Effects of A Brief Resonance Frequency Breathing Exercise on Heart Rate Variability and Inhibitory Control in the Context of Generalised Anxiety Disorder.

Feb 10, 2025

Experts: David M Spalding,Toni Ejoor,Xiaochang Zhao,Daniele Bomarsi,Martina Ciliberti,Cristina Ottaviani,Milan Valášek,Colette Hirsch,Hugo D Critchley,Frances Meeten

Generalised anxiety disorder (GAD) is associated with cognitive and physiological symptoms including uncontrollable worry, inhibitory control deficits, and low heart rate variability (HRV). Literature linking HRV and inhibition in GAD is predominantly correlational. The present experiment investigated whether HRV has a causal role in maintaining inhibitory control. Participants (N = 135, 111 female) aged 18-37 reporting high levels of symptoms associated with GAD (GAD-7 scores ≥ 10; Penn State Worry Questionnaire scores ≥ 56) were assigned to an experimental or active control condition and completed baseline measures of HRV, respiration rate, and inhibitory control. The experimental condition completed resonance frequency breathing (RFB) training, and the control condition practiced breathing at their mean breathing rate before repeating the inhibitory control assessment. Participants also completed the breathing training before a behavioural worry task. The experimental condition was predicted to show increased HRV, alongside improved inhibitory control and better ability to stop worrying as compared to the control condition. HRV increased during the experimental condition, as compared to the control condition. However, there were no significant effects of RFB on inhibitory control or worry, or on HRV during the inhibitory control tasks. In conclusion, RFB can increase HRV in high GAD scorers, but further research is required to determine whether there is a relationship between increased HRV and symptoms of GAD in a single session experiment.
© 2025. The Author(s).

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ABOUT THE EXPERTS

David M Spalding,Toni Ejoor,Xiaochang Zhao,Daniele Bomarsi,Martina Ciliberti,Cristina Ottaviani,Milan Valášek,Colette Hirsch,Hugo D Critchley,Frances Meeten

David M Spalding

Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK.

Toni Ejoor

Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK.

Xiaochang Zhao

Department of Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Daniele Bomarsi

Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Martina Ciliberti

Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Cristina Ottaviani

Department of Psychology, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.

Functional Neuroimaging Laboratory, IRCCS Santa Lucia Foundation, Rome, Italy.

Milan Valášek

Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Bauhaus University Weimar, Weimar, Germany.

Colette Hirsch

Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK.

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, UK.

Hugo D Critchley

Department of Neuroscience, Brighton and Sussex Medical School, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.

Sussex Partnership NHS Foundation Trust, Worthing, UK.

Sussex Neuroscience, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK.

Frances Meeten

Department of Psychology, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology and Neuroscience, King’s College London, London, UK. frances.2.meeten@kcl.ac.uk.

South London and Maudsley NHS Foundation Trust, Maudsley Hospital, Denmark Hill, London, UK. frances.2.meeten@kcl.ac.uk.

School of Psychology, University of Sussex, Brighton, UK. frances.2.meeten@kcl.ac.uk.