Understanding how central oxytocin enhances cardiorespiratory coupling – OT-CardioResp

When stressed, taking deep breaths is a universal relaxation technique that slows heart rate. Indeed, the respiratory and cardiac functions are coupled: heart rate increases during inspiration and decreases during expiration, a phenomenon called respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Enhanced RSA is physiologically and psychologically beneficial, while decreased RSA is linked to cardiovascular and neurodevelopmental disorders. The neuromodulator oxytocin, which promotes physiological and psychological traits that are beneficial for individual’s health, enhances RSA in humans. Our aim is to understand the mechanism(s) by which OT enhances RSA.