Autonomic Nervous System Activity, Cardiovascular, Physical Activity Level
Conditions
Keywords
SKNA; HRV; Blood Pressure Variability; Athletes; Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
Brief summary
This study aims to investigate the differences in cardiovascular stress response patterns among individuals with various physical activity levels (sedentary controls and different types of athletes). By synchronously monitoring ECG, heart rate, skin sympathetic nerve activity (SKNA), blood pressure, and cardiac output, the study will characterize physiological dynamics during resting, orthostatic challenge, cold pressor stress, and maximal exercise.
Detailed description
Participants will be categorized into five groups based on their training background: sedentary, endurance, strength, technical, and traditional ethnic sports. The experimental protocol includes baseline measurements in lying, standing, and sitting positions, followed by a series of acute stress tests: a lie-to-stand orthostatic test, a slow breathing test, and a cold pressor test. Finally, participants will perform a ramp incremental exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Synchronous physiological data including HRV and SKNA will be collected to evaluate the dynamic regulation of the autonomic nervous system.
Interventions
DIAGNOSTIC_TESTCardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) is a non-invasive, integrated assessment of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscular systems' responses to physical stress.
Sponsors
Beijing Sport University
Study design
Observational model
COHORT
Time perspective
CROSS_SECTIONAL
Eligibility
Sex/Gender
ALL
Age
18 Years to 30 Years
Healthy volunteers
Yes
Inclusion criteria
Healthy young adults aged 18-25 years Body Mass Index (BMI) within the range of 18.5-23.9 kg/m 2 No history of systematic professional athletic training (for sedentary group) or confirmed training background (for athlete groups) No exercise contraindications or history of cardiovascular, respiratory, or metabolic diseases No family history of sudden cardiac death Ability to understand the study protocol and sign the informed consent form
Exclusion criteria
History of limb sports injury within the past 6 months or unhealed fractures Habits of smoking or chronic alcohol consumption Presence of implanted electronic devices (e.g., pacemakers) Clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety or depression Recent use of medications affecting autonomic or cardiovascular function Regular practice of meditation or ongoing psychotherapy Irregular menstrual cycles (for female participants) Peripheral neuropathy or other autonomic nervous system disorders
Design outcomes
Primary
| Measure | Time frame | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Heart Rate Variability | Baseline (10-minute rest), during the 10-minute mental stress test, and during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (approx. 20 minutes) | Time-domain metrics (e.g., RMSSD, SDNN) derived from ECG recordings to evaluate cardiovagal modulation and cardiac autonomic balance. |
| Skin Sympathetic Nerve Activity | Baseline (10-minute rest), during the 10-minute mental stress test, and during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (approx. 20 minutes) | Integrated average SKNA (aSKNA) and burst metrics measured via surface electrodes to assess sympathetic nerve firing |
Outcome results
None listed