Leptin, Leptin Soluble Receptor, and the Free Leptin Index following a Diet and Physical Activity Lifestyle Intervention in Obese Males and Females

Leptin (LEP) is associated with appetite regulation and metabolism. Concentration is linear with adiposity, suggesting LEP resistance. LEP circulates freely and bound with its soluble receptor (sOB-r); the ratio is the free leptin index (FLI), an index of leptin resistance; lower FLI suggests reduced biological action. Purpose. The aim was to determine the effect of changes in adipose tissue distribution on LEP, sOB-r, and FLI following 6 months (6 M) of a diet/exercise weight loss program (WLP). In addition, we aim to identify predictors of the FLI. Methods. 6 M WLP consisted of diet/lifestyle interventions following ADA guidelines. Body composition was assessed by DXA. LEP and sOB-r analysis were done via ELISA. Results. 10 adults completed the WLP. Significant reductions were seen in total fat percentage (% fat), nontrunk fat, (NTF), and trunk fat (TF) from base to 3 m and 6 M (p≤0.05). The FLI were reduced at 3 M and 6 M for males and 6 M for females. Total body fat and body weight predicted the FLI in both sexes. Conclusions. LEP and FLI reductions following 6 M of WLP were achieved independent of sOB-r changes. We also demonstrate that the FLI can be predicted noninvasively through total fat mass and body weight in kilograms

Enhancing SCI Care:Using Wearable Technologies for Physical Activity, Sleep, and Cardiovascular Health

Wearable devices have the potential to advance healthcare by enabling real-time monitoring of biobehavioral data and facilitating the management of an individual's health conditions. Individuals living with spinal cord injury (SCI) have impaired motor function, which results in deconditioning and worsening cardiovascular health outcomes. Wearable devices may promote physical activity and allow the monitoring of secondary complications associated with SCI, potentially improving motor function, sleep, and cardiovascular health. However, several challenges remain to optimize the application of wearable technologies within this population. One is striking a balance between research-grade and consumer-grade devices in terms of cost, accessibility, and validity. Additionally, limited literature supports the validity and use of wearable technology in monitoring cardio-autonomic and sleep for individuals with SCI. Future directions include conducting performance evaluations of wearable devices to precisely capture the additional variation in movement and physiological parameters seen in those with SCI. Moreover, efforts to make the devices small, lightweight, and inexpensive for consumer ease of use may impact those with severe motor impairments. Overcoming these challenges holds the potential for wearable devices to help individuals living with SCI receive timely feedback to manage their health conditions and help clinicians gather comprehensive patient health information to aid in diagnosis and treatment

Enhancing SCI Care:Using Wearable Technologies for Physical Activity, Sleep, and Cardiovascular Health

Wearable devices have the potential to advance healthcare by enabling real-time monitoring of biobehavioral data and facilitating the management of an individual's health conditions. Individuals living with spinal cord injury (SCI) have impaired motor function, which results in deconditioning and worsening cardiovascular health outcomes. Wearable devices may promote physical activity and allow the monitoring of secondary complications associated with SCI, potentially improving motor function, sleep, and cardiovascular health. However, several challenges remain to optimize the application of wearable technologies within this population. One is striking a balance between research-grade and consumer-grade devices in terms of cost, accessibility, and validity. Additionally, limited literature supports the validity and use of wearable technology in monitoring cardio-autonomic and sleep for individuals with SCI. Future directions include conducting performance evaluations of wearable devices to precisely capture the additional variation in movement and physiological parameters seen in those with SCI. Moreover, efforts to make the devices small, lightweight, and inexpensive for consumer ease of use may impact those with severe motor impairments. Overcoming these challenges holds the potential for wearable devices to help individuals living with SCI receive timely feedback to manage their health conditions and help clinicians gather comprehensive patient health information to aid in diagnosis and treatment

Walking endurance, muscle oxygen extraction, and perceived fatigability after overground locomotor training in incomplete spinal cord injury: A pilot study

