CARDIO RHYTHMS, OSTEO RHYTHMS AND POLYVAGAL THEORY

It is rather disconcerting to point out the similarity between the study of the rhythms of the cardiovascular system, the rhythms perceived by the osteopaths and the three centers developed in the polyvagal theory (ref P1, P2, P3).

The correspondence between the cardiac waves (ULF, LF and HF) and the “sacro-cranial” waves appears so much obvious in our experimentation (on the CRI and the MID-TIDE), and in some other authors concerning the CRI (ref O1, O2, O3, O4).

We are tempted to see a correlation with the polyvagal theory for several reasons:

• The LF band could be well in relation to the NA command center since it seems shown that LF is purely associated with the parasympathetic system;
• The VLF band , considering his low frequency, could well be in relation to the nucleus DMNX which is an ancestral system with slow speed of influx transmission;
• It seems that the transmission speed of information is done in an increasing way according to the evolution of our autonomous nervous system and could thus induce higher waves of frequency on the most advanced control devices.
  

S. PORGES agrees that the slower rhythms sequentially move down through phylogeny. However he says: "the slower waves (anything slower than slow breathing) are less well organized because they are transduced through umyelinated pathways, so there may be a tendency to over interpret these rhythms and think there are many when they may be the manifestation of a common or perhaps single process".