Relationship between autonomic nervous function and brain functions such as memory and attention

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the relationship between autonomic nervous function (ANF) and cognitive abilities, such as memory and attention, using the Kana pick-out test (KPT). The participants were 11 female college students aged 21 years old. Each participant completed the KPT ten times, during which their ANF was assessed via heart rate variability analysis. During the KPT, participants circled Japanese vowels in a 400-character story written in hiragana. We measured attention using the KPT score and assessed memory using a memory score based on ten descriptive questions about the story. Statistical analysis revealed a significant positive correlation between higher KPT and memory scores, indicating a link between memory and attention. The parasympathetic sinus modulation marker, high-frequency component power (HF), decreased during the kana-picking task (Interval B) and recovered during the subsequent content verification task (Interval C). In Interval A (before the kana-picking task), the HF showed a positive correlation with both the KPT and memory scores. Additionally, a positive correlation was observed between HF and memory scores during interval B. Other autonomic nervous indices, including low-frequency component power (LF), total power (TP), and LF/HF ratio, also showed significant correlations with KPT and memory scores. Our findings strongly suggest that ANF is intricately connected to cognitive functions, such as memory and attention. This indicates that monitoring ANF could provide a novel methodology for assessing learning and occupational efficiency.