Biomedical subjects

Tracy Baynard

Publications and source records attributed to Tracy Baynard.

11 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2025

Mouse Testing Methods in Psychoneuroimmunology: Measuring Behavioral Responses.

The field of psychoneuroimmunology (PNI) aims to uncover the processes and consequences of nervous, immune, and endocrine system relationships. Behavior is a consequence of such interactions and manifests from a complex interweave of factors including immune-to-neural and neural-to-immune communication. Often the signaling molecules involved during a particular episode of neuroimmune activation are not known, but behavioral response provides evidence that bioactives such as neurotransmitters and cytokines are perturbed. Immunobehavioral phenotyping is a first-line approach when examining the neuroimmune system and its reaction to immune stimulation or suppression. Behavioral response is significantly more sensitive than direct measurement of a single specific bioactive and can quickly and efficiently rule in or out relevance of a particular immune challenge or therapeutic to neuroimmunity. Classically, immunobehavioral research was focused on sickness symptoms related to bacterial infection, but neuroimmune activation is now a recognized complication of diseases and disorders ranging from cancer to diabesity to Alzheimer's. Immunobehaviors include lethargy, loss of appetite, and disinterest in social activity/surrounding environment. In addition, neuroimmune activation can diminish physical activity, precipitate feelings of depression and anxiety, and impair cognitive and executive function. Provided is a detailed overview of behavioral tests frequently used to examine neuroimmune activation in mice with a special emphasis on pre-experimental conditions that can confound or prevent successful immunobehavioral experimentation.

Animals↗

PubMed2006

Cardiac autonomic control in individuals with Down syndrome.

Our goal in this study was to compare cardiac autonomic control at rest between 50 individuals with Down syndrome and 24 control participants without disabilities. Resting autonomic function was assessed using analysis of heart rate variability. Participants with Down syndrome had reduced total heart rate variability, which indicates possible autonomic dysfunction in this population. Their VO2 peak and BMI were not significantly correlated with resting cardiac autonomic control. This may suggest that fitness level and obesity differentially affect cardiac autonomic control in persons with Down syndrome compared to their healthy, nondisabled peers.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Impaired vagal modulation of heart rate in individuals with Down syndrome.

The attenuated heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) response to exercise in individuals with Down syndrome (DS) has been attributed to autonomic dysfunction, which has been associated with obesity. Our purpose was to determine the role of autonomic control of HR to the attenuated chronotropic response observed in individuals with DS. We evaluated spectral analysis of HR variability (HRV) in 13 individuals with (BMI 32+/-5 kg/m(2), P<0.05) and 14 without DS (BMI 26+/-3 kg/m(2)) by means of 2 min isometric handgrip at 30% of maximal force followed by recovery. Noninvasive measures of HR (ECG) and systolic BP (SBP) (Portapres) were recorded continuously. The increases in HR and SBP, and decrease in high frequency (HF) component were significantly greater in controls than in individuals with DS (P<0.05) during handgrip. The increase in LF/HF ratio was not significantly affected by handgrip and was comparable in both groups. During recovery, the decreases in HR, SBP, and LF/HF ratio, and the increase in HF were significantly greater in controls than in individuals with DS (P<0.05). Controlling for BMI did not alter these results. The attenuated HR and SBP response to the handgrip test in individuals with DS is explained by blunted vagal modulation. Our study suggests that autonomic dysfunction in individuals with DS might be independent of obesity.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Blunted heart rate response to upright tilt in people with Down syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether heart rate and blood pressure responses to upright tilt would be lower in subjects with Down syndrome (DS) than in control subjects with no disabilities. DESIGN: Comparative study. SETTING: University research laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Nineteen people with DS (mean age, 25.1+/-7.3 y) and 17 control subjects without disabilities (mean age, 28.4+/-5.6 y). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Heart rate and blood pressure recordings were obtained at rest and during a 2-minute period of passive head up tilt to 80 degrees . RESULTS: Heart rate and blood pressure increased significantly during the first 30 seconds of upright tilt in both groups ( P <.05) and then stabilized for the remainder of the test. The initial heart rate response to head up tilt (first 30s) was significantly higher in controls compared with subjects with DS ( P <.05), whereas the blood pressure response did not differ between groups ( P >.05). Controlling for heart rate reserve showed a blunted heart rate response through the tilt period in subjects with DS. CONCLUSIONS: These data show a blunted heart rate response to upright tilt in people with DS, despite similar changes in blood pressure, consistent with reduced sympathoexcitation and possibly altered baroreceptor function in these people with DS.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2005

Effects of diet and/or exercise on the adipocytokine and inflammatory cytokine levels of postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes.

