Cortical thickness and resting‐state cardiac function across the lifespan: A cross‐sectional pooled mega‐analysis
Authors: Koenig Julian , Abler Birgit , Agartz Ingrid , Åkerstedt Torbjörn , Andreassen Ole A. , Anthony Mia , Bär Karl‐Jürgen , Bertsch Katja , Brown Rebecca C. , Brunner Romuald , Carnevali Luca , Critchley Hugo D. , Cullen Kathryn R. , de Geus Eco J. C. , de la Cruz Feliberto , Dziobek Isabel , Ferger Marc D. , Fischer Håkan , Flor Herta , Gaebler Michael , Gianaros Peter J , Giummarra Melita J. , Greening Steven G. , Guendelman Simon , Heathers James A. J. , Herpertz Sabine C. , Hu Mandy X. , Jentschke Sebastian , Kaess Michael , Kaufmann Tobias , Klimes‐Dougan Bonnie , Koelsch Stefan , Krauch Marlene , Kumral Deniz , Lamers Femke , Lee Tae‐Ho , Lekander Mats , Lin Feng , Lotze Martin , Makovac Elena , Mancini Matteo , Mancke Falk , Månsson Kristoffer N. T. , Manuck Stephen B. , Mather Mara , Meeten Frances , Min Jungwon , Mueller Bryon , Muench Vera , Nees Frauke , Nga Lin , Nilsonne Gustav , Ordonez Acuna Daniela , Osnes Berge , Ottaviani Cristina , Penninx Brenda W. J. H. , Ponzio Allison , Poudel Govinda R. , Reinelt Janis , Ren Ping , Sakaki Michiko , Schumann Andy , Sørensen Lin , Specht Karsten , Straub Joana , Tamm Sandra , Thai Michelle , Thayer Julian F. , Ubani Benjamin , van der Mee Denise J. , van Velzen Laura S. , Ventura‐Bort Carlos , Villringer Arno , Watson David R. , Wei Luqing , Wendt Julia , Schreiner Melinda Westlund , Westlye Lars T. , Weymar Mathias , Winkelmann Tobias , Wu Guo‐Rong , Yoo Hyun Joo , Quintana Daniel S. 
Published: October 2020

Understanding the association between autonomic nervous system [ANS] function and brain morphology across the lifespan provides important insights into neurovisceral mechanisms underlying health and disease. Resting‐state ANS activity, indexed by measures of heart rate [HR] and its variability [HRV] has been associated with brain morphology, particularly cortical thickness [CT]. While findings have been mixed regarding the anatomical distribution and direction of the associations, these inconsistencies may be due to sex and age differences in HR/HRV and CT. Previous studies have been limited by small sample sizes, which impede the assessment of sex differences and aging effects on the association between ANS function and CT. To overcome these limitations, 20 groups worldwide contributed data collected under similar protocols of CT assessment and HR/HRV recording to be pooled in a mega‐analysis (N = 1,218 (50.5% female), mean age 36.7 years (range: 12–87)). Findings suggest a decline in HRV as well as CT with increasing age. CT, particularly in the orbitofrontal cortex, explained additional variance in HRV, beyond the effects of aging. This pattern of results may suggest that the decline in HRV with increasing age is related to a decline in orbitofrontal CT. These effects were independent of sex and specific to HRV; with no significant association between CT and HR. Greater CT across the adult lifespan may be vital for the maintenance of healthy cardiac regulation via the ANS—or greater cardiac vagal activity as indirectly reflected in HRV may slow brain atrophy. Findings reveal an important association between CT and cardiac parasympathetic activity with implications for healthy aging and longevity that should be studied further in longitudinal research.