Acute physiological and psychological responses during an incremental treadmill test wearing a new upper-body sports garment with elastomeric technology.

Background: The use of elastomeric technology in sports garments is increasing in popularity; however, its specific impact on physiological and psychological variables is not fully understood. Thus, we aimed to analyze the physiological (muscle activation of the pectoralis major, triceps brachii, anterior deltoid, and rectus abdominis, capillary blood lactate, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and heart rate) and psychological (global and respiratory rating of perceived exertion [RPE]) responses during an incremental treadmill test wearing a new sports garment for the upper body that incorporates elastomeric technology or a placebo garment. Methods: Eighteen physically active young adults participated in two randomized sessions, one wearing the elastomeric garment and the other wearing a placebo. Participants performed in both sessions the same treadmill incremental test (i.e., starting at 8 km/h, an increase of 2 km/h each stage, stage duration of 3 min, and inclination of 1%; the test ended after completing the 18 km/h Stage or participant volitional exhaustion). The dependent variables were assessed before, during, and/or after the test. Nonparametric tests evaluated differences. Results: The elastomeric garment led to a greater muscle activation (p < 0.05) in the pectoralis major at 16 km/h (+33.35%, p = 0.01, d = 0.47) and 18 km/h (+32.09%, p = 0.02, d = 0.55) and in the triceps brachii at 10 km/h (+20.28%, p = 0.01, d = 0.41) and 12 km/h (+34.95%, p = 0.04, d = 0.28). Additionally, lower lactate was observed at the end of the test (-7.81%, p = 0.01, d = 0.68) and after 5 min of recovery (-13.71%, p < 0.001, d = 1.00) with the elastomeric garment. Nonsignificant differences between the garments were encountered in the time to exhaustion, cardiovascular responses, or ratings of perceived exertion. Conclusion: These findings suggest that elastomeric garments enhance physiological responses (muscle activation and blood lactate) during an incremental treadmill test without impairing physical performance or effort perception.

Critical environmental core temperature limits and heart rate thresholds across the adult age span (PSU HEAT Project).

The frequency, duration, and severity of extreme heat events have increased and are projected to continue to increase throughout the next century. As a result, there is an increased risk of excessive heat- and cardiovascular-related morbidity and mortality during these extreme heat events. Therefore, the purposes of this investigation were to establish 1) critical environmental core temperature (Tc) limits for middle-aged adults (MA), 2) environmental thresholds that cause heart rate (HR) to progressively rise in MA and older (O) adults, and 3) examine critical environmental Tc limits and HR environmental thresholds across the adult age span. Thirty-three young (Y) (15 F; 23 ± 3 yr), 28 MA (17 F; 51 ± 6 yr), and 31 O (16 F; 70 ± 3 yr) subjects were exposed to progressive heat stress in an environmental chamber in a warm-humid (WH, 34-36°C, 50-90% rh) and a hot-dry (HD, 38°C-52°C, <30% rh) environment while exercising at a low metabolic rate reflecting activities of daily living (∼1.8 METs). In both environments, there was a main effect of age on the critical environmental Tc limit and environmental HR thresholds (main effect of age all P < 0.001). Across the lifespan, critical environmental Tc and HR thresholds decline linearly with age in HD environments (R2 ≥ 0.3) and curvilinearly in WH environments (R2 ≥ 0.4). These data support an age-associated shift in critical environmental Tc limits and HR thresholds toward lower environmental conditions and can be used to develop evidence-based safety guidelines to minimize future heat-related morbidity and mortality across the adult age span.NEW & NOTEWORTHY This study is the first to identify critical environmental core temperature and heart rate thresholds across the adult age spectrum. In addition, our data demonstrate that the rate of decline in Tc and HR limits with age is environmental-dependent. These findings provide strong empirical data for the development of safety guidelines and policy decisions to mitigate excessive heat- and cardiovascular-related morbidity and mortality for impending heat events.

Time delays between physiological signals in interpreting the body's responses to intermittent hypoxia in obstructive sleep apnea.

