Network Physiology of Exercise: Vision and Perspectives

Abstract

The basic theoretical assumptions of Exercise Physiology and its research directions, strongly influenced by reductionism, may hamper the full potential of basic science investigations, and various practical applications to sports performance and exercise as medicine. The aim of this perspective and programmatic article is to: (i) revise the current paradigm of Exercise Physiology and related research on the basis of principles and empirical findings in the new emerging field of Network Physiology and Complex Systems Science; (ii) initiate a new area in Exercise and Sport Science, Network Physiology of Exercise (NPE), with focus on basic laws of interactions and principles of coordination and integration among diverse physiological systems across spatio-temporal scales (from the sub-cellular level to the entire organism), to understand how physiological states and functions emerge, and to improve the efficacy of exercise in health and sport performance; and (iii) to create a forum for developing new research methodologies applicable to the new NPE field, to infer and quantify nonlinear dynamic forms of coupling among diverse systems and establish basic principles of coordination and network organization of physiological systems. Here, we present a programmatic approach for future research directions and potential practical applications. By focusing on research efforts to improve the knowledge about nested dynamics of vertical network interactions, and particularly, the horizontal integration of key organ systems during exercise, NPE may enrich Basic Physiology and diverse fields like Exercise and Sports Physiology, Sports Medicine, Sports Rehabilitation, Sport Science or Training Science and improve the understanding of diverse exercise-related phenomena such as sports performance, fatigue, overtraining, or sport injuries.

Health and Disease Are Dynamic Complex-Adaptive States Implications for Practice and Research

“…Conceptually, network physiology is the “microscopic” as well as “dynamic” extension of the “macroscopic” perspective of Rothman's model of sufficient causes. Rather than simply describing the phenomenological characteristics associated with health and disease, network physiology aims to elucidate the spatio-temporal system integration and the dynamics between the organ, cell, metabolomic and genomic layers of biological systems ( Figure 7 ) ( 39 ). Each layer has its own distinctive dynamics which influences the dynamic interactions across layers.…”

“…Each layer has its own distinctive dynamics which influences the dynamic interactions across layers. Alteration in the interactions within a layer will not only change the dynamics of that layer but also those of interacting layers, and thereby shift the integrated function of the system-as-a-whole ( 39 , 40 ). Physiological network properties have pragmatic clinical implications as exemplified in patients with liver failure ( 41 ) or severe critical illness ( 42 )—the breakdown/loss of network interconnection between the layers of system organization is associated with poor outcomes.…”

Healthy Teleworking: Towards Personalized Exercise Recommendations

“…Nevertheless, the immobility associated with keeping the same posture during long periods can induce, more than avoiding, health problems. Movement is necessary to coordinate organs [12], activate psychobiological functions and stimulate the body and the mind to keep the psycho-emotional and physical states that ensure job satisfaction, productivity, work-life balance, wellbeing and health.…”

“…Scientific evidence has shown that regular exercise does improve not only the physical but also the psycho-emotional status, contributing to reduce negative emotion, relieve fatigue, improve sleep quality, and prevent cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases, among others [12]. Most of the studies testing the benefits of exercise on healthy people and clinical patients apply exercise protocols and standardized programs based on WHO and ACSM guidelines [3,13] and training recommendations [14].…”

“…In line with personalized exercise medicine, it has been proposed to reorient the main aims of exercise prescription, and accordingly, to redefine not only the roles of health care exercise professionals but also the user/patient role [12]. Particularly, it has been suggested to develop the autonomy of users/patients through their active involvement in the co-design of exercise proposals and the development of their somatic awareness.…”