Heart Rate Variability during Face Cooling in Concussed Adolescents

Abstract

Objective: We measured heart rate variability (HRV) during physiological stimuli in acutely concussed adolescents (CX) and after clinical recovery, and compared with healthy controls (HC)., Background: Concussion is associated with autonomic dysfunction. Face Cooling (FC) triggers the trigeminal nerve to evoke transient increases in cardiac parasympathetic (PNS) activity., Design/Methods: 11 CX (14.8 +/- 0.9 years, 6 male, 7 days since injury) and 11 HC (16.1 +/- 1.1 years, 9 male) participated. We calculated mean heart rate (HR), standard deviation of root mean square (RMSSD, measure of PNS tone) and low-frequency to high-frequency power ratio (LF/HF ratio, measure of sympathetic [SNS] tone) at rest and 3-minute FC test., Results: CX at Visit 1 and 2 had significantly lesser increase in HR (p = 0.02) and RMSSD (p = 0.038) than HC on FC., Conclusions: These data show that acutely concussed participants have an attenuated PNS response to physiological stimuli which continues after clinical recovery., (C) 2019 American Academy of Neurology