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Biomedical subjects

A L Weltman

Publications and source records attributed to A L Weltman.

7 recordsLinked to original sources

Heart period variability of trained and untrained men at rest and during mental challenge.

The effect of aerobic training on parasympathetic reactivity to mental stress is unclear. Thus, the parasympathetic response, as assessed by time series analysis of heart period variability (HPVts), of 10 trained male runners (trained group), 10 inherently low resting heart rate untrained men (low HR group), and 10 normal resting HR men (control group) at rest and to two mental stressors was examined. Participants completed a mental arithmetic and Stroop task. Resting HPVts at high and medium frequencies was significantly greater for the trained and the low HR groups than for the control group. Significantly greater decreases in HPVts at the medium frequency during arithmetic recovery were measured for the trained and low HR groups compared with the response of the control group. Significantly greater decreases in HPVts at both the the high and medium frequencies during the first two epochs of the Stroop occurred only for the trained and low HR groups. These results suggest that the greater HPVts at rest and decline in HPVts during and after mental challenge is influenced by both aerobic training and genetic inheritance.

Adult↗

Heart rate response to psychological stressors of individuals possessing resting bradycardia.

The authors examined the relation between trained and inherent bradycardia and heart rate (HR) and T-wave amplitude response to psychological stressors. They compared cardiac responses to two psychological stressors of 10 trained male runners (MVo2max = 75 mL/kg-1 min-1) possessing low resting heart rate (M = 58 bpm), 10 untrained men (MVo2max = 58 mL/kg-1 min-1) with inherently low resting heart rate (M = 58 bpm), and 10 unconditioned men (MVo2max = 51 mL/kg-1 min-1) with normal resting heart rate (M = 69 bpm). All participants completed a maximal oxygen consumption treadmill test, an easy and a hard mental arithmetic task, and the Stroop Color and Word Test. Their analysis of the data revealed no significant differences in relative heart rate response or T-wave amplitude between groups during or after any stressor. In contrast, absolute heart rates during and after mental arithmetic and during the Stroop test were significantly lower for both the trained and inherently low groups compared with the control group. These findings suggest that the lower absolute HR response during and after stressors was influenced by both aerobic training and genetic inheritance.

Adult↗

Slow component of O2 uptake during heavy exercise: adaptation to endurance training.

Seven untrained male subjects [age 25.6 +/- 1.5 (SE) yr, peak O2 uptake (VO2) 3.20 +/- 0.19 l/min] trained on a cycle ergometer 4 days/wk for 6 wk, with the absolute training workload held constant for the duration of training. Before and at the end of each week of training, the subjects performed 20 min of constant-power exercise at a power designed to elicit a pronounced slow component of VO2 (end-exercise VO2-VO2 at minute 3 of exercise) in the pretraining session. An additional 20-min exercise bout was performed after training at this same absolute power output during which epinephrine (Epi) was infused at a rate of 100 ng.kg-1.min-1 between minutes 10 and 20. After 2 wk of training, significant decreases in VO2 slow component, end-exercise VO2, blood lactate ([La-] and glucose concentrations, plasma Epi ([Epi]) and norepinephrine concentrations, ventilation (VE), and heart rate (HR) were observed (P < 0.05). Although the rapid attenuation of the VO2 slow component coincided temporally with reductions in plasma [Epi], blood [La-], and VE, the infusion of Epi after training significantly increased plasma [Epi] (delta 2.22 ng/ml), blood [La-] (delta 2.4 mmol/l) and VE (delta 10.0 l/min) without any change in exercise VO2. We therefore conclude that diminution of the VO2 slow component with training is attributable to factors other than the reduction in plasma [Epi], blood [La-] and VE.

Adaptation, Physiological↗

Long-term endurance training alters the hypothalamic-pituitary axes for gonadotropins and growth hormone.

In a prospective fashion we have studied the impact of chronic exercise of two intensities on the hypothalamic-pituitary-end organ axes for gonadotropins and GH in gynecologically mature, previously sedentary women. Physiologic alterations are evident in both axes with a doubling of 24-hour mean serum GH concentrations at 1 year and smaller, transient changes in pulsatile LH release during the first four menstrual cycles. The latter period of physiologic adaptation should be studied more intensively with more frequent exercise evaluation. Perhaps more significant "adaptation to stress" would be quantitated. We also emphasize that gynecologically less mature women were not studied and only the early follicular phase was evaluated. Adaptive changes of greater magnitude (including amenorrhea) might have been produced if a different group of women, a markedly different training regimen, or a different phase of the menstrual cycle were studied. Finally, whether or not they participate in physical training, younger amenorrheic women are at increased risk for diminished lumbar spine bone mineral content and skeletal fractures.

Exercise↗