Abstract: Objective To evaluate whether measures of resting HR and HRV performed during early poststroke phase were associated with early-phase measures of depression and cognition. Method The study included 80 consecutive hospitalized patients (from May 2014 to May 2017) as subjects. Early-phase evaluations (resting HR, depression, cognition) and reassessment of depression and cognition were performed during hospitalization (2-7 days after stroke) and 3 months later. The linear regression model was used to analyze whether whether early-phase measures of HR and HRV were associated with, or predicted, early and chronic phase measures of depression and cognition. Result After adjusting for age, gender, NIHSS and lesion volume at admission, HADS scores at early phase were significantly associated with mHR, Ln (RMSSD), and Ln (LF) (P<0.05); SADQ-10 scores was significantly correlated with Ln (RMSSD) and Ln (HF) (P<0.05); VASDepression score was significantly correlated with mHR, Ln (RMSSD), Ln (HF) and Ln (LF/HF) (P<0.05); the global z-score of depression were significantly correlated with mHR, Ln(RMSSD), Ln(LF), Ln(HF), and Ln(LF/HF) (P<0.05); there was no significant correlation between MoCA score and any HR parameters. At 3 months follow-up, BDI-II score was significantly correlated with Ln(LF) (P<0.05); MoCA score was significantly correlated with mHR, Ln(RMSSD), Ln(LF) and Ln(HF) (P<0.05). Conclusion This study suggest that higher mHR, lower HRV, and higher sympathovagal balance in early poststroke phase could be markers of higher vulnerability to develop poststroke depression but also cognitive impairment.