Effects of Acute Stress on Measures of Heart Rate and Heart Rate Variability

Mirissa Garchar*, Hannah Stovall, and Scott Galster

Rockefeller Neuroscience Institute, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26505

Presentation Category: Health Sciences (Poster Presentation #119)

Student’s Major: Psychology and Neuroscience

With improvements in wearable device technology, it has become easier to observe physiological symptoms during periods of stress such as physical exercise and high intensity situations. Heart rate (HR) and heart rate variability (HRV) provide reliable measures of the state of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) which is associated with physiological states of rest and arousal. Variance from the resting state of HR and HRV can be indicative of a physiological response to stressful stimuli. In order to observe drastic changes in HR and HRV over a short period of time, stimuli such as the cold pressor can be utilized in order to induce stress response. We intend to use a 3-lead ECG which provides data which can be plotted and visualized in order to observe these physiological stress responses in six participants. We expect to observe a sharp increase in physiological symptoms at the introduction of the cold pressor stimulus followed by a slower return to resting HR and HRV after the stimulus is removed.

Funding:

Program/mechanism supporting research/creative efforts: WVU's Research Apprenticeship Program (RAP) & accompanying HONR 297-level course