Effect of Horizontal Eye Movements on the Heart Rate Variability after Exposure to a Fear-Inducing Film Clip

공포 영화 장면 노출 후 수평적 안구 운동이 심박수 변이도에 미치는 영향

  • Lee, Haewon (Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine and Institute of Mental Health, Hanyang University) ;
  • Yum, Myung-Kul (Department of Pediatric Cardiology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University) ;
  • Kim, Seok Hyeon (Department of Neuropsychiatry, College of Medicine and Institute of Mental Health, Hanyang University) ;
  • Lee, Yun Jeong (Department of Ophthalmology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University) ;
  • Kim, Daeho (Department of Pediatric Cardiology, College of Medicine, Hanyang University)
  • 이해원 (한양대학교 의과대학 신경정신과학교실 및 정신건강연구소) ;
  • 염명걸 (한양대학교 의과대학 소아과학교실 소아심장학과) ;
  • 김석현 (한양대학교 의과대학 신경정신과학교실 및 정신건강연구소) ;
  • 이윤정 (한양대학교 의과대학 안과학교실) ;
  • 김대호 (한양대학교 의과대학 소아과학교실 소아심장학과)
  • Published : 2008.02.29

Abstract

Objectives : There has been a continued debate regarding the role of eye movements in Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing(EMDR). This study examined the possible autonomic effect of horizontal eye movements after being exposed to fearful stimuli. Methods : Fifty two healthy adult women were randomly allocated to eye movement or eye fixed groups after watching a five minute fear-inducing film clip. ECG was recorded during the resting state, after watching the clip, and the treatment. A spectral power analysis of the heart rate variability was performed. As the variables violated the rule of normal distribution and the number in each group is small the non-parametric test was used. Results : Overall, we did not find the differences between the groups in both time and frequency domains. Some minor differences found were not consistent with results from previous studies. Conclusions : Effect of eye movement on autonomic nervous system during fear desensitization was not supported in this experiment. Further study with other psychophysiological measures is needed to understand the role of eye movements in treatment of traumatic memory.

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