Title A systematic review of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback treatment following traumatic brain injury (TBI).
Author Talbert, Leah D; Kaelberer, Zoey; Gleave, Emma; Driggs, Annie; Driggs, Ammon S; Steffen, Patrick R; Baldwin, Scott A; Larson, Michael J
Journal Brain Inj Publication Year/Month 2023-Jun
PMID 37138494 PMCID -N/A-
Affiliation + expend 1.Department of Psychology, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, USA.

OBJECTIVE: Autonomic nervous system dysregulation is a common consequence of traumatic brain injury (TBI). Heart rate variability (HRV) is a cost-effective measure of autonomic nervous system functioning, with studies suggesting decreased HRV following moderate-to-severe TBI. HRV biofeedback treatment may improve post-TBI autonomic nervous system functioning and post-injury emotional and cognitive functioning. We provide a systematic evidence-based review of the state of the literature and effectiveness of HRV biofeedback following TBI. METHOD: We followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Two coders coded each article and provided quality ratings. Seven papers met inclusion criteria. All studies included a measure of emotional functioning and 5 studies (63%) included neuropsychological outcomes. RESULTS: Participants completed 11 sessions of HRV biofeedback on average (range = 1 to 40). HRV biofeedback was associated with improved HRV following TBI. There was a positive relationship between increased HRV and TBI recovery following biofeedback, including improvements in cognitive and emotional functioning, and physical symptoms such as headaches, dizziness, and sleep problems. CONCLUSION: The literature on HRV biofeedback for TBI is promising, but in its infancy; effectiveness is unclear due to poor-to-fair study quality, and potential publication bias (all studies reported positive results).

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