Effect of a Motivational Song on the Autonomic Nervous System and the Heart of Indian Male Volunteers

Abstract

This chapter investigates the effect of a motivational song (stimulus) on the physiology of the autonomic nervous system and the electrical activity of the heart. Five min electrocardiogram (ECG) signals were acquired from 19 volunteers during the resting and the post-stimulus conditions. The RR intervals (RRIs) were extracted. Recurrence analysis of the RRI time series indicated a higher alteration (acceleration or deceleration) in the heart rate along with the reduction of the causality and patterned behavior of the RRIs. The exact alteration in the ANS physiology was examined using heart rate variability (HRV) analysis. The results of the HRV analysis suggested an increase in the parasympathetic activity in the post-stimulus condition. The alteration in the cardiac activity was analyzed using time domain and joint time-frequency domain analyses of ECG signals. The results suggested an alteration in the cardiac electrical activity of the heart in the post-stimulus condition.