Heart-Brain Interactions in Depression: Insights from HRV and Neurocognitive Correlates
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Keywords
Major Depressive Disorder, Heart Rate Variability , Cognitive Dysfunction , HAM-D, Autonomic Nervous System, P300 Latency, MoCA , MMSE, Depression Severity, Psychophysiology
Abstract
This commentary addresses the recent study by Sharma et al., which investigates the relationship between depression severity, cognitive function, and heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with Major Depressive Disorder (MDD). The authors are commended for their integrative approach combining psychometric, neurophysiological, and autonomic markers. While the study provides valuable insights into the multidimensional nature of MDD, including the inverse associations between HAM-D scores and cognitive/HRV parameters, several methodological considerations—such as the cross-sectional design, limited generalizability, and underexplored confounding variables—are discussed. Emphasis is placed on the need for longitudinal and inclusive models that better reflect the complex heart–brain interactions in depressive illness.
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