The use of pupillometry in the assessment of cardiac autonomic function in elite different type trained athletes

Abstract

The aim of the present study was to evaluate cardiac autonomic function by pupillometry in male athletes. Fifteen elite endurance- (END) and eleven power-trained (POWER) athletes and fifteen sedentary individuals (CONTROL) were studied. All subjects underwent three pupillometric measurements: at rest, peak exercise testing and recovery phase. The pupillometric indices studied were: baseline pupil radius (R1), minimum pupil radius (R2), maximum constriction velocity (VC(max)), maximum constriction acceleration (AC(max)), amplitude (AMP, R1-R2), constriction ratio (AMP%). During exercise, RR intervals were obtained for each subject with a Polar S810i for time and frequency domain heart rate variability (HRV) analysis. The following parameters of HRV were measured: standard deviation of all NN intervals (SDNN), the mean square successive differences (rMSSD), percent of NN intervals differing >50 ms from the preceding NN (pNN50), low (LF)- and high (HF)- frequency components of the autoregressive power spectrum of the NN intervals and their ratio (LF/HF). At rest and recovery, END showed significantly increased VC(max) and AC(max) compared to POWER and CONTROL. AMP% was significantly greater in END at rest, peak exercise and recovery compared to POWER and CONTROL. END and POWER had significantly greater AMP at rest and recovery compared to CONTROL. Moreover, all HRV indices were significantly increased in END compared to POWER and CONTROL. However, POWER showed significantly increased rMSSD and LF compared to CONTROL. HRV parameters were significantly correlated with pupillometric parameters during exercise. Our results indicated that any kind of exercise training and mainly endurance one affects autonomic regulation of pupillary light reflex.

Increased bronchial parasympathetic tone in elite cross-country and biathlon skiers: a randomised crossover study

“…Parasympathetic activity is higher in endurance-trained athletes compared to non-athletes as assessed by HRV7 and pupillometry 9 10. Participants with BHR to methacholine (PD 20met ) had an increased HRV, reflecting a higher parasympathetic tone after a methacholine bronchial challenge, as compared to participants without BHR 11.…”

Evaluation of the cholinergic hypothesis in Alzheimer’s disease with neuropsychological methods

“…Also, there is substantial evidence reporting a profound reduction of cortical choline acetyltransferase and cholinergic neuronal loss in patients with AD [38,39]. ACmax and VCmax are considered to be extremely sensitive indicators of cholinergic activity [29,31]. The characteristic V-shaped response of the PLR was divided into three segments, a primary that is due exclusively to PNS excitation, a middle, which is controlled by both SNS and PNS, and a latter that reflects only SNS activity.…”

“…Pupillometry is a valid and low-cost method for the evaluation of ANS activity [12,31,40,41]. The pupil is controlled by two kinds of muscles whose innervations are different, since iris sphincter is innervated by PNS, while iris dilator by SNS.…”

“…2), which is a sensitive index of PNS activity [31,32], 3. maximum constriction acceleration (ACmax- Fig. 3), which is modulated by PNS activity [31].…”

“…According to Bergamin et al [30] T1 is defined at the time of maximum constriction acceleration, 2. maximum constriction velocity (VCmax- Fig. 2), which is a sensitive index of PNS activity [31,32], 3. maximum constriction acceleration (ACmax- Fig. 3), which is modulated by PNS activity [31].…”