Effects of Physical Conditioning on Cardiac Autonomic Function in Healthy Middle-Aged Women

2002 ◽  
Vol 27 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paula R. Myslivecek ◽  
C. Ann Brown ◽  
Larry A. Wolfe

The purpose of this study was to determine whether moderate exercise training affects heart rate variability (HRV) and spontaneous baroreflex (SBR) function in healthy middle-aged women. Thirty-two sedentary women aged 40-59 yr were divided into four groups depending on reproductive state (premenopausal, PrM or postmenopausal, PoM, and training group (exercise or sedentary control group). The electrocardiographic R-R interval and systolic blood pressure (finger plethysmograph) were measured at rest during paced breathing at 16 breaths/min in the left lateral decubitus, sitting, and free standing postures, and during upright cycling at 40% maximal heart rate reserve (MHRR). After initial testing, the exercise groups underwent a 12 week walking program. After training, both exercise groups (PrM and PoM) had a longer R-R interval in all conditions, a higher SBR slope in the sitting and standing posture and lower sympathetic modulation in the standing posture, than the control groups and pre-training levels. During exercise, vagal modulation was higher and sympathetic modulation was lower in both exercise groups compared to pretraining values. Vagal modulation is increased following moderate intensity aerobic conditioning in middle-aged women. Key words: heart rate variability, spontaneous baroreflex function, exercise

2003 ◽  
Vol 81 (9) ◽  
pp. 894-902 ◽  
Author(s):  
C Ann Brown ◽  
Larry A Wolfe ◽  
Sylvia Hains ◽  
Glorianne Ropchan ◽  
Joel Parlow

The effects of coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery on spontaneous baroreflex (SBR) sensitivity and heart rate variability were examined in 11 women and 23 men preoperatively and 5 days postoperatively. Electrocardiograph R–R interval and beat-by-beat arterial blood pressure data were collected continuously for 20 min in the supine and standing postures. Coarse graining spectral analysis was performed on the heart rate variability data. Spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity declined after surgery with a differential influence of gender. Men showed a decrease in SBR slope following surgery, with a greater decrease in the standing posture; the parasympathetic (PNS) indicator was lower postoperatively and in the standing posture; the reduction in low-frequency (LF) power was greater for the younger men. In women, the PNS indicator was lower in the standing posture. Both men and women showed a decrease in high-frequency power following CABG surgery, which decreased the sensitivity of the short-term cardiac control mechanisms that modulate heart rate, with the greater effects occurring in men. The reduction in SBR sensitivity indicates that the ability of the cardiovascular system to respond rapidly to changing stimuli was compromised. The decline in the PNS indicator implies that patients were vulnerable to the risks of myocardial ischemia, sympathetically mediated cardiac dysrhythmias, and sudden cardiac death.Key words: spectral analysis, spontaneous baroreflex sensitivity, CABG surgery, gender, age, posture.


Author(s):  
Laura Zlibinaite ◽  
Albertas Skurvydas ◽  
Sandra Kilikeviciene ◽  
Rima Solianik

Background: The effect of globally recommended levels of physical activity on cognition and motor behavior is not completely understood. Therefore, the main aim of this study was to assess the effect of 300 minutes per week of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise on cognitive and motor performance among overweight and obese working-age women. Methods: Overweight and obese participants aged 38–56 years were randomized to either a control or an experimental group performing aerobic exercise at 50% to 60% of the peak oxygen consumption for a 2-month period. Changes in aerobic fitness, cardiac autonomic function, brain-derived neurotropic factor levels, and cognitive and motor performance were assessed. Results: Although aerobic exercise reduced body weight (P < .05) and improved peak oxygen consumption (P < .05), the brain-derived neurotropic factor levels and cognitive and motor performance remained unchanged. Heart rate and blood pressure decreased (P < .05), whereas heart rate variability indices were not affected. No significant correlations between changes in heart rate variability indices and cognition were observed. Conclusions: Two months of moderate-intensity aerobic exercise decreased sympathetic activity and improved cardiovascular fitness but had no impact on cognition or motor control among these middle-aged, overweight, and obese women.


