Regular physical exercise improves cardiac autonomic and muscle vasodilatory responses to isometric exercise in healthy elderly

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate cardiac autonomic control and muscle vasodilation response during isometric exercise in sedentary and physically active older adults. Twenty healthy participants, 10 sedentary and 10 physically active older adults, were evaluated and paired by gender, age, and body mass index. Sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiac activity (spectral and symbolic heart rate analysis) and muscle blood flow (venous occlusion plethysmography) were measured for 10 minutes at rest (baseline) and during 3 minutes of isometric handgrip exercise at 30% of the maximum voluntary contraction (sympathetic excitatory maneuver). Variables were analyzed at baseline and during 3 minutes of isometric exercise. Cardiac autonomic parameters were analyzed by Wilcoxon and Mann–Whitney tests. Muscle vasodilatory response was analyzed by repeated-measures analysis of variance followed by Tukey’s post hoc test. Sedentary older adults had higher cardiac sympathetic activity compared to physically active older adult subjects at baseline (63.13±3.31 vs 50.45±3.55 nu, P=0.02). The variance (heart rate variability index) was increased in active older adults (1,438.64±448.90 vs 1,402.92±385.14 ms, P=0.02), and cardiac sympathetic activity (symbolic analysis) was increased in sedentary older adults (5,660.91±1,626.72 vs 4,381.35±1,852.87, P=0.03) during isometric handgrip exercise. Sedentary older adults showed higher cardiac sympathetic activity (spectral analysis) (71.29±4.40 vs 58.30±3.50 nu, P=0.03) and lower parasympathetic modulation (28.79±4.37 vs 41.77±3.47 nu, P=0.03) compared to physically active older adult subjects during isometric handgrip exercise. Regarding muscle vasodilation response, there was an increase in the skeletal muscle blood flow in the second (4.1±0.5 vs 3.7±0.4 mL/min per 100 mL, P=0.01) and third minute (4.4±0.4 vs 3.9±0.3 mL/min per 100 mL, P=0.03) of handgrip exercise in active older adults. The results indicate that regular physical activity improves neurovascular control of muscle blood flow and cardiac autonomic response during isometric handgrip exercise in healthy older adult subjects.

Swimming pool exposure is associated with autonomic changes and increased airway reactivity to a beta-2 agonist in school aged children: A cross-sectional survey

“…In addition, parasympathetic activity also appears to be re-established after swimming cessation, since only sympathetic parameters seem to be significantly correlated with the number of years in swimming practice. Although this changes in sympathetic activity may be associated with more years of regular physical exercise [ 35 ], this cannot be concluded in the present study since only swimming practice was considered and children may have performed other physical activities at the same time period. Interestingly, these “reversibility” results support the hypothesis presented by Lomax (2016) regarding airway dysfunction in elite swimmers [ 36 ].…”

Ageing of the Diaphragm Muscle

“…A healthy diaphragm muscle is able to stimulate baroceptors (adventure of the aortic arch and carotid glomus), particularly during a deep inhalation, which reach the nucleus of the solitary tract [34]. The nucleus of the solitary trait will send an efferent inhibitory response to the medullary ventrolateral rostral area of the pre-sympathetic area, and muscle strength and coordination improve [35]. The breathing bilaterally activates the primary cortex (M1), cortex premotor, and neighboring motor areas; these brain areas improve the response of muscle strength and performance, even by an extra 10% [36].…”

Effect of Exercise Duration Toward Heart Rate Recovery in Elderly

“…Measuring maximum heart rate; 17 (4). Measuring the 1st minute-heart rate; (5). Measuring the 4th minute-heart rate.…”

“…3,4 Based on the study conducted by de Lima et al, the effective attempt to improve elders' autonomic nervous function is a routine exercise. 5 The effectiveness of an exercise can be viewed from various hemodynamic parameters such as blood pressure, heart rate, cardiac output, and other parameters. However, heart rate is the most common parameter to use.…”