Objective.Intermittent hypoxia, the primary pathology of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), causes cardiovascular responses resulting in changes in hemodynamic parameters such as stroke volume (SV), blood pressure (BP), and heart rate (HR). However, previous studies have produced very different conclusions, such as suggesting that SV increases or decreases during apnea. A key reason for drawing contrary conclusions from similar measurements may be due to ignoring the time delay in acquiring response signals. By analyzing the signals collected during hypoxia, we aim to establish criteria for determining the delay time between the onset of apnea and the onset of physiological parameter response.Approach.We monitored oxygen saturation (SpO2), transcutaneous oxygen pressure (TcPO2), and hemodynamic parameters SV, HR, and BP, during sleep in 66 patients with different OSA severity to observe body's response to hypoxia and determine the delay time of above parameters. Data were analyzed using the Kruskal-Wallis test, Quade test, and Spearman test.Main results.We found that simultaneous acquisition of various parameters inevitably involved varying degrees of response delay (7.12-25.60 s). The delay time of hemodynamic parameters was significantly shorter than that of SpO2and TcPO2(p< 0.01). OSA severity affected the response delay of SpO2, TcPO2, SV, mean BP, and HR (p< 0.05). SV delay time was negatively correlated with the apnea-hypopnea index (r= -0.4831,p< 0.0001).Significance.The real body response should be determined after removing the effect of delay time, which is the key to solve the problem of drawing contradictory conclusions from similar studies. The methods and important findings presented in this study provide key information for revealing the true response of the cardiovascular system during hypoxia, indicating the importance of proper signal analysis for correctly interpreting the cardiovascular hemodynamic response phenomena and exploring their physiological and pathophysiological mechanisms.

A new sports garment with elastomeric technology optimizes physiological, mechanical, and psychological acute responses to pushing upper-limb resistance exercises.

This study aimed to compare the mechanical (lifting velocity and maximum number of repetitions), physiological (muscular activation, lactate, heart rate, and blood pressure), and psychological (rating of perceived exertion) responses to upper-body pushing exercises performed wearing a sports elastomeric garment or a placebo garment. Nineteen physically active young adults randomly completed two training sessions that differed only in the sports garment used (elastomeric technology or placebo). In each session, subjects performed one set of seated shoulder presses and another set of push-ups until muscular failure. The dependent variables were measured immediately after finishing the set of each exercise. Compared to the placebo garment, the elastomeric garment allowed participants to obtain greater muscular activation in the pectoralis major (push-ups: p = 0.04, d = 0.49; seated shoulder press: p < 0.01, d = 0.64), triceps brachialis (push-ups, p < 0.01, d = 0.77; seated shoulder press: p < 0.01, d = 0.65), and anterior deltoid (push-ups: p < 0.01, d = 0.72; seated shoulder press: p < 0.01, d = 0.83) muscles. Similarly, participants performed more repetitions (push-ups: p < 0.01; d = 0.94; seated shoulder press: p = 0.03, d = 0.23), with higher movement velocity (all p ≤ 0.04, all d ≥ 0.47), and lower perceived exertion in the first repetition (push-ups: p < 0.01, d = 0.61; seated shoulder press: p = 0.05; d = 0.76) wearing the elastomeric garment compared to placebo. There were no between-garment differences in most cardiovascular variables (all p ≥ 0.10). Higher diastolic blood pressure was only found after the seated shoulder press wearing the elastomeric garment compared to the placebo (p = 0.04; d = 0.49). Finally, significantly lower blood lactate levels were achieved in the push-ups performed wearing the elastomeric garment (p < 0.01; d = 0.91), but no significant differences were observed in the seated shoulder press (p = 0.08). Overall, the findings of this study suggest that elastomeric technology integrated into a sports garment provides an ergogenic effect on mechanical, physiological, and psychological variables during the execution of pushing upper-limb resistance exercises.

Effects of dietary inorganic nitrate on blood pressure during and post-exercise recovery: A systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized placebo-controlled trials.

