Polyvagal TheoryEvidence & Dosage
Popular but scientifically contested — strengths and weaknesses.
Evidence at a glance
- Total studies
- 49
- With abstract
- 48
- Meta / Systematic / RCT
- 0
- Highly cited
- 9
- Publication years
- 2000–2026
Polyvagal Theory in the context of Mental
This topic is part of our "Mental" world. There you'll find methodology, evidence and the highest-impact levers — plus the order in which they sensibly build on each other.
Go to MentalTop studies on Polyvagal Theory
Ranked by influential-citation count and publication year.
Vagal tone, development, and Gray's motivational theory: toward an integrated model of autonomic nervous system functioning in psychopathology.
Development and psychopathology2001200 influential citationsIn the last decade, cardiac vagal tone has emerged as a psychophysiological marker of many aspects of behavioral functioning in both children and adults. Research efforts during this time have produced an extensive list of vagal tone…
Upward spirals of positive emotions counter downward spirals of negativity: insights from the broaden-and-build theory and affective neuroscience on the treatment of emotion dysfunctions and deficits in psychopathology.
Clinical psychology review2010164 influential citationsThis review integrates Fredrickson's broaden-and-build theory of positive emotions with advances in affective neuroscience regarding plasticity in the neural circuitry of emotions to inform the treatment of emotion deficits within…
Applying the polyvagal theory to children's emotion regulation: Social context, socialization, and adjustment.
Biological psychology200869 influential citationsEffective emotion regulation is essential for children's positive development. Polyvagal theory provides a framework for understanding how parasympathetic regulation of cardiac activity contributes to children's adaptive versus maladaptive…
Polyvagal Theory: Current Status, Clinical Applications, and Future Directions.
Clinical neuropsychiatry202553 influential citationsPolyvagal Theory proposes an evolutionarily informed neurophysiological framework for understanding how the autonomic nervous system supports social engagement, emotional resilience, and adaptive physiological responses. At its core, the…
Borderline personality disorder and emotion regulation: insights from the Polyvagal Theory.
Brain and cognition200737 influential citationsThe current study provides the first published evidence that the parasympathetic component of the autonomic nervous system differentiates the response profiles between individuals diagnosed with borderline personality disorder (BPD) and…
Harnessing non‑invasive vagal neuromodulation: HRV biofeedback and SSP for cardiovascular and autonomic regulation (Review).
Med Int (Lond)2025n=2,501Review28 influential citationsThe autonomic nervous system plays a central role in maintaining physiological homeostasis, with the vagus nerve as a crucial component. Heart rate variability (HRV) is a non-invasive biomarker of vagal tone and autonomic flexibility. A…
Disorders of gut-brain interaction through the lens of polyvagal theory.
Neurogastroenterology and motility202524 influential citationsThis paper introduces a metric capable of tracking a hypothetical brainstem "switching" mechanism involved in regulating the afferent influence of blood pressure on the vagal efferent control of heart rate. In theory, this metric could be…
Polyvagal theory: a journey from physiological observation to neural innervation and clinical insight.
Frontiers in behavioral neuroscience202524 influential citationsPolyvagal theory (PVT) offers an integrative model of autonomic regulation that accounts for the evolution, neuroanatomy, and functional organization of the vagus nerve in relation to behavioral and emotional processes. This article…
A Systematic Review of a Polyvagal Perspective on Embodied Contemplative Practices as Promoters of Cardiorespiratory Coupling and Traumatic Stress Recovery for PTSD and OCD: Research Methodologies and State of the Art.
International journal of environmental research and public health202116 influential citationsBaseline respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA) has been proposed as a transdiagnostic biomarker of stress vulnerability across psychopathologies, and a reliable association between PTSD, OCD and lower resting RSA was found. Contemplative…
An in-depth analysis of the polyvagal theory in light of current findings in neuroscience and clinical research.
Dev Psychobiol2024Review2 influential citationsThe polyvagal theory has led to the understanding of the functions of the autonomic nervous system in biological development in humans, since the vagal system, a key structure within the polyvagal theory, plays a significant role in…
Frequently asked
Which population does the evidence apply to?
Are there safety considerations for Polyvagal Theory?
More topics in Mental
5-HTP
Serotonin precursor, mood, and Carbidopa safety.
Anxiety
Acute anxiety vs. an anxiety disorder, the neurobiology, interventions.
Ashwagandha (Stress)
Adaptogen — cortisol lowering, sleep, anxiety reduction.
Breathwork
Box breathing, 4-7-8, Wim Hof, pranayama — autonomic regulation.
Burnout Early Signs
Exhaustion, cynicism, dropping performance — spotting it before the crash.
Caffeine & Anxiety
Adenosine antagonism, individual sensitivity, cut-off strategies.
CBT
Cognitive behavioral therapy — the gold standard for anxiety and depression.
Co-Regulation
Nervous-system regulation within relationship — attachment, therapy, parent-child.
Cold Exposure (Mood)
Norepinephrine, depression, and mood effects of cold.
Depression
Symptoms, the monoamine hypothesis, lifestyle interventions, professional help.
Depth Psychology
Psychodynamic therapy, transference, long-term change.
Doomscrolling
Algorithm-driven negative info consumption — mood effects, limits.
EMDR / Trauma Therapy
PTSD, eye movements, and study effectiveness.
Exercise as Antidepressant
Aerobic exercise — efficacy comparable to SSRIs in mild depression.
Fight/Flight/Freeze
Stress-response patterns, somatic manifestation, regulation.
Glucose & Mood
Glucose swings, reactive hypoglycemia, mood stability.
Gut-Brain Axis
Vagus nerve, short-chain fatty acids, the microbiome's influence on mood.
Journaling (Mental)
Expressive writing, gratitude — reducing stress, anxiety and depression.
L-Tryptophan
Serotonin/Melatonin, amino‑acid competition and outcomes.
Lavender
Silexan studies, oral and olfactory — anxiolysis with a good safety profile.
Related topics from other worlds
Antihistamines
Diphenhydramine, doxylamine — sleep fragmentation, anticholinergic dementia risks.
Blue Light Filter
f.lux, Night Shift, glasses — the evidence and the marketing hype.
Deep Sleep
N3 slow-wave sleep — physical recovery, GH release.
L-Theanine for Sleep
Alpha waves, isolated without caffeine for sleep use.
Restless Legs
Iron, the dopamine hypothesis, lifestyle factors.
Sleep Position
Side, back, stomach — implications for airways, reflux, neck.