Pure purr virtual reality technology: measuring heart rate variability and anxiety levels in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stress
Introduction Traditional approaches to stress management are difficult to learn and to implicate in daily life. Emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR) have become a target of extensive study for recreational and medical purposes. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a crucial role in st...
| Main Authors: | , , , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Termedia Publishing House
2020-02-01
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| Series: | Archives of Medical Science |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.archivesofmedicalscience.com/Pure-purr-virtual-reality-technology-measuring-heart-rate-variability-and-anxiety,113103,0,2.html |
| _version_ | 1811203216155607040 |
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| author | Sam Aganov Eugene Nayshtetik Vasyl Nagibin Yuriy Lebed |
| author_facet | Sam Aganov Eugene Nayshtetik Vasyl Nagibin Yuriy Lebed |
| author_sort | Sam Aganov |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Introduction
Traditional approaches to stress management are difficult to learn and to implicate in daily life. Emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR) have become a target of extensive study for recreational and medical purposes. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a crucial role in stress response, post-stress relaxation, and recovery. This study aimed to assess the effect of modified VR intervention on short-term heart rate variability (HRV) and perceived anxiety levels in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stress. The stressors included mental arithmetic tasks.
Material and Methods
The study involved healthy adults, of both sexes, aged 20 to 60 years, without history of cardiovascular diseases, essential abnormalities on ECG, and with normal or moderate level of situational anxiety. The VR gadgets used in the study were commercially available BoboVR X1 headsets, one with modification for medical applications (Pure Purr technology) and one with none (sham technology). The investigational (Pure Purr) headset with an audio-visual sequence was modified by adding a binaural effect and was synchronised with the tract of respiratory movements and the frequency of heart rate. To track changes in the ANS, participants underwent both electrocardiography (ECG) and measurement of HRV.
Results
The findings showed a significant increase in parasympathetic activity after 5-minute exposure to the investigational device compared to stress, as shown by high-frequency HRV (499.8 ms2 and 340.5 ms2, p < 0.001). RMSSD for a modified headset was higher (p = 0.02) compared to a sham headset with no modifications (RMSSD difference of 12.3% (2.6% to 23.1%)). The LF/HF ratio, however, was lower (difference of 14.5% (2.6% to 23.1%), p = 0.04).
Conclusions
These findings suggest that a medical device with pre-installed Pure Purr software had a significant effect on the recovery of the ANS in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stress. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:52:03Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-9f57934870d040e1a2f920eb9518a38b |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1734-1922 1896-9151 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T02:52:03Z |
| publishDate | 2020-02-01 |
| publisher | Termedia Publishing House |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Archives of Medical Science |
| spelling | doaj.art-9f57934870d040e1a2f920eb9518a38b2022-12-22T03:50:57ZengTermedia Publishing HouseArchives of Medical Science1734-19221896-91512020-02-0118233634310.5114/aoms.2020.93239113103Pure purr virtual reality technology: measuring heart rate variability and anxiety levels in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stressSam Aganov0Eugene Nayshtetik1Vasyl Nagibin2Yuriy Lebed3Doctor Sam Medical Network, UkrainePlanexta, California, USABogomoletz Institute of Physiology, National Academy of Sciences (NAS) of Ukraine, UkrainePharmaxi LLC, UkraineIntroduction Traditional approaches to stress management are difficult to learn and to implicate in daily life. Emerging technologies like virtual reality (VR) have become a target of extensive study for recreational and medical purposes. The autonomic nervous system (ANS) plays a crucial role in stress response, post-stress relaxation, and recovery. This study aimed to assess the effect of modified VR intervention on short-term heart rate variability (HRV) and perceived anxiety levels in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stress. The stressors included mental arithmetic tasks. Material and Methods The study involved healthy adults, of both sexes, aged 20 to 60 years, without history of cardiovascular diseases, essential abnormalities on ECG, and with normal or moderate level of situational anxiety. The VR gadgets used in the study were commercially available BoboVR X1 headsets, one with modification for medical applications (Pure Purr technology) and one with none (sham technology). The investigational (Pure Purr) headset with an audio-visual sequence was modified by adding a binaural effect and was synchronised with the tract of respiratory movements and the frequency of heart rate. To track changes in the ANS, participants underwent both electrocardiography (ECG) and measurement of HRV. Results The findings showed a significant increase in parasympathetic activity after 5-minute exposure to the investigational device compared to stress, as shown by high-frequency HRV (499.8 ms2 and 340.5 ms2, p < 0.001). RMSSD for a modified headset was higher (p = 0.02) compared to a sham headset with no modifications (RMSSD difference of 12.3% (2.6% to 23.1%)). The LF/HF ratio, however, was lower (difference of 14.5% (2.6% to 23.1%), p = 0.04). Conclusions These findings suggest that a medical device with pre-installed Pure Purr software had a significant effect on the recovery of the ANS in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stress.https://www.archivesofmedicalscience.com/Pure-purr-virtual-reality-technology-measuring-heart-rate-variability-and-anxiety,113103,0,2.htmlvirtual realitystressheart rate variabilityparasympathetic neurostimulation |
| spellingShingle | Sam Aganov Eugene Nayshtetik Vasyl Nagibin Yuriy Lebed Pure purr virtual reality technology: measuring heart rate variability and anxiety levels in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stress Archives of Medical Science virtual reality stress heart rate variability parasympathetic neurostimulation |
| title | Pure purr virtual reality technology: measuring heart rate variability and anxiety levels in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stress |
| title_full | Pure purr virtual reality technology: measuring heart rate variability and anxiety levels in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stress |
| title_fullStr | Pure purr virtual reality technology: measuring heart rate variability and anxiety levels in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stress |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pure purr virtual reality technology: measuring heart rate variability and anxiety levels in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stress |
| title_short | Pure purr virtual reality technology: measuring heart rate variability and anxiety levels in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stress |
| title_sort | pure purr virtual reality technology measuring heart rate variability and anxiety levels in healthy volunteers affected by moderate stress |
| topic | virtual reality stress heart rate variability parasympathetic neurostimulation |
| url | https://www.archivesofmedicalscience.com/Pure-purr-virtual-reality-technology-measuring-heart-rate-variability-and-anxiety,113103,0,2.html |
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