OBJECTIVES: A systematic review with meta-analysis was completed to study the effects of dietary inorganic nitrate (NO3-) oral ingestion from vegetables and salts on blood pressure responses during and following exercise. BACKGROUND: NO3- is a hypotensive agent with the potential to reduce blood pressure peaks during exercise and amplify exercise-induced hypotensive effects. Several randomized and controlled trials have investigated the effects of NO3- on hemodynamic responses to physical exercise, however this still has yet to be studied systematically. METHODS: The searches were conducted on EMBASE, Medline, and SPORTSDiscus databases. The study included masked randomized controlled trials (RCTs) with participants ≥18 years old. The NO3-intervention group received at least 50 mg NO3-/day with similar sources amid NO3- and placebo conditions. Included studies reported systolic blood pressure (SBP) or diastolic blood pressure (DBP) values during or following exercise performance. RESULTS: 1903 studies were identified, and twenty-six achieved the inclusion criteria. NO3- daily dosages ranged from 90 to 800 mg/day. Throughout exercise, SBP had smaller increases in the NO3- group (-2.81 mmHg (95%CI: -5.20 to -0.41), p=0.02. DBP demonstrated lower values in the NO3- group (-2.41 mmHg (95%CI: -4.02 to -0.79), p=0.003. In the post-exercise group, the NO3- group presented lower SBP values (-3.53 mmHg (95%CI: -5.65 to 1.41), p=0.001, while no changes were identified in DBP values between NO3- and placebo groups (p=0.31). Subgroup meta-analysis revealed that SBP baseline values, exercise type, duration of NO3- ingestion, and its dosages mediated blood pressure responses during and following exercise. CONCLUSIONS: NO3- ingestion prior to exercise attenuated the increases in SBP and DBP during exercise, and increased the decline in SBP after exercise. These results are dependent on factors that moderate the blood pressure responses (e.g., health status, type of exercise, resting blood pressure values).

Mechanosensitive channels in the mechanical component of the exercise pressor reflex.

The cardiovascular response is appropriately regulated during exercise to meet the metabolic demands of the active muscles. The exercise pressor reflex is a neural feedback mechanism through thin-fiber muscle afferents activated by mechanical and metabolic stimuli in the active skeletal muscles. The mechanical component of this reflex is referred to as skeletal muscle mechanoreflex. Its initial step requires mechanotransduction mediated by mechanosensors, which convert mechanical stimuli into biological signals. Recently, various mechanosensors have been identified, and their contributions to muscle mechanoreflex have been actively investigated. Nevertheless, the mechanosensitive channels responsible for this muscular reflex remain largely unknown. This review discusses progress in our understanding of muscle mechanoreflex under healthy conditions, focusing on mechanosensitive channels.

Cardiovascular response to brisk walking on different surfaces in an innovative senior playground: a randomized trial in older adults.

Brisk walking is a simple exercise for older adults. We aimed to assess the cardiovascular response to a short bout of brisk walking on walking loops in an innovative senior playground in Thailand. Twenty older adults were randomly assigned to brisk walking on artificial turf (AT group, n = 10) or an uneven surface (US group, n = 10). We assessed cardiovascular parameters, average walking speed, and rate of perceived exertion. Blood pressure, heart rate, rate-pressure product, and rate perceived exertion were significantly increased, while the mean RR interval of heart rate variability was significantly decreased in both AT and US groups after exercise compared with pre-exercise (p < 0.05). A greater change in systolic blood pressure was observed in the US group than in the AT group (p < 0.05). These data indicated that brisk walking on AT and US increases cardiovascular response. Our findings provide information on planning exercise programs for older adults.

The impact of physical exercise on the consolidation of fear extinction memories.

Based on the mechanisms of fear extinction, exposure therapy is the most common treatment for anxiety disorders. However, extinguished fear responses can reemerge even after successful treatment. Novel interventions enhancing exposure therapy efficacy are therefore critically needed. Physical exercise improves learning and memory and was also shown to enhance extinction processes. This study tested whether physical exercise following fear extinction training improves the consolidation of extinction memories. Sixty healthy men underwent a differential fearconditioning paradigm with fear acquisition training on day 1 and fear extinction training followed by an exercise or resting control intervention on day 2. On day 3, retrieval and reinstatement were tested including two additional but perceptually similar stimuli to explore the generalization of exercise effects. Exercise significantly increased heart rate, salivary alpha amylase, and cortisol, indicating successful exercise manipulation. Contrary to our expectations, exercise did not enhance but rather impaired extinction memory retrieval on the next day, evidenced by significantly stronger differential skin conductance responses (SCRs) and pupil dilation (PD). Importantly, although conditioned fear responses were successfully acquired, they did not fully extinguish, explaining why exercise might have boosted the consolidation of the original fear memory trace instead. Additionally, stronger differential SCRs and PD toward the novel stimuli suggest that the memory enhancing effects of exercise also generalized to perceptually similar stimuli. Together, these findings indicate that physical exercise can facilitate both the long-term retrievability and generalization of extinction memories, but presumably only when extinction was successful in the first place.