This study examined the independent and combined effects of diet and exercise on adipocytokine and inflammatory cytokines in postmenopausal women with type 2 diabetes. Using a randomized, controlled design, 33 women (age, 50-70 years) were assigned to diet alone (D), exercise alone (EX), or diet + exercise (D + E) for 14 weeks. Before and after the interventions, blood samples for adipocytokines and inflammatory markers were drawn, a meal test was performed, and abdominal fat distribution was measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Body weight decreased approximately 4.5 +/- 0.6 kg ( P < .05) after the D and D + E interventions, whereas only small changes in body weight were found with the exercise-alone intervention. Plasma C-reactive protein levels were decreased by approximately 15% with all 3 interventions, whereas leptin levels were reduced with the D and D + E intervention (D: pre = 48.7 +/- 6.0, post = 38.9 +/- 5.0 ng/mL; D + E: pre = 38.5 +/- 6.0, post = 22.9 +/- 5.0 ng/mL; P < .05) with no differences between groups. There was a trend for leptin levels to decrease in the EX group ( P = .06). Plasma resistin levels were not altered by the 3 interventions from pre- to posttreatment (D: pre = 6.9 +/- 0.6, post = 6.2 +/- 0.4 ng/mL; D + E: pre = 5.6 +/- 0.6, post = 5.7 +/- 0.4 ng/mL; E: pre = 6.2 +/- 0.6, post = 5.9 +/- 0.6 ng/mL, P > .05), and no differences in adiponectin and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF- alpha ) levels were found. Visceral adipose tissue and tumor necrosis factor alpha were the only predictors of calculated insulin resistance ( P < .05), explaining 43% of the variability. A typically prescribed weight loss program with lifestyle changes resulted in few changes in adipocytokines and inflammatory cytokines in older women with type 2 diabetes, suggesting that dramatic weight loss or clinical interventions are needed.

Aged↗

PubMed2005

Effect of a single vs multiple bouts of exercise on glucose control in women with type 2 diabetes.

The Surgeon General and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recommended that multiple bouts of exercise can be accumulated throughout the day in lieu of the more traditional single, longer bout of exercise. Yet, conclusive evidence does not exist suggesting these 2 training modes provide similar health-related benefits on metabolic control, especially in individuals with type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this study was to determine if differences exist in glucose control when preceded by one 30-minute or three 10-minute bouts of exercise in women with type 2 diabetes. Nine individuals with type 2 diabetes (53 +/- 6 years old) and 6 control women (49 +/- 4 years old) completed 3 randomly ordered oral glucose tolerance tests (OGTTs). Two of the OGTTs were preceded the day prior by moderate exercise (approximately 60% of Vo2peak), either one 30-minute or three 10-minute bouts, whereas the third OGTT was used as a control day with no exercise performed 3 days prior. Glucose and insulin were measured every 30 minutes for 4 hours during the OGTT. Individuals with type 2 diabetes exhibited a greater overall glucose response than the controls (P < .05), but the glucose response to the OGTT was not different between the 3 conditions within each group (2-hour glucose: multiple bout, 14.3 +/- 3.2 vs 5.0 +/- 1.7; single bout, 14.1 +/- 3.0 vs 4.7 +/- 1.5; control day, 14.6 +/- 2.7 vs 4.9 +/- 4.9 mmol/L). Glucose area under the curve analysis resulted in similar findings. As expected, the group with type 2 diabetes had greater fasting insulin levels compared with the control group for all exercise conditions (multiple bout: 4.5 +/- 1.2 vs 0.3 +/- 0.2; single bout: 6.4 +/- 1.6 vs 0.9 +/- 0.4; control day: 5.7 +/- 1.8 vs 1.5 +/- 0.6 pmol/L; P < .05). Exercise or no exercise did not alter the insulin response to the OGTT for either group. Despite a higher glucose response to the glucose load in T2D, an acute exercise bout (single or multiple bouts) did not appear to alter glucose control the following day in either the individuals with type 2 diabetes or the control group.

Blood Glucose↗

PubMed2005

Baroreflex sensitivity during static exercise in individuals with Down Syndrome.

INTRODUCTION: Individuals with Down syndrome (DS) have altered heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) responses to orthostatic challenges and isometric handgrip (IHG) exercise, suggesting possible alteration in baroreflex sensitivity. PURPOSE: This study investigated baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) as a potential mechanism contributing to chronotropic incompetence during IHG in persons with DS. METHODS: Heart rate and BP were continually recorded in 12 individuals with DS and 10 controls, at rest and during 2 min of IHG, at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Spontaneous BRS was derived via the sequence method. RESULTS: No differences were seen in HR at rest between groups. Systolic BP (SBP) was significantly lower in the DS group at rest (106.1+/- 2.9 vs 116.5+/- 3.9 mm Hg, P < 0.05) and during IHG (123.9+/- 4.6 vs 150.1+/- 5.3 mm Hg, P<0.001). A significant group-by-task interaction was found for both change in HR and change in SBP with IHG, because of an attenuated HR and SBP response to IHG in participants with DS (P<0.05). When controlling for resting SBP, the DS group had a lower BRS at rest (16.0+/-1.7 vs 21.2+/-4.2 ms.mm Hg, P< 0.05) and during IHG (7.8 +/-1.0 vs 12.1+/- 2.6 ms.mm Hg, P< 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Individuals with DS have lower BRS at rest and during IHG than controls and this may be related to their attenuated HR response during perturbation.

