Randomised trial, 2023
Does a smartphone app for heart rate variability biofeedback reduce premenstrual and depressive symptoms?
Yes, the app reduced premenstrual, depressive, and stress symptoms over 4 weeks. However, it did not change the underlying heart rate patterns it was designed to improve.
What they did
Pilot study with 27 participants with above-average premenstrual or depressive symptoms. Some used a smartphone app for heart rate variability biofeedback for 4 weeks; others waited on a waitlist. Researchers measured heart rate variability, attention control, depression, stress/anxiety, and premenstrual symptoms before and after the 4-week period.
What they found
The app group showed improvements in premenstrual symptoms, depressive symptoms, and stress/anxiety symptoms over the 4 weeks. They also improved on executive functioning tests. The waitlist group did not improve. However, the measurement of heart rate variability that the app was designed to train did not actually improve, nor did scores for noticing new information.
What it means for you
The app may help people feel better, but it did not change the underlying heart rhythm patterns it was designed to train. This is a small pilot study, so results need confirmation in larger studies.
27
participants
4 weeks
intervention duration
About the study
- Original title
- Smartphone-based heart rate variability biofeedback training improves premenstrual and depressive symptoms as well as anxiety/stress symptoms and attentional executive control: a pilot study
- Authors
- Berenike Lisa Blaser, Mathias Weymar, Julia Wendt
- Year
- 2023
- Study design
- Randomised trial
- Participants
- 40
- What was tested
- 4-week smartphone heart rate variability biofeedback app
- Open access
- Yes
- Read the paper
- doi.org/10.22541/au.170000973.36600989/v1
Topics
Related studies
Cohort study, 2010
How do anxiety disorders differ across different life stages?
Review, 2003
How do menstrual cycle hormones affect the brain and cause mood disorders like PMDD?
Randomised trial, 2017
Does Sepranolone reduce symptoms of severe premenstrual syndrome (PMDD)?
Randomised trial, 2023
What does research show about PMDD neurochemistry?
Lab study, 2013
Could antidepressants help prevent PMS by keeping brain chemicals stable?
Cohort study, 2022
What are PMS and PMDD and how should they be diagnosed and treated?