Resting Autonomic Function in Aerobically Trained and Untrained Postmenopausal Women

Abstract

The relationship between aging, physical activity, and vagal influence on the heart was assessed by measuring resting heart period variability in postmenopausal women. Participants were 14 aerobically trained women (mean age 55 ± 1.0 years) and 20 untrained women (mean age 59 ± 1.1 years). Participants lay for 25 min while heart period variability was assessed during spontaneous and paced breathing (7.5 breaths · min-1). Heart period variability was assessed through time series analysis (HPVts) of the interbeat interval. Results indicated I that the trained women had significantly (p < .05) lower supine resting heart rate than the untrained group. HPVts at high frequencies during spontaneous and paced breathing was greater for trained compared to untrained participants. Similarly, HPVts at medium frequencies during spontaneous and paced breathing was greater for trained compared to untrained participants. Also, rate pressure product of the trained group was significantly lower than for the untrained. These results extend prior research by showing that aerobically trained postmenopausal women possessed significantly elevated resting vagal influence on the heart compared to their untrained counterparts.

Increased heart rate variability and executive performance after aerobic training in the elderly

“…The influence of long-term aerobic physical activity or aerobic fitness on HRV has been repeatedly reported in young and older adults (Boutcher et al 1998;Buchheit et al 2004Buchheit et al , 2005Lu and Kuo 2003). In older adults, results concerning the direct effects of a training program on HRV are more scarce and controversial, with some studies showing a positive effect (Jurca et al 2004;Levy et al 1998) and other studies showing no effect (Forte et al 2003;Perini et al 2002;Verheyden et al 2006).…”

“…Furthermore, HRV has been recently shown to be related to aerobic fitness level and/or regular physical activity, particularly in the elderly (Buchheit et al 2004(Buchheit et al , 2005Hansen et al 2004;Lu and Kuo 2003;Stein et al 2008). This was essentially evidenced by cross-sectional studies, showing that older aerobically fit adults and/or those who demonstrate a particularly physically active or sporting way-oflife demonstrate higher short-term HRV than unfit or sedentary people (Boutcher et al 1998;Buchheit et al 2004Buchheit et al , 2005. However, the cross-sectional design of these studies prevents any clear interpretation concerning the causal relationship between high HRV and regular physical activity and/or aerobic fitness.…”

Cardiorespiratory Responses of Hi Fit and Low Fit Subjects to Mental Challenge during Exercise

“…These changes seem to occur primarily due to an alteration in the balance of sympathetic and parasympathetic activity in response to training [3,15,34,35,39]. With training, several adaptations including enhanced parasympathetic tone and increased stroke volume explain the reduction in resting HR [6,17,26]. Mental challenge in aerobically trained individuals with resting bradycardia has been shown to elicit greater vagal withdrawal (greater decrease in parasympathetic activity) [8].…”

The Effect of a Short-Term Circuit Resistance Training on Blood Glucose, Plasma Lipoprotein and Lipid Profiles in Young Female Students

“…According to researches, there is no clear effect of the volume of exercise on lipoproteins. It has also been shown that relatively high volume of regular exercise can substantially improve overall lipoprotein profile (27). The investigations showed that triglyceride levels are inversely associated with HDL-c levels.…”