Major depressive disorder and generalized anxiety disorder show different autonomic dysregulations revealed by heart‐rate variability analysis in first‐onset drug‐naïve patients without comorbidity

Abstract

The results indicate that baseline autonomic activity and its reactivity to behavioral changes are different between MDD and GAD in the early stage of illness. High parasympathetic tone in GAD may reflect responses of the parasympathetic system to anxiety. MDD is accompanied by an autonomic shift toward sympathetic activation and a reduced reactivity to task.