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of overground locomotor training (OLT) on walking endurance and gastrocnemius oxygen extraction in people with chronic cervical motor-incomplete spinal cord injury (SCI). Prospective single-arm pre-post pilot study. Human Performance Research Laboratory. Adult men with traumatic chronic cervical SCI ( = 6; age = 30.8 ± 12.5). Twenty-four sessions of structured OLT. Walking endurance was determined during a constant work-rate time-to-exhaustion treadmill test. Normalized perceived fatigability was calculated by dividing subjective ratings of tiredness by walking time. Cardiorespiratory outcomes and muscle oxygen extraction were analyzed using breath-by-breath gas-exchange and near-infrared spectroscopy. OLT resulted in large effects on walking endurance (1232 ± 446 s vs 1645 ± 255 s;  = 1.1;  = 0.045) and normalized perceived fatigability (5.3 ± 1.5 a.u. vs 3.6 ± 0.9 a.u.;  = 1.3;  = 0.033). Small-to-medium effects on absolute (2.8 ± 2.5 a.u. vs 4.2 ± 3.5 a.u.;  = 0.42;  = 0.035) and isotime (2.8 ± 2.5 a.u. vs 3.8 ± 3.0 a.u.;  = 0.33;  = 0.023) muscle oxygen extraction were also observed after OLT. These findings provide preliminary data supporting the potential for improved walking endurance, enhanced muscle O extraction, and reduced perceived fatigability in people with chronic cervical motor-incomplete SCI following the OLT program described in this study

Is Sleep Disordered Breathing Confounding Rehabilitation Outcomes in Spinal Cord Injury Research?

The purpose of this article is to highlight the importance of considering sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) as a potential confounder to rehabilitation research interventions in spinal cord injury (SCI). SDB is highly prevalent in SCI, with increased prevalence in individuals with higher and more severe lesions, and the criterion standard treatment with continuous positive airway pressure remains problematic. Despite its high prevalence, SDB is often untested and untreated in individuals with SCI. In individuals without SCI, SDB is known to negatively affect physical function and many of the physiological systems that negatively affect physical rehabilitation in SCI. Thus, owing to the high prevalence, under testing, low treatment adherence, and known negative effect on the physical function, it is contended that underdiagnosed SDB in SCI may be confounding physical rehabilitation research studies in individuals with SCI. Studies investigating the effect of treating SDB and its effect on physical rehabilitation in SCI were unable to be located. Thus, studies investigating the likely integrated relationship among physical rehabilitation, SDB, and proper treatment of SDB in SCI are needed. Owing to rapid growth in both sleep medicine and physical rehabilitation intervention research in SCI, the authors contend it is the appropriate time to begin the conversations and collaborations between these fields. We discuss a general overview of SDB and physical training modalities, as well as how SDB could be affecting these studies

Diurnal blood pressure variation and sympathetic activity

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Modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer disease and subjective memory impairment across age groups.

IntroductionPrevious research has identified modifiable risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD) in older adults. Research is limited on the potential link between these risk factors and subjective memory impairment (SMI), which may precede AD and other dementias. Examination of these potential relationships may help identify those at risk for AD at a stage when interventions may delay or prevent further memory problems. The objective of this study was to determine whether risk factors for AD are associated with SMI among different age groups.MethodTrained interviewers conducted daily telephone surveys (Gallup-Healthways) of a representative community sample of 18,614 U.S. respondents, including 4,425 younger (age 18 to 39 years), 6,365 middle-aged (40 to 59 years), and 7,824 older (60 to 99 years) adults. The surveyors collected data on demographics, lifestyles, and medical information. Less education, smoking, hypertension, diabetes, less exercise, obesity and depression, and interactions among them, were examined for associations with SMI. Weighted logistic regressions and chi-square tests were used to calculate odds ratios and confidence intervals for SMI with each risk factor and pairwise interactions across age groups.ResultsDepression, less education, less exercise, and hypertension were significantly associated with SMI in all three age groups. Several interactions between risk factors were significant in younger and middle-aged adults and influenced their associations with SMI. Frequency of SMI increased with age and number of risk factors. Odds of having SMI increased significantly with just having one risk factor.ConclusionsThese results indicate that modifiable risk factors for AD are also associated with SMI, suggesting that these relationships occur in a broad range of ages and may be targeted to mitigate further memory problems. Whether modifying these risk factors reduces SMI and the eventual incidence of AD and other dementias later in life remains to be determined