Object : This study was designed to assess the change of heart rate variability (HRV) during stimulation test among the patients with major depressive disorder. Methods : 15 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) and 15 normal controls were enrolled in this study. We sequentially measured HRV at baseline, during cognitive stimuli and emotional stimuli. Results : There are significant differences between the two groups in HRV index, TINN on baseline state and under cognitive stimulus. Conclusion : Stimulation protocol using HRV can be useful in estimating autonomic nervous function.