Note on Relation of Autonomic Perception to Voluntary Control of Heart Rate

Abstract

Relationships between subscores of the Autonomic Perception Questionnaire and ability to raise and lower heart rate voluntarily were examined in 40 subjects. Subscores which reflected general autonomic awareness in anxiety and pleasure states were not predictive of degree of cardiac control, while the subscore specific to reported awareness of heart functioning during pleasure states only was positively correlated with ability to raise heart rate.