Evidence of Use of Whole-Body Vibration in Individuals with Metabolic Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

(1) Background: Metabolic syndrome (MSy) is defined by a constellation of interconnected physiological, biochemical, clinical, and metabolic factors that directly increase the risk of cardiovascular disease. This systematic review with meta-analysis was conducted to assess the effects of whole-body vibration exercise (WBVE) in metabolic syndrome (MSy) individuals. (2) Methods: An electronic search in Pubmed, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, ScienceDirect, PEDro, and CINAHL databases in December 2022 was performed. Data regarding the included studies were extracted. The level of evidence, the methodological quality, and the risk of bias of each selected publication were individually evaluated. (3) Results: Eight studies were included in the systematic review and four studies in the meta-analysis, with a mean methodological quality score on the Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro scale) of 5.6, considered "fair" quality. The qualitative results suggested positive effects of the systemic vibration therapy in relevant outcomes, such as quality of life, functionality, pain level, trunk flexibility, cardiovascular responses (blood pressure and heart rate), neuromuscular activation, range of motion of the knees, rating of perceived exertion, and body composition. The quantitative results, with weighted mean differences, standard mean differences, and 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were calculated. Conclusions: WBVE may be an alternative capable of interfering with physical-mainly for flexibility with weighted mean differences (1.70; 95% CI 0.15, 3.25; n = 39)-functional, psychosocial, neuromuscular, emotional parameters, and consequently contribute to improvements in metabolic health and reduce the cardiovascular risk factor in MSy individuals. Nevertheless, further additional studies are required to understand the long-term effects of WBVE on MSy and its complications in a better way. Protocol study registration was as follows: PROSPERO (CRD 42020187319).

Early life adversity and cardiovascular responses to repeated stress among adolescents: Moderating role of COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism.

BACKGROUND: Early life adversity (ELA) increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases through dysregulation of cardiovascular stress responses manifested by either exaggerated or blunted reactivity. The catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) gene rs4680 polymorphism has been identified in gene-environment interaction (G×E) studies to explain individual differences in the effects of ELA on physiological stress responses. However, little is known about whether ELA interacts with COMT gene rs4680 polymorphism to affect cardiovascular responses to repeated stress exposures. OBJECTIVE: The current study examined the associations between ELA and cardiovascular responses to repeated stress exposures, and the moderating role of COMT rs4680 polymorphism in these associations. METHODS: The childhood trauma questionnaire (CTQ) was administered to 359 junior school students who underwent a two-successive stress exposures protocol with continuous cardiovascular monitoring [heart rate (HR) and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP, DBP)] across four laboratory phases, and their saliva samples for deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) genotyping were collected. RESULTS: ELA was associated with blunted HR reactivity to the first and second stress exposures, blunted SBP reactivity to the first stress exposure, and attenuated SBP habituation to repeated stress exposures. Moreover, COMT rs4680 moderated these associations, such that the associations between ELA and blunted HR, SBP, and DBP reactivity to the first stress and disrupted DBP habituation to repeated stress exposures only existed in GA/AA genotype carriers but not in GG genotype carriers. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that the A allele of COMT rs4680 is vulnerable to the negative effects of ELA on the developmental dysregulation of stress physiological systems.

Intake Duration of Anthocyanin-Rich New Zealand Blackcurrant Extract Affects Cardiovascular Responses during Moderate-Intensity Walking But Not at Rest.

