Biological Psychology最新文献

Theta Burst Stimulation Prior to Stress Exposure Alters Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations. 压力暴露前的θ波脉冲刺激改变低频波动幅度。

IF 2.9 3区医学

Biological Psychology Pub Date : 2026-05-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109285

Isabell Int-Veen, Beatrix Barth, Betti Schopp, Ramona Täglich, Hans-Christoph Nuerk, Christian Plewnia, Stefanie De Smet, Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt, Andreas J Fallgatter, Ann-Christine Ehlis, David Rosenbaum

{"title":"Theta Burst Stimulation Prior to Stress Exposure Alters Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations.","authors":"Isabell Int-Veen, Beatrix Barth, Betti Schopp, Ramona Täglich, Hans-Christoph Nuerk, Christian Plewnia, Stefanie De Smet, Marie-Anne Vanderhasselt, Andreas J Fallgatter, Ann-Christine Ehlis, David Rosenbaum","doi":"10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109285","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109285","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>The Amplitude of Low-Frequency Fluctuations (ALFF) serves as a marker of spontaneous neural activity, with previous research showing increased ALFF during rumination induction. However, it remains unclear whether Theta Burst Stimulation (TBS) might be able to modulate ALFF.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>In two studies, we applied intermittent (iTBS) and continuous (cTBS) protocols to the left Dorsolateral Prefrontal Cortex (DLPFC; study 1) and right Ventrolateral Prefrontal Cortex (VLPFC; study 2) prior to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST). Neural activity was assessed using functional near-infrared spectroscopy (fNIRS), an optical imaging technique measuring cortical oxygenation, from which ALFF was derived. In both studies (study 1: 88; study 2: 89) low and high trait ruminators were recruited. Each participant underwent both active (iTBS or cTBS) and sham TBS (sTBS) in a randomized, counterbalanced double-blind design. We fitted rmANOVAs examining the effects of time, trait rumination, TBS-condition and Regions of Interest (ROI) for each stimulation target.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Results indicated stress-related increases in ALFF across all ROIs, including the DLPFC, VLPFC, and Somatosensory Association Cortex. We found partial evidence for TBS-induced modulation of frontal ALFF, however blinding was partly unsuccessful: In study 2, targeting the right VLPFC, both cTBS and sTBS were associated with increases in ALFF from the pre-TSST resting-state to the TSST, followed by decreases from the TSST to the post-TSST resting-state. This effect was absent following iTBS and when reanalyzing effects using Percent ALFF.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings suggest that TBS might modulate ALFF, highlighting the need to further investigate factors such as rumination.</p>","PeriodicalId":55372,"journal":{"name":"Biological Psychology","volume":" ","pages":"109285"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147857656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The Impact of a Loss of Control over Threat on Stress Reactivity. 对威胁失去控制对应激反应的影响。

IF 2.9 3区医学

Biological Psychology Pub Date : 2026-05-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109284

Michalina Dudziak, Tom Smeets, Bram Vervliet, Tom Beckers

{"title":"The Impact of a Loss of Control over Threat on Stress Reactivity.","authors":"Michalina Dudziak, Tom Smeets, Bram Vervliet, Tom Beckers","doi":"10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109284","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109284","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Uncontrollable negative events often elicit higher acute anxiety and stress than negative situations within our control. Beyond these immediate effects, some studies showed that experiences of control over negative situations may promote future resilience against stress-related impairments. Conversely, it has been shown that loss of control over threat may be more detrimental than a consistent lack of control. Whether loss of control affects stress reactivity remains poorly understood. The current study investigated the impact of loss of control over a threat on stress reactivity in humans. Eighty participants were equally assigned to either a Continuous Control or a Loss of Control group to perform a threat (un)controllability task in which they either lost or maintained control over aversive electrical stimuli. Subsequently, participants were exposed to an acute stress induction procedure (Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test). The experiment included assessments of perceived stress and control, salivary alpha-amylase and cortisol, blood pressure, and electrodermal activity. Additionally, participants completed questionnaires about emotion regulation strategies, general sense of control, and distress tolerance. Our results did not support the prediction that experiencing loss of control over threat heightens biological and perceived stress markers acutely or that it enhances biological reactivity to a subsequent stressor. However, we found that loss of control increased perceived stress in the subsequent task, specifically among females, which may partly reflect sex-specific stimulus duration differences inherent to the used yoking procedure. Further research is necessary to corroborate our findings and to explore the observed sex-specific vulnerability to loss of control.</p>","PeriodicalId":55372,"journal":{"name":"Biological Psychology","volume":" ","pages":"109284"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147857612","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Embodied memory for emotional faces: Effects of cardiac cycle phases and post-learning stress on identity and expression memory. 情绪面孔的具身记忆：心脏周期阶段和学习后应激对身份和表情记忆的影响。

