Heart rate variability and depressed mood in physical education students: A longitudinal study

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity, and more specifically its parasympathetic component, has been reported to be associated with depression. The objective of this longitudinal study was to assess whether changes in heart rate variability (HRV) and in depressive moods were interrelated in healthy young subjects. Thirty students in physical education with a high physical load, were followed over the university year at 3 periods: October (P1), February (P2) and May (P3). Depressive mood was assessed by the score on the Depression subscale of the profile of mood state (POMS) questionnaire. HRV was assessed in supine and during an active orthostatic test with total power (TP ms²) as the sum of the very low (VLF), low (LF) and high frequency (HF) bands, LF/HF ratio representing sympathetic and HF ms² parasympathetic modulations. Results showed that changes in Depression scores between P1 and P2 were negatively and positively associated with changes in TP ms², LF ms², and HF ms² in supine position and during orthostatism respectively. Although Anger/Aggressivity, Fatigue, and Vigor scores of the POMS were also correlated with changes in some HRV indices, Depression was the only significant predictive factor of changes in TP ms² and HF ms² between P1 and P2 in supine position and during orthostatism. These results were not observed between P2 and P3. In conclusion, in a healthy young sample of population, changes in depressive moods are associated with changes in total rhythmical power of HRV and more specifically its parasympathetic component.