We examined effects of intake duration of New Zealand blackcurrant (NZBC) extract on cardiovascular responses during supine rest and moderate-intensity walking. Recreationally active men (n = 15, age: 24 ± 6 yr, BMI: 24.7 ± 4.3 kg·m-2) volunteered in a randomized, cross-over design. One metabolic equivalent (1-MET) was measured (3.97 ± 0.66 mL·kg-1·min-1) and an incremental walking test was performed to individualize speed at 4 (n = 3) or 5 (n = 12) METs for the 30-min walk (5.7 ± 0.7 km·hr-1). NZBC extract (210 mg of anthocyanins) was taken with breakfast for 7 and 14 days, with a 14-days washout. The final dose was ingested 2-hr before recording of the cardiovascular responses (Portapres Model-2). At rest, %changes at 7- and 14-days intake were observed for stroke volume (+6.8% (trend), p = 0.065; +8.5%, p = 0.012), cardiac output (+10.1%, p = 0.007; +8.5%, p = 0.013), total peripheral resistance (-12.0%, p = 0.004; -13.1%, p = 0.011), diastolic (-5.7%, p = 0.045; -9.7%, p = 0.015) and mean arterial pressure (-4.4%, p = 0.040; -7.2%, p = 0.029), but without intake duration effect. During walking, %changes at 7- and 14-days intake were observed for stroke volume (+7.7% (trend), p = 0.063; +9.9%, p = 0.006), cardiac output (+8.7%, p = 0.037; +10.1%, p = 0.007), diastolic blood pressure (-6.2%, p = 0.042; -10.6%, p = 0.001), and total peripheral resistance (-9.6%, p = 0.042; -13.5%, p = 0.005) but without intake duration effect. During walking, %changes at 14-days were observed only for mean arterial pressure (-6.4%, p = 0.018) and arterio-venous oxygen difference (-7.9%, p = 0.019). NZBC extract affects cardiovascular responses at rest and during moderate-intensity exercise with 7- and 14-day intake. Only during moderate-intensity exercise, a longer intake of NZBC extract was required for an effect on some cardiovascular responses.

Changes in Cardiac Function During a Swallow Exercise Program in Patients with Coronary Artery Disease.

Research regarding risks of swallow treatment suggests that patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) experience changes in heart rate/rhythm when completing the supraglottic swallow and super-supraglottic swallow. The current study evaluated cardiac function during multiple swallowing exercises in patients with dysphagia and CAD. Eligible patients had CAD and confirmed pharyngeal dysphagia from VFS and sufficient cognitive ability to follow direction. The protocol included an a priori concealed randomized order of seven swallowing exercises (supraglottic swallow, super-supraglottic swallow, Mendelsohn and Masako maneuvers, effortful swallow with and without breath hold, and jaw opening exercise). Objective measures of heart rate/rhythm, oxygen saturation, and blood pressure were compared before vs after the overall session and each exercise using the Wilcoxon signed-rank test, and McNemar's and Cochran's Q tests with alpha at 0.05 and power at 0.80. Participants were 20 adults (15 male), aged 28-88 (median 76.5 years). 90% were intubated during their hospital stay (44% > 1 intubation) and 20% suffered post-op stroke. Severe dysphagia, marked by NPO status, occurred in 30% of patients. Sessions were 26 min long (mean; SD = 2.29). With few exceptions, objective measures were stable pre vs post overall and after each exercise. Potential vulnerability was noted with increased heart rate after the super-supraglottic swallow and increased arrhythmias after the effortful swallow (p < 0.05 for both). The order that swallowing exercises were completed did not significantly impact cardiovascular function. Telemetry and pulse oximetry proved to be feasible tools to monitor for subtle changes in cardiovascular function during completion of swallowing exercises.

Bioavailability and cardiovascular effects of adrenaline administered by Anapen 500 µg auto-injector in healthy volunteers.