IF 2.9 3区医学

Biological Psychology Pub Date : 2026-05-06 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109283

Simon Schommer, Lisa Drost, Johannes Finke, André Schulz

{"title":"Embodied memory for emotional faces: Effects of cardiac cycle phases and post-learning stress on identity and expression memory.","authors":"Simon Schommer, Lisa Drost, Johannes Finke, André Schulz","doi":"10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109283","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109283","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Human learning and memory are considered 'embodied', but it is unclear which body signals affect which memory facet. We investigated whether ascending cardiac signals affect memory encoding and consolidation. Due to its relevance for social behavior, this study investigated identity and expression memory for emotional faces. To implement different conditions of ascending cardiac signals for encoding, participants viewed happy and angry faces for 150 ms time-locked either to the early (R-wave +230 ms) or late cardiac cycle phase (R-wave +530 ms), which differ in their feedback from arterial baroreceptors. Participants then underwent either a stress (n=30; Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test/SECPT) or a no-stress procedure (n=29) to apply conditions of high vs. low cardiac signals in the consolidation phase. Recognition of face identity and emotional expression was tested 30minutes and 24hours after acquisition. Memory for both identity and expression was significantly better when encoded in the late cardiac cycle phase, both for happy and angry faces. Memory performance declined over time. Although the SECPT increased heart rate, systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure, as well as salivary cortisol, it did not affect memory. Nevertheless, stress responsiveness of cortisol was a positive predictor and SBP responsiveness was a negative predictor of expression memory. Our findings suggest that increased baroreceptor feedback globally attenuates declarative memory encoding for emotional faces (i.e. identity/expression memory), independent of valence. In contrast, the effect of perturbations in ascending cardiac signals by acute stress on consolidation of identity or expression memory depends on stress axis responsiveness.</p>","PeriodicalId":55372,"journal":{"name":"Biological Psychology","volume":" ","pages":"109283"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-06","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147857642","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

The Leiden Stroop-like Stress Task: A Tool to Reveal Physiological Dynamics Using Graded Stress Induction. Leiden Stroop-like应激任务：利用梯度应激诱导揭示生理动力学的工具。

IF 2.9 3区医学

Biological Psychology Pub Date : 2026-05-02 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109279

