A study on autonomic nervous function under fasting therapy

The function of the autonomic nervous system under fasting therapy (FT) was studied in comparison with control subjects. Sympathetic and parasympathetic modulations were inferred from the powers of the low frequency (LF)/high frequency (HF) spectral component ratio (L/H), and HF spectral component respectively. P-P interval variability from plethysmograph of each subject was measured at first. These components were successively computerized by fast Fourier transform (FFT), one of power spectral analysis. And the relation among autonomic function, mood states, and self-efficacy was also investigated. The results were as follows: 1) There were no significant changes of autonomic modulations under FT. It was assumed this was due to various diagnoses of subjects and various psychosomatic responses under FT. 2) In mental fatigue cases, sympathetic modulation was significantly activated in the mid-stage of fasting phase and diminished to the baseline level at the end-stage of recovery phase. In contrast, less mental fatigue cases showed no significant changes of sympathetic modulation. Mental fatigue level, therefore, influenced autonomic function under FT. 3) There was no significant change of autonomic modulation under FT between the differences of symptomatic improvement after FT.