AIMS: Anaphylaxis guidelines recommend intramuscular adrenaline, commonly 300 µg administered using an auto-injector device. However, overweight/obese patients may require a higher adrenaline dose for adequate cardiovascular (CV) response. This study evaluated the pharmacokinetics (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) CV profiles after a single 500 µg adrenaline injection via Anapen auto-injector in healthy normal weight males and otherwise healthy, overweight or obese females. METHODS: In this exploratory open-label, single-centre study, 54 healthy volunteers aged 18-50 years received a single 500 µg adrenaline injection (Anapen auto-injector) in the thigh (antero-lateral middle third [18 males] or antero-inferior third [36 females]). Assessments included depot depth (ultrasonography), plasma adrenaline levels (liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry) and heart rate (HR; ECG Holter monitor). RESULTS: Ultrasonography showed that 82.4% of normal weight males received intramuscular injections; all overweight and obese females received subcutaneous injections. Anapen injection produced rapid increases in circulating adrenaline levels and significant increases in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and HR. Second peak plasma adrenaline concentrations (Cmax2 ) were reduced, and time to Cmax2 increased in overweight and obese females compared with males with normal body mass index; area under the curve (0-240 min) (AUC(0-240) ) was increased in overweight and obese females. Obese females had reduced maximal SBP values compared with normal weight males or overweight females; overweight and obese females had markedly different HR time courses compared with normal weight males. CONCLUSION: A 500 µg adrenaline injection via Anapen produced rapid PK/PD changes in normal weight, overweight and obese subjects, irrespective of intramuscular or subcutaneous injection, and was well tolerated.

Cardiovascular Responses to Eccentric Cycling Based on Perceived Exertion Compared to Concentric Cycling, Effect of Pedaling Rate, and Sex.

Interest in eccentric exercises has increased over the last decades due to its efficiency in achieving moderate-high intensity muscular work with reduced metabolic demands. However, individualizing eccentric exercises in rehabilitation contexts remains challenging, as concentric exercises mainly rely on cardiovascular parameters. To overcome this, perceived exertion could serve as an individualization tool, but the knowledge about cardiovascular responses to eccentric cycling based on perceived exertion are still scarce. For this purpose, the cardiorespiratory parameters of 26 participants were assessed during two 5 min bouts of concentric cycling at 30 and 60 rpm and two bouts of eccentric cycling at 15 and 30 rpm matched for rating of perceived exertion. With this method, we hypothesized higher exercise efficiency during eccentric cycling for a same perceived exertion. The results revealed significantly elevated heart rate and cardiac index at higher pedalling rates during concentric (p < 0.001), but not during eccentric cycling (p ≈ 1). Exercise efficiency was higher during concentric cycling (64%), decreasing with pedalling rate, while eccentric cycling exhibited increased work rates (82%), and increased by over 100% with higher pedalling rate. Hence, eccentric cycling, with lower cardiorespiratory work for the same perceived exertion, facilitates higher work rates in deconditioned populations. However, further studies are needed for effective individualization.

Analysis of the Hemodynamic Response During Radiofrequency Thermocoagulation in Trigeminal Neuralgia.

BACKGROUND: Radiofrequency thermocoagulation (RFT) of the trigeminal ganglion is an excellent treatment option for medically intractable trigeminal neuralgia. However, this procedure can manifest abrupt changes in cardiovascular responses. With abrupt cardiovascular changes, a sudden trigeminocardiac reflex can occur during RFT of the trigeminal ganglion. OBJECTIVES: The primary endpoint of this study was to identify the critical point at which  RFT causes abrupt hemodynamic response changes. The secondary endpoint of this study was to evaluate the occurrence of the trigeminocardiac reflex. STUDY DESIGN: Retrospective design. SETTING: An interventional pain management practice in The Republic of Korea (South Korea). METHODS: Forty patients who received trigeminal ganglion RFT under C-arm guidance due to intractable facial pain were included. We checked and recorded the blood pressure and heart rate at baseline (before RFT), immediately before and after entering the foramen ovale (FO), during electrical stimulation, during thermal heating, and 30 minutes post-RFT. Also, we recorded the presence or absence of the trigeminocardiac reflex during RFT. RESULTS: Heart rate during thermal heating increased more than 20% compared to baseline (87.6 beats/min vs 69 beats/min, P < 0.001). The mean arterial pressure showed an increase of more than 15% compared to baseline when the cannula entered the FO (106.4 mmHg vs 90.9 mmHg, P < 0.001) and during thermal heating (106.3 mmHg vs 90.9 mmHg, P < 0.001). Sudden bradycardia was observed in 25% (10/40) of the patients. Among 10 patients who showed sudden bradycardia, it was observed when the cannula entered the FO (15%, 6/40), during electrical stimulation (5%, 2/40), and during heating (5%, 2/40). LIMITATIONS: This study included 40 patients who received trigeminal ganglion RFT, which is a low number to clarify the real incidence of the trigeminocardiac reflex during RFT. CONCLUSION: FO puncturing, electrical stimulation, and thermal heating demonstrated an abrupt increase in heart rate and mean arterial pressure. The incidence of sudden bradycardia during RFT of the trigeminal ganglion was 25%. Most cases of bradycardia were observed during FO puncturing.

