Introduction to the research topic: the role of physical fitness on cardiovascular responses to stress

[EN] This e-book is the culmination of countless hours of meticulous work by global scientists. We would like to thank the researchers for their great contributions to this hot topic. The combination of these studies reflects the importance of the topic amongst researchers and practitioners and the wide interest from numer- ous laboratories around the world. The contributions include a variety of formats including five original investigations, three review articles, one opinion article and a hypothesis and the- ory article. Notably, these contributions included both human and animal models that encompassed a range of techniques from molecular mechanisms to real life interventions thus reinforcing the translational approach for the understanding of cardiovascu- lar responses to stress

Effects of bright light treatment on psychomotor speed in athletes

Purpose: A recent study suggests that transcranial brain targeted light treatment via ear canals may have physiological effects on brain function studied by functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques in humans. We tested the hypothesis that bright light treatment could improve psychomotor speed in professional ice hockey players. Methods: Psychomotor speed tests with audio and visual warning signals were administered to a Finnish National Ice Hockey League team before and after 24 days of transcranial bright light or sham treatment. The treatments were given during seasonal darkness in the Oulu region (latitude 65 degrees north) when the strain on the players was also very high (10 matches during 24 days). A daily 12-min dose of bright light or sham (n = 11 for both) treatment was given every morning between 8–12 am at home with a transcranial bright light device. Mean reaction time and motor time were analyzed separately for both psychomotor tests. Analysis of variance for repeated measures adjusted for age was performed. Results: Time x group interaction for motor time with a visual warning signal was p = 0.024 after adjustment for age. In Bonferroni post-hoc analysis, motor time with a visual warning signal decreased in the bright light treatment group from 127 ± 43 to 94 ± 26 ms (p = 0.024) but did not change significantly in the sham group 121 ± 23 vs. 110 ± 32 ms (p = 0.308). Reaction time with a visual signal did not change in either group. Reaction or motor time with an audio warning signal did not change in either the treatment or sham group. Conclusion: Psychomotor speed, particularly motor time with a visual warning signal, improves after transcranial bright light treatment in professional ice-hockey players during the competition season in the dark time of the year

Self-Rated Mental Stress and Exercise Training Response in Healthy Subjects

Purpose: Individual responses to aerobic training vary from almost none to a 40% increase in aerobic fitness in healthy subjects. We hypothesized that the baseline self-rated mental stress may influence to the training response. Methods: The study population included 44 healthy sedentary subjects (22 women) and 14 controls. The laboratory controlled training period was 2 weeks, including five sessions a week at an intensity of 75% of the maximum heart rate for 40 min/session. Self-rated mental stress was assessed by inquiry prior to the training period from 1 (low psychological resources and a lot of stressors in my life) to 10 (high psychological resources and no stressors in my life), respectively. Results: Mean peak oxygen uptake (VO2peak) increased from 34 ± 7 to 37 ± 7 ml kg−1 min−1 in training group (p < 0.001) and did not change in control group (from 34 ± 7 to 34 ± 7 ml kg−1 min−1). Among the training group, the self-rated stress at the baseline condition correlated with the change in fitness after training intervention, e.g., with the change in maximal power (r = 0.45, p = 0.002, W/kg) and with the change in VO2peak (r = 0.32, p = 0.039, ml kg−1 min−1). The self-rated stress at the baseline correlated with the change in fitness in both female and male, e.g., r = 0.44, p = 0.039 and r = 0.43, p = 0.045 for ΔW/kg in female and male, respectively. Conclusion: As a novel finding the baseline self-rated mental stress is associated with the individual training response among healthy females and males after highly controlled aerobic training intervention. The changes in fitness were very low or absent in the subjects who experience their psychological resources low and a lot of stressors in their life at the beginning of aerobic training intervention

Heart Rate Dynamics after Exercise in Cardiac Patients with and without Type 2 Diabetes

Purpose: The incidence of cardiovascular events is higher in coronary artery disease patients with type 2 diabetes (CAD + T2D) than in CAD patients without T2D. There is increasing evidence that the recovery phase after exercise is a vulnerable phase for various cardiovascular events. We hypothesized that autonomic regulation differs in CAD patients with and without T2D during post-exercise condition. Methods: A symptom-limited maximal exercise test on a bicycle ergometer was performed for 68 CAD + T2D patients (age 61 ± 5 years, 78% males, ejection fraction (EF) 67 ± 8, 100% on β-blockade), and 64 CAD patients (age 62 ± 5 years, 80% males, EF 64 ± 8, 100% on β-blockade). Heart rate (HR) recovery after exercise was calculated as the slope of HR during the first 60 s after cessation of exercise (HRRslope). R–R intervals were measured before (5 min) and after exercise from 3 to 8 min, both in a supine position. R–R intervals were analyzed using time and frequency methods and a detrended fluctuation method (α1). Results: BMI was 30 ± 4 vs. 27 ± 3 kg m2 (p < 0.001); maximal exercise capacity, 6.5 ± 1.7 vs. 7.7 ± 1.9 METs (p < 0.001); maximal HR, 128 ± 19 vs. 132 ± 18 bpm (p = ns); and HRRslope, −0.53 ± 0.17 vs. −0.62 ± 0.15 beats/s (p = 0.004), for CAD patients with and without T2D, respectively. There was no differences between the groups in HRRslope after adjustment for METs, BMI, and medication (ANCOVA, p = 0.228 for T2D and, e.g., p = 0.030 for METs). CAD + T2D patients had a higher HR at rest than non-diabetic patients (57 ± 10 vs. 54 ± 6 bpm, p = 0.030), but no other differences were observed in HR dynamics at rest or in post-exercise condition. Conclusion: HR recovery is delayed in CAD + T2D patients, suggesting impairment of vagal activity and/or augmented sympathetic activity after exercise. Blunted HR recovery after exercise in diabetic patients compared with non-diabetic patients is more closely related to low exercise capacity and obesity than to T2D itself

