HRV mediates the relationship between isthmus cingulate thickness and inhibitory control

Abstract

The cingulate cortex (CC) is at the centre of networks such as the default mode network, salience network, and the dorsal attention networks that are implicated in cognitive ageing. Lower heart rate variability has also been linked to ageing and cognitive decline. High frequency heart rate variability (HF-HRV) has been shown to be correlated with the thickness and volume of the CC, particularly in the right hemisphere. The Neurovisceral Integration Model proposes that the capacity of neural structures in regulating cognitive functions, such as executive control, can be indexed via HRV. Therefore, we hypothesise that HRV mediates the relationship between the CC and measures of executive functions across different age groups.