Jin Yan, Frenn Bultinck, Liwen Meng, Daan Scheepers, Henk van Steenbergen

{"title":"The Leiden Stroop-like Stress Task: A Tool to Reveal Physiological Dynamics Using Graded Stress Induction.","authors":"Jin Yan, Frenn Bultinck, Liwen Meng, Daan Scheepers, Henk van Steenbergen","doi":"10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109279","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109279","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Stress evokes a complex repertoire of psychological and physiological responses. This paper introduces the Leiden Stroop-like Stress Task (LSST), a paradigm designed to induce progressively increasing levels of stress by manipulating task difficulty and social-evaluative threat across four 10-minute blocks. Fifty-four healthy adults (35 females; mean age = 21 ± 3 years) completed the LSST, with repeated assessments of self-reported stress and challenge-threat appraisal, as well as continuous cardiovascular recordings. Results confirmed the LSST's effectiveness in eliciting gradual increases in self-reported stress, negative affect, and heart rate, along with gradual decreases in positive affect. Changes in blood pressure and pre-ejection period also increased moderately but showed a more discrete change over time. Challenge-threat appraisals gradually shifted from challenge to threat but, on average, remained on the challenge side of the bipolar continuum. Vascular resistance, as measured by total peripheral resistance, exhibited a continuous increase. This vascular effect accompanied (slightly) increased ventricular contractility and heart rate as well as stable cardiac output, thus reflecting a classic physiological threat pattern. Exploratory within-subject correlations revealed consistent alignment between self-reported stress and physiological measures. Our findings demonstrate that the LSST enables the graded induction of mild to moderate stress and effectively captures stress dynamics across psychological and physiological levels. We discuss the potential of this paradigm to provide insights into stress dynamics and its vascular hemodynamic profile, as well as interventions aimed at increasing stress resilience.</p>","PeriodicalId":55372,"journal":{"name":"Biological Psychology","volume":" ","pages":"109279"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147846638","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

A hierarchical Bayesian model reveals increased precision weighting for afferent cardiac signals, and reduced anxiety, as a function of interoceptive training. 层次贝叶斯模型显示，作为内感受性训练的一个功能，传入心脏信号的加权精度增加，焦虑减少。

IF 2.9 3区医学

Biological Psychology Pub Date : 2026-05-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109275

Chatrin Suksasilp, Abigail McLanachan, Lisa Quadt, Blaise Boulton, James Mulcahy, Hugo D Critchley, Ryan Smith, Sarah N Garfinkel

{"title":"A hierarchical Bayesian model reveals increased precision weighting for afferent cardiac signals, and reduced anxiety, as a function of interoceptive training.","authors":"Chatrin Suksasilp, Abigail McLanachan, Lisa Quadt, Blaise Boulton, James Mulcahy, Hugo D Critchley, Ryan Smith, Sarah N Garfinkel","doi":"10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109275","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109275","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Interoceptive interventions offer a promising avenue for improving mental health conditions, which commonly feature bodily or interoceptive symptoms. Perceptual accuracy for interoceptive signals, such as heartbeats, varies across individuals and presents a potential target for treatment. Adult participants (N = 28, 20F) completed eight sessions of a cardiac interoception training protocol, and their anxiety reduction was compared to that in a passive control group (N = 26, 22F). Bayesian computational models were compared to identify mechanisms of perception and learning that best explained participants' responses during the heartbeat discrimination task. Parameter estimates from the best-fitting model were used as computational phenotypes to explain anxiety reduction due to interoceptive training. Interoceptive training improved perceptual accuracy in two tasks of heartbeat perception and reduced self-reported trait anxiety. Computational modelling indicated that accuracy improvement in the heartbeat discrimination task was explained by increases in the internal reliability estimate for interoceptive signals - their precision weighting - while a lower-level parameter representing stable sensory noise moderated this precision weighting improvement by influencing the speed of learning. Reductions in both state and trait anxiety scores in the training group were uniquely explained by computational parameter estimates, and not by conventional accuracy measures. These findings indicate that cardiac interoceptive accuracy is modifiable and can be targeted to alleviate anxiety symptoms, and that interoceptive interventions may be best guided by a computational phenotyping approach.</p>","PeriodicalId":55372,"journal":{"name":"Biological Psychology","volume":" ","pages":"109275"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147823437","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Cardiac Dynamics During Social Evaluative Feedback: Evidence from Intersubject Representational Similarity Analysis. 社会评价反馈中的心脏动力学：来自主体间表征相似性分析的证据。

IF 2.9 3区医学

Biological Psychology Pub Date : 2026-05-01 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109278

