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. 2012:2012:679345.
doi: 10.1155/2012/679345. Epub 2011 Nov 30.

Gender differences in age-related changes in cardiac autonomic nervous function

Shailaja Moodithaya  1 , Sandhya T Avadhany
Affiliations

Gender differences in age-related changes in cardiac autonomic nervous function

Shailaja Moodithaya et al. J Aging Res. 2012.

Abstract

Ageing is associated with changes in cardiac autonomic control as measured by Heart Rate Variability (HRV). Not many studies have explored the influence of gender on age-related changes in cardiac autonomic regulation. This study evaluated the gender differences in age-associated changes in cardiac autonomic nervous activity by assessing HRV using frequency domain analysis of short-term stationary R-R intervals. HRV was studied in healthy males and females ranging in age from 6 to 55 years. Total power and absolute power in High-Frequency (HF) and Low-Frequency (LF) components as well as HF in normalized unit declined significantly with ageing. The HF/LF ratio was significantly higher in the adolescent and adult females compared to male of these age groups. This study suggests that gender differences exist in age-related changes in HRV. The finding that gender differences are limited to adolescent and adult age groups may indicate a role for female sex hormones in cardiac autonomic modulation.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The figure shows that age-related decline of HF nu across four age groups in both males and females as well as gender-related difference in adolescent age group. *Significantly different from children group; #Significantly different from adult group. $Significantly different from males using two-way ANOVA.
Figure 2
Figure 2
The figure shows ratio of HF to LF ratio across four age groups in males and females. It depicts the age-related decline in HF/LF ratio in males and females. Females have significantly higher HF/LF ratio as compared to males in the adolescent and adult groups. In the two extreme of ages the ratio is almost similar; *significantly different from children group; #significantly different from adult group; $Significantly different from males of similar age group using two-way ANOVA.
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