Ingestion of carbonated water increases middle cerebral artery blood velocity and improves mood states in resting humans exposed to ambient heat stress.

Sugar-free carbonated water is consumed worldwide. The consumption of carbonated water is high in summer, when the heat loss responses of sweating and skin vasodilation are activated, and thermal perceptions (thermal sensation and comfort) and mood states are negatively modulated. However, whether ingesting carbonated water under ambient heat exposure modulates cerebral blood flow index, heat loss responses, thermal perceptions, and mood states remains to be determined. In this study, 17 healthy, habitually active, young adults (eight women) ingested 4 °C noncarbonated or carbonated water under 37 °C ambient heat-stressed resting conditions. Both drinks increased the middle cerebral artery mean blood velocity, an index of cerebral blood flow, and mean arterial pressure, with carbonated water exhibiting higher elevations than noncarbonated water (P < 0.05). However, the heart rate, sweat rate, and skin blood flow during and after drinking remained unchanged between the two conditions (P > 0.05). The thermal sensation and comfort after drinking remained unchanged between the two conditions (P > 0.05); but, a drink-induced reduction in sleepiness was higher, and drink-induced elevations in motivation and exhilaration were higher after ingesting carbonated water than those after ingesting noncarbonated water (P < 0.05). The analyses suggest that in humans under ambient heat-stressed resting conditions, ingestion of cold carbonated water increases the cerebral blood flow index, blood pressure, motivation, and exhilaration, whereas it decreases sleepiness relative to ingestion of noncarbonated cold water. However, ingestion of cold carbonated water fails to modulate thermoregulatory responses and thermal perception as opposed to noncarbonated cold water.

Associations between general trait anxiety, trait social anxiety and cardiovascular responses to social and non-social stressors.

OBJECTIVE: The present study sought to examine whether anxiety propensity dimensions (general trait anxiety vs. trait social anxiety) interact with stressor types (tasks with social vs. non-social challenges) to determine cardiovascular stress responses. METHODS: A 2 × 3 mixed-factorial experimental design was employed. The State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, the Social Performance and Social Interaction Anxiety Scales were administered to 233 participants, who engaged in a stress task with either social or non-social challenges during which their cardiovascular data were continuously collected. RESULTS: General trait anxiety negatively predicted heart rate (HR), systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) reactivity (ß = -0.16, p = 0.001; ß = -0.17, p = 0.001; ß = -0.18, p < 0.001), and positively predicted HR, SBP, DBP recovery (ß = 0.16, p = 0.012; ß = 0.15, p = 0.014; ß = 0.15, p = 0.011), regardless of stress types. Social performance anxiety (ß = -0.23, p = 0.002; ß = -0.25, p = 0.001; ß = -0.24, p = 0.001) and social interaction anxiety (ß = -0.22, p < 0.001; ß = -0.25, p < 0.001; ß = -0.22, p < 0.001) only negatively predicted HR, SBP, DBP reactivity to the stress task with social challenges. No associations were observed between trait social anxiety and cardiovascular recovery from the stress task with social or non-social challenges. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that different trait anxiety dimensions interact with stressor types in affecting cardiovascular stress responses, which have different health implications.

Effects of caffeine ingestion on cardiopulmonary responses during a maximal graded exercise test: a systematic review with meta-analysis and meta-regression.