Jinhee Kim, Meeseung Lee, Daon Lee, Minyoung Kim, Hackjin Kim

{"title":"Cardiac Dynamics During Social Evaluative Feedback: Evidence from Intersubject Representational Similarity Analysis.","authors":"Jinhee Kim, Meeseung Lee, Daon Lee, Minyoung Kim, Hackjin Kim","doi":"10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109278","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109278","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In everyday interactions, social evaluative feedback can elicit defensive responses that vary across individuals, underscoring the need to clarify the psychophysiological mechanisms underlying this variability. This study examined the cardiac correlates of defensive responses to social feedback, focusing on how cardiac activity reflects individual differences in self-protective behavior. Participants completed a mobile-based reciprocal artwork evaluation task while cardiac activity was continuously monitored via photoplethysmography using a wearable smartwatch. During the task, participants received positive, negative, or neutral feedback from partners and subsequently evaluated the creativity of the partner's artwork, indexing defensive behavioral responses. Feedback-evoked heart rate responses were analyzed using temporal intersubject representational similarity analysis (IS-RSA) to assess how dynamic cardiac similarity patterns related to individual differences in behavioral tendencies across feedback conditions. Results revealed that social feedback systematically influenced subsequent evaluations of the partner's artwork. Negative feedback elicited transient heart rate deceleration, whose magnitude was inversely associated with resting heart rate variability. IS-RSA further revealed that individuals who made more favorable judgments following positive feedback exhibited greater intersubject cardiac similarity during the early post-feedback period. Follow-up group analyses indicated that this convergence reflected transient heart rate deceleration among individuals with stronger behavioral bias. Together, these findings elucidate the physiological basis of self-protective bias in social contexts and highlight the role of individual psychophysiological variability.</p>","PeriodicalId":55372,"journal":{"name":"Biological Psychology","volume":" ","pages":"109278"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-05-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147823458","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Editorial: Multimodal imaging in cognitive neurosciences 社论：认知神经科学中的多模态成像。

IF 2.9 3区医学

Biological Psychology Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-04-08 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109258

Sreenivasan Meyyappan, George R. Mangun

引用次数: 0

Attentional focus and imagery vividness facilitate corticospinal excitability during contralateral action observation and motor imagery 在对侧动作观察和运动意象过程中，注意焦点和意象的生动性促进了皮质脊髓的兴奋性

IF 2.9 3区医学

Biological Psychology Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-04-02 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109256

Napat Sriutaisuk, Elizabeth A. Franz

{"title":"Attentional focus and imagery vividness facilitate corticospinal excitability during contralateral action observation and motor imagery","authors":"Napat Sriutaisuk, Elizabeth A. Franz","doi":"10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109256","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109256","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Action Observation (AO) and Motor Imagery (MI) are widely used techniques in motor simulation research and are applied in motor skill learning and rehabilitation. The Dual-Action Simulation Hypothesis (DASH) suggests that AO and MI function independently, while the Visual Guidance Hypothesis (VGH) proposes that AO supports MI, where MI acts as the primary driver of corticospinal excitability (CSE) facilitation. In this study, we examined the individual and interactive effects of AO and MI on CSE facilitation. Furthermore, we examined self-reported perceptions of attentional focus and imagery vividness, potential factors often neglected in this context. Twenty-one right-handed participants received single-pulse Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) while observing hand actions performed with the contralateral or ipsilateral hand while simultaneously imagining the same or the opposite hand movement. This manipulation dissociated laterality (contralateral vs ipsilateral) from action–imagery congruency, yielding congruent pairings (same hand for AO and MI) and coordinative pairings (different hands for AO and MI). Motor-evoked potentials (MEPs) were recorded from the first dorsal interosseous (FDI) muscle contralateral to the stimulated hemisphere and normalised across participants. Results indicated that AO and MI alone did not elicit CSE facilitation. However, individuals reporting greater attentional focus exhibited significantly greater facilitation during contralateral AO. Similarly, reported scores of vivid motor imagery predicted stronger CSE responses during contralateral MI but not ipsilateral. These findings suggest that CSE during concurrent AO and MI may depend less on the specific combination of observed and imagined actions and more on engagement-related factors such as attentional focus and imagery vividness.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55372,"journal":{"name":"Biological Psychology","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 109256"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147605151","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