Standing time and daily proportion of sedentary time are associated with pain-related disability in a one month accelerometer measurement in adults with overweight or obesity

ObjectivesThe association between the subjective experience of pain-related disability (PRD) and device-measured physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) in overweight and obese adults is not well known. The aim of this study was to investigate the associations of pain markers with accelerometer-measured SB duration and different intensities of PA among physically inactive middle-aged adults with overweight or obesity.MethodsThis cross-sectional analysis included 72 subjects (27 men) with mean age of 57.9 (SD 6.7) years and mean BMI of 31.6 (SD 4.1) kg/m2. SB and standing time (ST), breaks in sedentary time, light physical activity (LPA) and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) were measured for four consecutive weeks (mean 25 days, SD 4) with a hip-worn triaxial accelerometer. Headache, musculoskeletal pain, back pain, and PRD were assessed by visual analog scales (VAS) and using the Oswestry disability index (ODI). RAND-36 questionnaire was applied to assess health-related quality of life. The associations were studied by linear models.ResultsST was positively and SB proportion was negatively associated with PRD when adjusted for age, sex, BMI, accelerometry duration, MVPA, pain medication use, and general health perceptions assessed by RAND-36. No associations were found between ST and back pain. SB or different PA intensities were not associated with pain experience at specific sites.ConclusionsLonger daily ST, but not LPA or MVPA is associated with higher level of PRD. Correspondingly, higher proportion of SB is associated with lower level of PRD. This suggests that individuals with PRD prefer to stand, possibly to cope with pain. These results may highlight the importance of habitual standing behaviors in coping with experienced PRD in adults with overweight or obesity.</p

Liikuntalääketiede elintapasairauksien ehkäisyssä ja hoidossa:pätkittäin arjessa vai kaasu pohjassa?

Tiivistelmä Säännöllisen liikunnan sisällyttäminen viikoittaisen arjen rytmiin lisää kiistatta hyvinvointia ja edistää parempaa terveyttä tarkasteltiinpa sitä elintapasairauksien ennaltaehkäisyn, hoidon tai kuntoutuksen näkökulmasta

Naisten ja miesten liikunnan biologiset yhtäläisyydet ja erot

Liikunta on hyväksi sukupuoleen katsomatta. Hyödyt ovat samanlaisia niin miehille kuin naisille.nonPeerReviewe

Introduction to the research topic: the role of physical fitness on cardiovascular responses to stress

[Extract] This e-book is the culmination of countless hours of meticulous work by global scientists. We would like to thank the researchers for their great contributions to this hot topic. The combination of these studies reflects the importance of the topic amongst researchers and practitioners and the wide interest from numerous laboratories around the world. The contributions include a variety of formats including five original investigations, three review articles, one opinion article and a hypothesis and theory article. Notably, these contributions included both human and animal models that encompassed a range of techniques from molecular mechanisms to real life interventions thus reinforcing the translational approach for the understanding of cardiovascular responses to stress

Commentaries on point: Counterpont: Exercise training-induced bradycardia

[Extract] TO THE EDITOR: In the recent Point:Counterpoint debate (2, 3), both research groups argued that training-induced bradycardia was a result of changes in intrinsic, sinoatrial node firing (i.e., intrinsic rate) or cardiac autonomic/parasympathetic regulation. While Billman (2) stated the possibility of a combination of these mechanisms, no further discussion of this was provided by either research group. Rather, the discussion focused on either mechanism and we would urge researchers to consider a more complex scenario – contribution of either mechanism that is moderated by other factors, or both mechanisms, potentially in combination with other elements (e.g., cardiac tructural changes). For example, training-induced bradycardia was reported in young adults with no changes in heart rate variability (HRV)(4), supporting an intrinsic rate mechanism. However, bradycardia was induced similarly with enhanced HRV in young adults following high-intensity exercise, supporting a cardiac autonomic mechanism (5)

The Role of Physical Fitness on Cardiovascular Responses to Stress

Cardiovascular responses to physical and/ or mental stressors has been a topic of great interest for some time. For example, significant changes of cardiovascular control and reactivity have been highlighted as important mechanisms for the protective effect of exercise as a simple and effective, non medical therapy for many pathologies. However, despite the great number of studies performed to date (e.g. >54,000 entries in Pubmed for "cardiovascular stress"), important questions of the role stress has on cardiovascular function still remain. For instance, What factors account for the different cardiovascular responses between mental and physical stressors? How do these different components of the cardiovascular system interact during stress? Which cardiovascular responses to stress are the most important for identifying normal, depressed, and enhanced cardiovascular function? Can these stress-induced responses assist with patient diagnosis and prognosis? What impact does physical fitness have on the relationship between cardiovascular function and health? The current topic examined our current understanding of cardiovascular responses to stress and the significant role that physical fitness has on these responses for improved function and health. Manuscripts focusing on heart rate variability (HRV), heart rate recovery, and other novel cardiovascular assessments were especially encouraged