2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (17) ◽  
pp. 4028
Author(s):  
Gavin Brupbacher ◽  
Thea Zander-Schellenberg ◽  
Doris Straus ◽  
Hildburg Porschke ◽  
Denis Infanger ◽  
...  

Unipolar depression is associated with insomnia and autonomic arousal. The aim of this study was to quantify the effect of a single bout of aerobic exercise on nocturnal heart rate variability and pre-sleep arousal in patients with depression. This study was designed as a two-arm, parallel-group, randomized, outcome assessor-blinded, controlled, superiority trial. Patients with a primary diagnosis of unipolar depression aged 18–65 years were included. The intervention consisted of a single 30 min moderate-intensity aerobic exercise bout. The control group sat and read for 30 min. The primary outcome of interest was RMSSD during the sleep period assessed with polysomnography. Secondary outcomes were additional heart rate variability outcomes during the sleep and pre-sleep period as well as subjective pre-sleep arousal. A total of 92 patients were randomized to either the exercise (N = 46) or the control (N = 46) group. Intent-to-treat analysis ANCOVA of follow-up sleep period RMSSD, adjusted for baseline levels and minimization factors, did not detect a significant effect of the allocation (β = 0.12, p = 0.94). There was no evidence for significant differences between both groups in any other heart rate variability measure nor in measures of cognitive or somatic pre-sleep arousal. As this is the first trial of its kind in this population, the findings need to be confirmed in further studies. Patients with depression should be encouraged to exercise regularly in order to profit from the known benefits on sleep and depressive symptoms, which are supported by extensive literature.


2003 ◽  
Vol 28 (3) ◽  
pp. 446-461 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anthony S. Leicht ◽  
Graham D. Allen ◽  
Andrew J. Hoey

The purpose of this study was to examine the influence of age and moderate-intensity exercise training on heart rate variability (HRV), and to elucidate further the mechanism of training-induced bradycardia and cardioprotection. Electrocardiograms were recorded from 12 young (18-24 yrs) and 12 mature (29-43 yrs) individuals during supine rest and submaximal moderate exercise. Recordings were obtained prior to, midway, and following 16 weeks of aerobic exercise training designed to improve cardiorespiratory fitness and health. Training resulted in augmented estimated [Formula: see text] and bradycardia during rest and submaximal exercise. Total and low frequency components of HRV during exercise were significantly increased for the mature subjects following training whereas other measures of HRV were not significantly changed for either group. It was concluded that training of moderate intensity was insufficient to induce changes in the autonomic control of heart rate for young to mature subjects. The lack of significant HRV changes may suggest the existence of a vagal critical point, below which training-induced increases in vagal modulation may be forthcoming, and above which changes in vagal modulation may be negligible. Training-induced bradycardia and the cardioprotective effect of regular aerobic exercise may result from factors other than an increased vagal modulation. Key words: physical activity, ageing, autonomic nervous system, bradycardia, spectral analysis


1994 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 293-303 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert A. Swoap ◽  
Nancy Norvell ◽  
James E. Graves ◽  
Michael L. Pollock

This study examined the psychological and physiological effects of a 26-week aerobic exercise program on a sample of sedentary older men (n= 26) and women (n= 23). Subjects were randomly assigned to either a high intensity exercise group (80−85% of maximal heart rate reserve), a moderate intensity exercise group (65−70% of maximal heart rate reserve), or a no-exercise control group. Results indicated that subjects in the high intensity exercise group exhibited significant increases in aerobic capacity compared to the moderate intensity group. Both exercising groups improved aerobic capacity and had significant decreases in body weight compared to the control group. Exercising subjects also reported significantly fewer symptoms of depression at the end of the program, but not fewer than the control group. Overall, increases in VO2max were associated with decreases in depression.