While the effects of caffeine ingestion on endurance performance are well known, its effects on cardiopulmonary responses during a maximal graded exercise test have been less explored. This study systematically reviewed and meta-analyzed studies investigating the effects of caffeine ingestion on cardiopulmonary responses during a maximal graded exercise test. A search was performed in four databases, and study quality was assessed using the PEDro scale. Data reported by the selected studies were pooled using random-effects meta-analysis, with selected moderator effects assessed via meta-regression. Twenty-one studies with good and excellent methodological quality were included in this review. Compared to placebo, caffeine increased peak minute ventilation (SMD = 0.33; p = 0.01) and time to exhaustion (SMD = 0.41; p = 0.01). However, meta-regression showed no moderating effects of dosage and timing of caffeine ingestion, stage length, or total length of GXT (all p > 0.05). Caffeine ingestion did not affect peak oxygen uptake (SMD = 0.13; p = 0.42), peak heart rate (SMD = 0.27; p = 0.07), peak blood lactate concentration (SMD = 0.60; p = 0.09), peak tidal volume (SMD = 0.10; p = 0.69), peak breathing frequency (SMD =0.20; p = 0.23), or peak power output (SMD = 0.22; p = 0.28). The results of this systematic review with meta-analysis suggest that caffeine increases time to exhaustion and peak minute ventilation among the cardiopulmonary variables assessed during GXT.

Stress Responses to One-Day Athletic Tournament in Sport Coaches: A Pilot Study.

BACKGROUND: Watching athletic tournaments induces emotional and physiological responses in sports fans and coaches. The aim of the study was to investigate hormonal and cardiovascular responses in judo coaches observing the fights of their athletes during one-day, high-level tournaments. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We studied the biological responses of a group of seventeen judo club coaches between the ages of 39 and 57 years to a one-day judo tournament attended by the adult male and/or female athletes that they coached. At the time of the tournaments and also in neutral conditions, the coaches' capillary blood and saliva samples were collected concurrently two times a day, both at 7:30 a.m. and after completion of the tournament (at about 8:00 p.m.). Cardiovascular parameters were also determined at the same times of day. Sleep quality (SQ) was assessed on a 6-point scale both on the night preceding the tournament and in neutral conditions. Cortisol (C) and testosterone (T) levels were determined from serum and saliva samples. The results for both days at different times of day were compared. RESULTS: Statistical calculations showed higher concentrations of cortisol and a greater reduction of testosterone levels in serum and saliva at the end of the day during the tournament compared with those on a neutral day. Morning and evening cardiovascular indices were higher during the tournament. CONCLUSION: The study showed that during one-day tournaments, judo coaches were exposed to stress that induced intermittent hormonal changes in blood and saliva and activated the autonomic nervous system.

Physiological responses after two different CrossFit workouts.

The present study aimed to investigate the physiological response to CrossFit "workouts of the day" (WODs) based on two different structures of training session: 1) the "as many repetitions as possible" (AMRAP) "Cindy" and 2) the "round for time" (RFT) "Open 18.4" session. CrossFit athletes (11 men and 12 women) were divided into two groups: 1) one performing the WOD "Cindy" (GC) and 2) one performing the WOD "Open 18.4" (GO). Before, immediately after and 30 min after WODs, blood lactate (LAC), heart rate (HR) and systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP) were measured. A two-way ANOVA indicated differences in physiological responses between GC and GO. Both WODs increased HR to similar levels. Only GO significantly increased SBP immediately after exercise compared to the rest period (p < 0.01), with no difference to GC. GO presented higher levels of LAC immediately after exercise compared to GC (15.8 ± 4.9 mM [GO] vs 9.3 ± 2.3 mM [GC]; p < 0.01). LAC remained different between the groups 30 min after exercise (7.0 ± 3.9 mM [GO] vs 3.9 ± 0.9 mM [GC]; p < 0.01). The results suggest that the studied WODs do not differ in acute cardiovascular responses, but depend on different metabolic demands, with RFT structure relying more on glycolytic metabolism (indicated by greater LAC levels after exercise in GO). Such results are in agreement independent of gender.