O objetivo desta revisão é trazer parte dos estudos sobre um assunto pouco explorado: a relação entre o exercício físico e os aspectos psicobiológicos. A importância da compreensão desses aspectos e como eles afetam a qualidade de vida do ser humano é o que estimula as pesquisas sobre esse assunto. A literatura destaca que a prática regular de exercício físico traz resultados positivos não somente ao sono e aos seus possíveis distúrbios, mas também aos aspectos psicológicos e aos transtornos de humor, como a ansiedade e a depressão, e aos aspectos cognitivos, como a memória e a aprendizagem. Contudo, há indivíduos que se envolvem na prática de exercícios físicos com tal intensidade e/ou freqüência ou, ainda, fazem uso de drogas ilícitas que podem trazer prejuízos à saúde, como, por exemplo, o dependente de exercício físico e o usuário de esteróides anabolizantes. O exercício físico provoca alterações fisiológicas, bioquímicas e psicológicas, portanto, pode ser considerado uma intervenção não-medicamentosa para o tratamento de distúrbios relacionados aos aspectos psicobiológicos.

No abstract

Aging and physical inactivity are two factors that favors the development of cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, obesity, diabetes, and sleep dysfunction. In contrast, the adoption a habitual of moderate exercise may present a non-pharmacological treatment alternative for sleep and metabolic disorders. We aimed to assess the effects of moderate exercise training on sleep quality and on the metabolic profile of elderly people with a sedentary lifestyle. Fourteen male sedentary, healthy, elderly volunteers performed moderate training for 60 minutes/day, 3 days/week for 24 wk at a work rate equivalent to the ventilatory aerobic threshold. The environment was kept at a temperature of 23 ± 2°C, with an air humidity 60 ± 5%. Blood and polysomnographs analysis were collected 3 times: at baseline (1 week before training began), 3 and 6 months (after 3 and 6 months of training). Training promoted increasing aerobic capacity (relative VO2, time and velocity to VO2max; p < 0.05), and reduced serum NEFA, and insulin concentrations as well as improved HOMA index (p < 0.05), and increased adiponectin levels (p < 0.05), after 3 months of training when compared with baseline data. The sleep parameters, awake time and REM sleep latency were decreased after 6 months exercise training (p < 0.05) in relation baseline values. Our results demonstrate that the moderate exercise training protocol improves the sleep profile in older people, but the metabolism adaptation does not persist. Suggesting that this population requires training strategy modifications as to ensure consistent alterations regarding metabolism.

The effects of sleep disorders on the quality of life (QOL) have been documented in the literature. Excessive sleepiness and altered circadian rhythms may negatively affect ability to learn, employment, and interpersonal relations, and directly degrade QOL. The objective of the present study was to evaluate the impact of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome of varying severity on QOL. The study was conducted on 1892 patients aged 18 years or older referred by a physician to the Sleep Institute, São Paulo, with complaints related to apnea (snoring, excessive daytime sleepiness, hyperarousal, and fatigue). They were submitted to overnight polysomnography for the diagnosis of sleep disorders from August 2005 through April 2006. The patients completed the Epworth Sleepiness Scale and QOL SF-36 sleep questionnaires. They were classified as non-physically active and physically active and not-sleepy and sleepy and the results of polysomnography were analyzed on the basis of the apnea hypopnea index (AHI). The apneic subjects showed a reduction in QOL which was proportional to severity. There was a significant decrease in all domains (physical functioning, role physical problems, bodily pain, general health perceptions, vitality, social functioning, emotional problems, general mental health) for apneics with AHI >30, who generally were sleepy and did not participate in physical activities (P < 0.05). The present study provides evidence that the impact of sleep disorders on QOL in apneics is not limited to excessive daytime sleepiness and that physical activity can contribute to reducing the symptoms. Thus, exercise should be considered as an adjunct interventional strategy in the management of obstructive sleep apnea syndrome.

Physical exercise may improve sleep patterns and reduce PLM levels. The correlation between beta-endorphin release after acute intensive exercise and PLM levels might be associated with the impact physical exercise has on the opiodergic system. We suggest that physical exercise may be a useful nonpharmacological treatment for PLM.

Study design: Randomized controlled trial of physical exercise and dopaminergic agonist in persons with spinal cord injury and periodic leg movement (PLM). Objective: The objective of the present study was to compare the effectiveness of physical exercise and of a dopaminergic agonist in reducing the frequency of PLM. Setting: Centro de Estudos em Psicobiologia e Exercı´cio. Universidade Federal de Sa˜o Paulo, Brazil. Methods: A total of 13 volunteers (mean age: 31.678.3 years) received L-DOPA (200 mg) and benserazide (50 mg) 1 h before sleeping time for 30 days and were then submitted to a physical exercise program on a manual bicycle ergometer for 45 days (3 times a week). Results: Both L-DOPA administration (35.11-19.87 PLM/h, Po0.03) and physical exercise (35.11-18.53 PLM/h, Po0.012) significantly reduced PLM; however, no significant difference was observed between the two types of treatment. Conclusions: The two types of treatment were found to be effective in the reduction of PLM; however, physical exercise is indicated as the first treatment approach, while dopaminergic agonists or other drugs should only be recommended for patients who do not respond to this type of treatment.

RESUMOCorrelações genéticas e fenotípicas entre 21 características lineares de tipo e produção de leite em até 305 dias de lactação foram estimadas pela máxima verossimilhança restrita sob modelo animal, a partir de dados da Associação de Criadores de Gado Holandês de Minas Gerais. Nas análises das características lineares, os efeitos fixos utilizados no modelo incluíram estádio da lactação, idade do animal, grupo contemporâneo de rebanho, ano e estação de classificação, e o efeito aleatório do pai da vaca. As características lineares que apresentaram maiores correlações genéticas com produção de leite foram largura do úbere posterior (0,60) e largura de garupa (0,37), indicando não haver antagonismo genético entre a seleção para essas características e a produção de leite. As correlações fenotípicas entre características lineares de tipo e produção de leite foram, em geral, menores do que as correlações genéticas correspondentes. As correlações fenotípicas entre as características lineares apresentaram-se altas dentro das seções de conformação/capacidade e de sistema mamário. Correlações genéticas entre algumas características lineares foram altas, possibilitando a exclusão de algumas delas do programa de classificação linear adotado para a raça Holandesa no Brasil. Palavras

No abstract