Influence of acute psychological stress on autonomic nervous system studied based on heart rate variability
Yi Rui
Ji Luyao
Zhu Ling
Ma Guowei
Yang Li
Shi Chao
Gao Hongyan
Wang Juan
Abstract：Objective To discuss the mechanism of cardiovascular stress responses induced by acute psychological stress based on physiological analyses of heart rate variability(HRV).Methods A total of 120 healthy adults were recruited through open channels as participants.The Chinese version of the Perceived Stress Scale(PSS)was used to assess individual level of acute psychological stress.Acute physiological stress was experimentally induced by using Trier Social Stress Test(TSST).Participants'pre-and post-test stress scores were compared before and after experimental induction to verify the successful manipulation of acute psychological stress.The participants'standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals(SDNN),root mean square of successive differences(RMSSD),low-frequency to high-frequency ratio(LF/HF)and HRV were compared across the baseline,free speech task,mental arithmetic task,and recovery periods.The correlation and regression between post-stress test scores and HRV indicators during experimental tasks(free speech/mental arithmetic tasks)were investigated.Results ①The post-test stress scores were significantly higher than pre-test scores(P＜0.001),indicating successful manipulation of acute psychological stress.②Compared with baseline data,during the free speech experimental task,mental arithmetic experimental task,and recovery phases,the participants'SDNN and RMSSD values significantly decreased(P＜0.001),while LF/HF and heart rate significantly increased(P＜0.001).Additionally,post-test stress scores had a significant predictive effect on all HRV indicators during the experimental tasks(P＜0.001).Compared with the data from the free speech task,participants'SDNN and RMSSD values decreased significantly in the mental arithmetic task(P=0.003,P=0.007),while the LF/HF and heart rate increased significantly(P＜0.001).③In the correlation analysis between post-test stress scores and HRV indicators,the post-test stress scores showed a significant negative correlation with SDNN and RMSSD values(r=-0.56,r=-0.62,P＜0.001),and a significant positive correlation with LF/HF and heart rate(r=0.48,r=0.65,P＜0.001).In the regression analysis,the post-test stress scores demonstrated significant predictive effects on all HRV indicators(SDNN,RMSSD,LF/HF and heart rate).Conclusion Acute psychological stress can significantly activate the sympathetic nervous system and inhibit the parasympathetic nervous system,with the activating effect exhibiting a certain degree of delay.Moreover,there are significant differences in the impact of different types of acute psychological stress on the autonomic nervous system.
Keywords：Acute psychological stressAutonomic nervous systemHeart rate variabilityTime-domain indicatorsFrequency-domain indicators
Publication Date：2025-06-20
Online Publishing Date：2025-08-15(First online date of this platform, not the publication date of the document)
Pages：4( 727-730 )