Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40071280›Full record

ArticleFrontiers in psychiatry2025

A stochastic model for affect dynamics: methodological insights from heart rate variability in an illustrative case of Anorexia Nervosa.

Francesca Borghesi, Gloria Simoncini, Riccardo Cremascoli, Laura Bianchi, Leonardo Mendolicchio, Simone Cappelli, Federico Brusa, Stefania Cattaldo, Elisa Prina, Alice Chirico and 2 more

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Frontiers in psychiatry, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

12 authors.

Francesca BorghesiDepartment of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Gloria SimonciniDepartment of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Riccardo CremascoliIstituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Unit of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, San Giuseppe Hospital Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
Laura BianchiIstituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Unit of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, San Giuseppe Hospital Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
Leonardo MendolicchioIstituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Experimental Laboratory for Metabolic Neurosciences Research, San Giuseppe Hospital Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
Simone CappelliIstituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Laboratorio di Psicologia, Ospedale S. Giuseppe, Verbania, Italy.
Federico BrusaIstituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Experimental Laboratory for Metabolic Neurosciences Research, San Giuseppe Hospital Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
Stefania CattaldoIstituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Laboratory of Clinical Neurobiology, San Giuseppe Hospital Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
Elisa PrinaDepartment of Neurosciences "Rita Levi Montalcini", University of Turin, Turin, Italy.
Alice ChiricoDepartment of Psychology, Research Center in Communication Psychology, Universitá Cattolica del Sacro Cuore, Milan, Italy.
Alessandro MauroIstituto Auxologico Italiano, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Unit of Neurology and Neurorehabilitation, San Giuseppe Hospital Piancavallo, Verbania, Italy.
Pietro CipressoDepartment of Psychology, University of Turin, Turin, Italy.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

Background: Affect dynamics, or variations in emotional experiences over time, are linked to psychological health and well-being, with moderate emotional variations indicating good psychophysical health. Given the impact of emotional state on cardiac variability, our objective was to develop a quantitative method to measure affect dynamics for better understanding emotion temporal management in Anorexia Nervosa (AN). Methods: The study proposed an experimental and methodological approach to evaluate physiological affect dynamics in clinical settings. It tested affective transitions and temporal changes using emotional images from the International Affective Picture System (IAPS), examining physiological characteristics of a patient with AN. The methodology involved calculating a heart rate variability index, e.g., RMSSD, and using it in a Discrete Time and Discrete Space Markov chain to define, quantify, and predict emotional fluctuations over time. Results: The patient with Anorexia Nervosa showed a high likelihood of transitioning from positive to negative emotional states, particularly at lower arousal levels. The steady state matrix indicated a tendency to remain in highly activated pleasant states, reflecting difficulties in maintaining emotional balance. Conclusions: Employing Markov chains provided a quantitative and insightful approach for examining affect dynamics in a patient with AN. This methodology accurately measures emotional transitions and provides a clear and interpretable framework for clinicians and patients. By leveraging Markovian indexes, mental health professionals may gain a comprehensive understanding of emotional fluctuations' patterns. Moreover, graphical representations of emotional transitions may enhance the clinician-patient dialogue, facilitating a clearer emotional and physiological profile for the implementation of personalized treatment procedures.

Indexed as

affect dynamicsAnorexia Nervosaheart rate variabilityMarkov chainneurosciencepsychometricsstochastic model

Identifiers

PMID40071280
PMCPMC11893548

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Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.