Sympatho-vagal interaction in the recovery phase of exercise

• Published in: Clinical physiology and functional imaging 2011-07, Vol.31 (4), p.272-281
• Main Authors: Tulppo, Mikko P., Kiviniemi, Antti M., Hautala, Arto J., Kallio, Mika, Seppänen, Tapio, Tiinanen, Suvi, Mäkikallio, Timo H., Huikuri, Heikki V.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adult; Biological and medical sciences; Exercise - physiology; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; heart rate; Heart Rate - physiology; Humans; Male; Muscle, Skeletal - innervation; Muscle, Skeletal - physiology; Physical Endurance - physiology; Recovery of Function - physiology; Statistics as Topic; sympathetic activity; Sympathetic Nervous System - physiology; vagal activity; Vagus Nerve - physiology; Vertebrates: anatomy and physiology, studies on body, several organs or systems
• ISSN: 1475-0961; 1475-097X
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1475-097X.2011.01012.x

Summary Reciprocal autonomic regulation occurs during incremental exercise. We hypothesized that sympatho‐vagal interplay may become altered after exercise because of the differences in recovery patterns of autonomic arms. The cardiac vagal activity was assessed by measurement of beat‐to‐beat R–R interval oscillations using a Poincaré plot method (SD1), and muscle sympathetic nervous activity (MSNA) was measured from peroneus nerve by a microneurography technique during and after exercise in 16 healthy subjects. Autonomic regulation was compared between the rest and after exercise (3·5 ± 1·0 min after exercise) at equal heart rates (HR). SD1 was at the equal level at the recovery phase (40 ± 21 ms) compared to the resting condition (38 ± 16 ms, P = ns) at comparable HR (57 ± 10 for both). MSNA was higher at the recovery phase (40 ± 19 burst per 100 heartbeats) than at rest (25 ± 13 burst per 100 heartbeats, P