IF 2.9 3区医学

Biological Psychology Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-03-22 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109245

Joseph Serrano , Stanislau Hrybouski , Nikolai V. Malykhin

{"title":"Stress-related changes in amygdala-prefrontal network functional connectivity","authors":"Joseph Serrano , Stanislau Hrybouski , Nikolai V. Malykhin","doi":"10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109245","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109245","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chronic stress contributes to multiple physical and mental disorders. The regulatory relationship between prefrontal cortex (PFC) executive control regions and the amygdala has been of particular interest in understanding brain response to stress. The main goal of the present study was to investigate changes in amygdala-PFC functional connectivity in healthy individuals without history of psychiatric disorders who experience different levels of chronic stress. Using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging in participants from general population (N = 40), we found that intrinsic functional interactions between the amygdala and prefrontal cortical regions within its network is differentially affected by daily and chronic stress. Furthermore, the impact of stress on the amygdala functional network extends beyond the PFC. Our findings suggest that higher anxiety and increased perceived stress level reduce communication between the amygdala and the dorsolateral prefrontal as well as frontopolar cortices, while depression severity is linked to stronger functional connections between the amygdala, orbitofrontal cortex, and medial PFC. These findings further emphasize the role of the amygdala network in stress response and stress-related disorders.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55372,"journal":{"name":"Biological Psychology","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 109245"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147516778","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Psychophysiological effects of heart rate variability biofeedback versus sham biofeedback: A randomized controlled trial 心率变异性生物反馈与假生物反馈的心理生理效应：一项随机对照试验。

IF 2.9 3区医学

Biological Psychology Pub Date : 2026-04-01 Epub Date: 2026-03-27 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109254

Séphora Minjoz , Rudy Jeanne , Sonia Pellissier , Pascal Hot

{"title":"Psychophysiological effects of heart rate variability biofeedback versus sham biofeedback: A randomized controlled trial","authors":"Séphora Minjoz , Rudy Jeanne , Sonia Pellissier , Pascal Hot","doi":"10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109254","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.biopsycho.2026.109254","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div><strong>Objective:</strong> Heart rate variability biofeedback (HRV-BFB) is a nonpharmacological treatment used to improve both autonomic nervous system (ANS) functioning and mental health. Nevertheless, evidence-based approaches are needed to demonstrate that HRV-BFB effects are over and above the placebo effect. Further evidence of its efficacy during emotional tasks is also required. The aim of our randomized controlled trial was therefore to examine HRV-BFB effects on the psychophysiological states of healthy adults against a valid sham condition. <strong>Method:</strong> Participants (N = 47) underwent three assessments spaced 24 days apart. Psychological states were estimated (affectivity, anxiety, depression, perceived stress, coping, life satisfaction). Aspects of ANS activity (HRV, electrodermal activity) were then recorded at rest, in reactivity during an overload mental task, and in recovery from it. After a 24-day pre-training period, participants were randomly assigned to either the HRV-BFB group (n = 24, <em>M</em><sub><em>age</em></sub> = 35.00, five males) or the sham HRV-BFB group (n = 23, <em>M</em><sub><em>age</em></sub> = 28.00, five males) and had to practice daily for 5 min, three times a day, during a 24-day training period. <strong>Results:</strong> HRV-BFB improved positive affectivity and reduced depression in comparison with sham HRV-BFB, but did not modulate ANS (rest / reactivity / recovery). Exploratory analyses indicated that a higher respiratory-mediated HRV during HRV-BFB practice did not systematically correspond to maximized psychological benefits. <strong>Conclusion:</strong> The effects of HRV-BFB are greater than those of sham HRV-BFB for reducing psychological distress. We discuss potential mechanisms underlying HRV-BFB’s benefits and its relevance as an evidence-based nonpharmacological treatment.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":55372,"journal":{"name":"Biological Psychology","volume":"206 ","pages":"Article 109254"},"PeriodicalIF":2.9,"publicationDate":"2026-04-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"147576616","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0