Efficacy of pattern feedback for the dissociation of heart rate and respiration rate

The present study assessed the efficacy of pattern feedback for producing integrative and dissociative patterns of heart rate (HR) and respiration rate (RR). 60 uninformed subjects were assigned to six groups in which beat-by-beat feedback was contingent upon production of a specific pattern of increased (↑), decreased (↓), or unchanged (=) HR and RR during 11 feedback trials. Concomitant changes in respiratory volume and general activity (GA) were also recorded. Groups given feedback for HR and RR changes in the same directions (HR↑RR↑ and HR↓RR↓) and for changes in opposite directions (HR↑RR↓ and HR↓RR↑) were generally unable to produce the respective patterns, indicating that pattern feedback does not enable subjects to produce a wide range of HR-RR patterns. However, evidence of dissociation of HR and RR was obtained in the HR↑RR= and HR↓RR= groups in which HR changed significantly in the appropriate directions without significant changes in RR. These results are not consistent with the view that RR changes are necessary for HR control, although significant concomitant changes in respiratory volume and GA indicated that HR control was non-specific relative to these variables.