Adult↗

PubMed2005

Resting metabolic rate is not reduced in obese adults with Down syndrome.

Resting metabolic rate (RMR) of 22 individuals with Down syndrome was compared to that of 20 nondisabled control individuals of similar age (25.7 and 27.4 years, respectively). Using a ventilated hood system, we measured RMR in the early morning after an overnight fast. Peak aerobic capacity (VO2peak) and body composition were also determined. Resting metabolic rate was not different between groups. Adjusting RMR for body weight or body surface area did not change these findings. Using stepwise regression for the total population and each subgroup, we found that only body surface area was a significant predictor of RMR. These data show that individuals with Down syndrome do not have lower RMR than their nondisabled peers, suggesting that reduced RMR does not explain the high incidence of obesity in this population.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2004

Heart rate variability at rest and during exercise in persons with Down syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether autonomic dysfunction explains chronotropic incompetence observed in persons with Down syndrome (DS) and to measure heart rate variability (HRV) at rest and during exercise in persons with mental retardation with and without DS. DESIGN: Comparative study. SETTING: University exercise science laboratory. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty-one subjects with mental retardation (age, 20.2 y) with DS (n=16; 10 men, 6 women) and without DS (n=15; 8 men, 7 women). INTERVENTIONS: Not applicable. Main outcome measures HRV was determined at rest and at 2 steady-state exercise intensities on the treadmill in both time (standard deviation of the R-R interval, percentage of R-R intervals deviating by more than 50 ms from the previous R-R interval [deviation >50], square root of the mean squared differences of successive differences) and frequency (low-frequency power [LF]), high-frequency power [HF], the LF/HF ratio) domains. RESULTS: The DS group demonstrated a statistically lower peak heart rate (161 beats/min vs 178 beats/min, P<.05), and peak oxygen consumption (27.4 mL.kg(-1).min(-1) vs 34.3 mL. kg(-1).min(-1), P<.05) than did the group with mental retardation without DS. At rest, all time domain measures of HRV and absolute HF power were significantly higher in the DS group (P<.05). Yet, LF power and LF/HF values did not differ between groups. All HRV variables decreased significantly at both exercise intensities, with no differences between groups during exercise (P<.05). CONCLUSIONS: People with DS have greater parasympathetic activity at rest, but group differences disappear with the onset of exercise, which suggests that other variables are responsible for chronotropic incompetence in persons with DS.

Adult↗

PubMed2003

Effects of exercise on vasodilatory capacity in endurance- and resistance-trained men.

To determine vasodilatory responsiveness we measured forearm blood flow (FBF) following reactive hyperemia (RH), prior to and following a bout of maximal aerobic exercise in endurance- (n=14) and resistance-trained men (n=10). Both groups were similar in height, body mass, and percentage body fat. Using strain-gauge plethysmography, resting FBF was higher in the resistance-trained group [4.82 (0.84) vs 3.33 (1.17) ml min(-1) 100 ml(-1) of tissue; P<0.05]. However, the resistance-trained group had a 17%-29% lower pre-exercise FBF response to RH for the first 45 s (P<0.05). Following the maximal exercise bout there were no group differences in FBF. Post-exercise FBF was higher compared to pre-exercise values in both the endurance- (P<0.001) and resistance- (P<0.01) trained groups. Endurance-trained men appear to have a greater peak vasodilatory capacity compared to resistance-trained men, and acute maximal exercise increased the vasodilatory capacity in both groups. Acute exercise also equalized the peak vasodilatory response between the endurance- and resistance-trained groups, suggesting the potential for flow-mediated vasodilatation was similar for both groups.

Adolescent↗

PubMed2002

Left ventricular response to dynamic exercise in young cyclists.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare cardiac physiological and dimensional responses to exercise in highly trained young male cyclists (mean age 13.7 +/- 1.0 yr) with those of nontrained boys. METHODS: Ventricular systolic and diastolic dimensions were measured by two-dimensional echocardiography, and stroke volume was estimated by Doppler echocardiography during a progressive maximal upright cycle test. RESULTS: At rest, the cyclists demonstrated larger left ventricular dimensions relative to body size than the nonathletes. Maximal stroke index and cardiac index were significantly greater in the cyclists. The pattern of stroke volume response to exercise was similar in the two groups, with an early rise and then plateau to exhaustion. Left ventricular diastolic dimension increased slightly at onset of exercise and then gradually declined as workload increased in both groups. CONCLUSION: Factors responsible for the greater maximal stroke volume in young endurance athletes involve those variables that contribute to resting left ventricular diastolic filling (preload).

Adolescent↗