP was assessed using the four pain‐related items from the symptom checklist (SCL‐90R). Subjects were stratified based on the presence of SRSP. Results: Parasympathetic activity, indexed by pNN50, RMSSD, and high frequency (HF) spectrum of HRV, was lower in subjects with SRSP. Low frequency (LF) HRV and the LF/HF ratio were greater in subjects with SRSP. However, analysis of variance revealed no significant differences between the groups. Pearson correlations showed a correlation of pNN50, HF, LF, and LF/HF ratio and the presence and frequency of SRSP. Measures of parasympathetic activity (pNN50 and HF) were inversely associated with more SRSP, indicating that subjects with more frequent SRSP show decreased parasympathetic activity. Conclusions: Consistent with evidence on changes in HRV in patients with clinical conditions of chronic or recurrent pain, this is the first study to show that healthy individuals who report symptoms of pain may have lower parasympathetic activity revealed by measures of HRV.
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Among healthy males, higher pain sensitivity is associated with lower parasympathetic activity.
“Finally, heightened parasympathetic activity, as seen in tonic and collapsed immobility, may be associated with reduced sensory perception, where among healthy males, higher pain sensitivity was associated with lower parasympathetic activity (Koenig et al., 2015).”
From A review of the relation between dissociation, memory, executive functioning and social cognition in military members and civilians with neuropsychiatric conditions (2016) · cites this paper as Koenig et al., 2015
Cites
Faul, F., Erdfelder, E., Lang, A.-G., & Buchner, A. (2007) · Behavior Research Methods · doi:10.3758/bf03193146 · Cited by 65,971 · see citing works
Derogatis, L. R., & Unger, R. (2010) · The Corsini Encyclopedia of Psychology · doi:10.1002/9780470479216.corpsy0970 · Cited by 488 · cited 1× · see citing works
“Self-reported symptoms of pain (SRSP) within the past 4 weeks were derived from four items of the German version(20,21) symptom checklist.(22) These items included item 1 (“headaches”), item 12 (“pain in heart or chest”), item 27 (“pains in lower back”), and item 42”
MethodThe Symptom Check-List-90-R (SCL-90-R): A German validation study
Schmitz, N., Hartkamp, N., Kiuse, J., Franke, G. H., Reister, G., & Tress, W. (2000) · Quality of Life Research · doi:10.1023/a:1008931926181 · Cited by 430 · see citing works
Heart rate variability in the irritable bowel syndrome: A review of the literature
Mazurak, N., Seredyuk, N., Sauer, H., Teufel, M., & Enck, P. (2012) · Neurogastroenterology & Motility · doi:10.1111/j.1365-2982.2011.01866.x · Cited by 102 · see citing works
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McKinnon, M. C., Boyd, J. E., Frewen, P. A., Lanius, U. F., Jetly, R., Richardson, J. D., & Lanius, R. A. (2016) · Neuropsychologia · doi:10.1016/j.neuropsychologia.2016.07.017 · Cited by 94 · see citing works
“Finally, heightened parasympathetic activity, as seen in tonic and collapsed immobility, may be associated with reduced sensory perception, where among healthy males, higher pain sensitivity was associated with lower parasympathetic activity (Koenig et al., 2015).”
- Authors
- Koenig, J., Jarczok, M. N., Ellis, R. J., Warth, M., Hillecke, T. K., & Thayer, J. F.
- Affiliations
- SRH University of Applied Sciences Heidelberg (DE)
- Heidelberg University (DE)
- Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (US)
- The Ohio State University (US)
- Venue
- Pain Practice
- Publisher
- Wiley
- Published
- 2014-02-27
- Volume
- 15
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 314-318
- ISSN
- 1530-7085 (ISSN-L)
- 1533-2500
- OpenAlex
- W2113301443
- Cited by
- 33
- References
- 4
- Citations by year
- 2025: 3 · 2024: 2 · 2023: 1 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 3 · 2017: 2 · 2016: 2 · 2015: 9 · 2014: 1
- FWCI
- 3.21
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Pain Practice (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 › Psychiatry and Mental health › Psychosomatic Disorders and Their Treatments
- Keywords
- parasympathetic activity, heart rate variability, autonomic nervous system, healthy individuals, pNN50, LF/HF ratio, high-frequency HRV, chronic pain, recurrent pain
- MeSH terms
- Adult, Heart Rate, Humans, Male, Pain, Parasympathetic Nervous System, Pilot Projects, Young Adult, Self Report, Healthy Volunteers
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