INTRODUCTIONHuman body responses to a number of external environmental stimuli of different modalities and gives a desired, purposeful voluntary response to different types of stimuli.Human reaction time (RT) is the time interval between the application of a stimulus and the appearance of appropriate voluntary response by a subject.1 It reflects the speed of the flow of neurophysiological, cognitive and information processes which are created by the action of stimulus on the person's sensory system. The receipt of information, its processing, decision making and giving the response or execution of the motor act are the processes which follow one another and make what we call the reaction time. It provides indirect but a simple mean of determining sensory-motor association and performance.2 Measurement of reaction time is a sensitive, reproducible and non-invasive test and can be done with simple apparatus and set up. It is useful in the study of peripheral as well as central neural structures. Its measurement helps in determining sensory motor association and performance of an individual. It determines the alertness of a person because how quickly a person responds to a stimulus depends on his reaction time. It acts as a reliable indicator of rate of processing of sensory stimuli by central nervous system and its execution in the form of motor response.3 It is an index of cortical arousal 4 and decrease in it indicates an improved ABSTRACT Background: Reaction time is one of the important methods to study a person's central information processing speed and is an index of sensory, motor and cognitive processes. Auditory reaction time, an important psychophysical method useful for relating mental events to physical measures is significantly correlated to changes in breathing period. Objective of the study was to evaluate effect of Anulom Vilom pranayam on auditory reaction time. Methods: 60 volunteers from a tertiary care hospital of Mumbai were divided into two groups (study group and control group) of 30 each. Study group practised Anulom Vilom pranayam for 8 weeks. Control group were busy in their routine activities during that period. Pre-study and post-study measurements of auditory reaction times for high tone and low tone were done in both groups. Results: Statistical analysis was carried out and paired t-test was applied. Post-study auditory reaction time of study group for high tone and low tone showed significant decline than control group. Conclusions: Anulom Vilom pranayam which observed to reduce auditory reaction time have health promoting, boosting, toning effects on central neural structures; quantity, pattern of release of neurotransmitters and mental interaction involved in information processing. In light of the influence of psychosocial stressors, inappropriate nutrition and lack of physical activity in modern life on the development of stress related disorders, Anulom Vilom pranayam may have considerable potential in its prevention and is complementary to overall stress management.
INTRODUCTIONDeath is an inevitable end of life. For perpetuation of species, reproduction is thus essential. Reproductive life in women is more protracted and dynamic than in men. Pregnancy constitutes an additional alteration in the women's reproductive life. During the course of pregnancy, the fetus gradually grows and therefore, brings about generalized systemic changes in the mother to accommodate and adapt to the needs of developing fetus. Anatomical, physiological and biochemical adaptations that occur during pregnancy and profound changes in respiratory physiology are a part of the same process.1 Pregnancy represents one of the best examples of selective adaptation in terms of respiratory physiology.Static pulmonary function tests permit an accurate and reproducible assessment of the functional state of the respiratory system and allow quantification of the severity of disease. Its precise knowledge allows the clinician to verify the extent of the adaptation in pregnant women and helps to avoid unnecessary treatment of physiological changes misinterpreted as pathological in reference to pre-pregnancy standards.2 This knowledge of the expected or desired changes in pulmonary parameters is fundamental to understanding of how the disease states affect pregnancy and vice versa.3 Understanding of the maternal pulmonary function adjustments helps to avoid inappropriate diagnosis and unnecessary intervention. Information regarding status of pulmonary function is also essential for assessment of fitness for anaesthesia. 4 Various investigators have studied pulmonary function tests during normal pregnancy but their results were conflicting. [5][6][7][8][9] Although there are reports of changes in pulmonary function tests during pregnancy, not much work has been done specifically in third trimester. The above observations gave us an impetus to study the ABSTRACT Background: Pregnancy represents one of the best examples of selective adaptation in terms of respiratory physiology. Objective of the study is to evaluate the changes in static pulmonary function tests (PFTs) in third trimesters of pregnancy (study group) and compare with non-pregnant women (control group). Methods: 65 subjects (study group 35 subjects and control group 30 subjects) from a tertiary care hospital of Mumbai were included in the study. Pulmonary function tests (PFTs) was done by computerized spirometry. Results: Statistical analysis was carried out and paired t-test was applied. Significant increase in mean inspiratory capacity and significant decrease in mean expiratory reserve volume were observed in the third trimester of normal pregnant women as compared to normal non-pregnant women. Conclusions:The present study highlights observation that there is no respiratory impairment due to pregnancy, as adaptive changes in respiratory system compensate for the altered structure and function of the maternal body and very well suffice for the increased needs of pregnancy.
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