Author(s):  
Oriol Abellán-Aynés ◽  
Pedro Manonelles ◽  
Fernando Alacid

(1) Background: Research on heart rate variability has increased in recent years and the temperature has not been controlled in some studies assessing repeated measurements. This study aimed to analyze how heart rate variability may change based on environmental temperature during measurement depending on parasympathetic and sympathetic activity variations. (2) Methods: A total of 22 volunteers participated in this study divided into an experimental (n = 12) and control group (n = 10). Each participant was assessed randomly under two different environmental conditions for the experimental group (19 °C and 35 °C) and two identical environmental conditions for the control group (19 °C). During the procedure, heart rate variability measurements were carried out for 10 min. (3) Results: Significantly changes were observed for time and frequency domains as well as Poincaré plot variables after heat exposure (p < 0.05). These findings were not observed in the control group, whose conditions between measurements did not change. (4) Conclusions: The reduction of heart rate variability due to exposure to hot conditions appears to be produced mostly by a parasympathetic withdrawal rather than a sympathetic activation. Therefore, if consecutive measurements have to be carried out, these should always be done under the same temperature conditions.


2009 ◽  
Vol 46 (3) ◽  
pp. 466-472 ◽  
Author(s):  
Serina A. Neumann ◽  
Whittemore G. Tingley ◽  
Bruce R. Conklin ◽  
Catherine J. Shrader ◽  
Eloise Peet ◽  
...  

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-19 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joanne W. Y. Chung ◽  
Vincent C. M. Yan ◽  
Hongwei Zhang

Aim.To summarize all relevant trials and critically evaluate the effect of acupuncture on heart rate variability (HRV).Method.This was a systematic review with meta-analysis. Keyword search was conducted in 7 databases for randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Data extraction and risk of bias were done.Results.Fourteen included studies showed a decreasing effect of acupuncture on low frequency (LF) and low frequency to high frequency ratio (LF/HF ratio) of HRV for nonhealthy subjects and on normalized low frequency (LF norm) for healthy subjects. The overall effect was in favour of the sham/control group for high frequency (HF) in nonhealthy subjects and for normalized high frequency (HF norm) in healthy subjects. Significant decreasing effect on HF and LF/HF ratio of HRV when acupuncture was performed on ST36 among healthy subjects and PC6 among both healthy and nonhealthy subjects, respectively.Discussion.This study partially supports the possible effect of acupuncture in modulating the LF of HRV in both healthy and nonhealthy subjects, while previous review reported that acupuncture did not have any convincing effect on HRV in healthy subjects. More published work is needed in this area to determine if HRV can be an indicator of the therapeutic effect of acupuncture.


2003 ◽  
Vol 146 (2) ◽  
pp. 344 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anouk Geelen ◽  
Peter L Zock ◽  
Cees A Swenne ◽  
Ingeborg A Brouwer ◽  
Evert G Schouten ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 ◽  
Author(s):  
Samara Sousa Vasconcelos Gouveia ◽  
Guilherme Pertinni de Morais Gouveia ◽  
Leydnaya Maria Souza ◽  
Bruno Cunha da Costa ◽  
Gustavo Henrique Melo Sousa ◽  
...  

Purpose: This study aimed to analyze the effect of a Pilates protocol on respiratory muscle strength and heart rate variability (HRV) in patients with type 2 diabetes. Method: A randomized clinical trial (RBR-2gc2qj) was conducted with a type 2 diabetic target population. Patients practiced the Pilates protocol for 8 weeks, with two visits per week. The variables tested were maximum inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), and HRV (time and frequency domains). All variables were tested for normal distribution. Using SPSS 21.0, analysis of variance was performed for variables with normal distribution, and the Wilcoxon and Friedman tests were used for variables that did not show a normal distribution, with a 5% significance level. Results: Forty-four participants were included in the study (intervention group: 22; control group: 22; mean age: 61.23 ± 8.49 years), most of whom were female (77.3%), married or in a consensual union (59.1%), had complete literacy (31.8%), and had an average body mass index of 26.96 ± 4.35 kg/m2. There were no significant differences in MIP and MEP before and after the protocol between the intervention and control groups. Regarding HRV, there were significant differences in autonomic modulation, especially between the moments before and during exercise and between the moments during and after exercise; however, it was not possible to determine which system (sympathetic or parasympathetic) is most involved in these changes. Conclusion: The exercise protocol based on the Pilates method did not alter respiratory muscle strength but promoted changes in HRV, especially between the moments before and during exercise and during and after exercise.


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