Respiratory Control Technique and Heart Rate Variability in a Child With Attention Deficit and Hyperactivity Disorder:A Case Study

摘要

Attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder(ADHD)is associated to a lower respiratory sinus arrhythmia(RSA)and to a lower heart rate variability(HRV).The purpose of this study is to verify if through breath control,an ADHD boy(9 years old)could increase HRV.During breathing control,the child significantly reduced breathing frequency(BF)and heart rate(HR);significantly augmented mean RR interval and pNN50;augmented HRVi(ns)and HF(ns);and reduced LF/HF ratio(ns).Consequently,during short training sessions,this child had the capacity to augment various parameters of HRV,suggesting an increasing of vagal activity.If vagal activity was reinforced during breathing control,it means that maybe a process of bottom-up adjustment of attention and emotional responses can be promoted.