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Special Issue "Effects of Physical Exercise on Human Physiology and Pathology"

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A special issue of Biology (ISSN 2079-7737). This special issue belongs to the section "Physiology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 May 2023) | Viewed by 3741

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yi-Hung Liao

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Guest Editor

Department of Exercise and Health Science, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, Taipei 11219, Taiwan
Interests: exercise physiology; skeletal muscle, insulin resistance; diabetes; rehabilitation and physical medicine; metabolism; muscle hypertrophy; exercise training adaptation; systemic inflammation; cardiovascular disease; arterial stiffness; hypertension

Dr. Giancarlo Condello

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Guest Editor

Department of Medicine and Surgery, University of Parma, Via Gramsci 14, 43126 Parma, Italy
Interests: exercise science; strength & conditioning planning; resistance training; exercise testing; physical fitness; exercise physiology; physical activity assessment; performance testing; personal training
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Prof. Dr. Chiao-Nan Chen

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Guest Editor

Department of Physical Therapy and Assistive Technology, National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University, Taipei City 112304, Taiwan
Interests: skeletal muscle; oxidative stress; exercise training; heart failure; respiratory muscle training; aging, muscle protein synthesis; caloric restriction; muscle strength; insulin resistance; muscle blood flow; physical therapy; rehabilitation medicine

Dr. Jeffrey R. Bernard
E-Mail Website
Guest Editor

Department of Kinesiology, California State University, Turlock, CA 95382, USA
Interests: skeletal muscle; exercise physiology; diabetes; exercise training; muscle protein synthesis; insulin signaling; muscle strength; insulin resistance; glucose metabolism

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This special issue of "Effects of Physical Exercise on Human Physiology and Pathology" focuses on the acute, short-term, and long-term effects of exercise training on physiological responses and pathological changes in the human body. Fundamental knowledge in physiology and pathology in response to exercise is critical to constructing precise exercise prescriptions and training programs for specific populations, including individuals with cardiovascular disease, metabolic syndrome, respiratory system diseases, cancer, and neurological problems (e.g., spinal cord injury, multiple sclerosis, cognitive function, Alzheimer's disease, etc.). While a variety of exercise strategies have demonstrated the health benefits of exercise, there is considerable scope to better understand the efficacy of novel and commonly used exercise modalities, including specific exercise mode and training techniques, as well as identifying optimal exercise dose parameters and training duration, cellular/molecular mechanisms, and functional outcomes.

This special issue is seeking original research (basic or multidisciplinary approaches) articles and reviews (narrative reviews, systematic reviews, meta-analysis) that focus on the acute, short-term, and long-term impacts of exercise training on human physiological responses and pathological changes. Topics of special interest include the following.

Prof. Dr. Yi-Hung Liao
Dr. Giancarlo Condello
Prof. Dr. Chiao-Nan Chen
Dr. Jeffrey R. Bernard
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Biology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2200 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

aerobic exercise/resistance exercise/interval exercise/respiratory muscle training
sarcopenia and frailty
systemic inflammation
cardiovascular diseases (hypertension, dyslipidemia, atherosclerosis, etc.)
respiratory system diseases (asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, etc.)
metabolic syndrome (type 1/2 diabetes, prediabetes, etc.)
cancer
environmental factors (e.g., heat, cold, hypoxia, etc.)
functional exercise capacity (cardiopulmonary fitness)
spinal cord injury (SCI)
brain health
stroke (cerebrovascular accident, CVA)
degenerative neurological diseases (multiple sclerosis, Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson’s diseases, etc.)

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

Open AccessArticle

Immunologic, Anti-Inflammatory, and Anti-Muscle Damage Profile of Supplemented Vitamin D₃ in Healthy Adults on Strenuous Endurance Exercise

and

Biology 2023, 12(5), 657; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12050657 - 26 Apr 2023

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Abstract

Reportedly, strenuous endurance exercise can depress the immune system and induce inflammation and muscle damage. Therefore, this double-blinded, matched-pair study aimed to investigate the impact of vitamin D₃ supplementation on immune response (leukocyte, neutrophil, lymphocyte, CD4⁺, CD8⁺, CD19⁺, and CD56⁺ counts), inflammatory profile (TNF-α and IL-6), muscle damage (CK and LDH levels), as well as aerobic capacity after strenuous endurance exercise in 18 healthy men taking 5000 IU of vitamin D₃ (n = 9) or placebo (n = 9) daily for 4 weeks. Total and differential blood leukocyte counts, levels of cytokines, and muscle damage biomarkers were determined before, immediately after, and 2, 4, and 24 h after exercise. The IL-6, CK, and LDH levels were significantly lower in vitamin D₃ group at 2, 4, and 24 h post exercise (p < 0.05). Maximal and average heart rates during exercise were also significantly lower (p < 0.05). In the vitamin D₃ group, the CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio after 4 weeks of supplementation was only significantly lower at post-0 than at baseline and significantly higher at post-2 than at baseline and post-0 (all p < 0.05). Taken together, 5000 IU of daily vitamin D₃ supplementation for 4 weeks exhibited positive effects in terms of increased blood 25(OH)D levels, CD4⁺/CD8⁺ ratio (immune response), and aerobic capacity while inhibiting inflammatory cytokines and CK and LDH (muscle damage) in people performing strenuous endurance exercise. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Exercise on Human Physiology and Pathology)

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Open AccessArticle

The Effects of 6-Month Aqua Aerobics Training on Cardiometabolic Parameters in Perimenopausal Women—A Randomized Controlled Trial

Katarzyna Sobczak

Krystian Wochna

Katarzyna Antosiak-Cyrak

and

Katarzyna Domaszewska

Biology 2023, 12(4), 588; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12040588 - 12 Apr 2023

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Abstract

Background: Menopause is a time when women experience a number of physiological and anatomical changes resulting from a decline in ovarian function. It can be concluded that cardiovascular disease increases in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women, irrespective of age-related changes. Engaging in the amount of moderate physical activity recommended by the World Health Organization helps reduce the risk of death and adverse health events. The aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a 6-month aqua aerobics programme on cardiometabolic (anthropometric and biochemical) parameters in perimenopausal women. Methods: In this study, 30 women (control group—16, study group—14) participated in the 6-month aqua aerobics training programme. The mean age of women was 47.67 ± 6.79 year and BMI 26.33 ± 3.64 kg/m². At the beginning and at the end of the study, anthropometric and blood samples analysis were performed. In the blood, lipid profile, morphotic elements were determined. Body composition, waist–hip ratio (WHR), visceral adiposity index (VAI), blood pressure (BP) were measured. Results: The aqua aerobics programme resulted in a significant decrease in the WHR (p < 0.05; ES: 2.143), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (p < 0.05; ES: 1.005), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PRL) (p < 0.05; ES: 0.460) and an increase in haemoglobin (HGB) concentration (p < 0.05; ES: 0.643). Conclusions: The type of physical activity described in the present study is a great way for perimenopausal women to take care of their overall well-being. The reduction in selected cardiometabolic parameters is important from the point of view of the protection of women’s health. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Exercise on Human Physiology and Pathology)

Open AccessArticle

Effectiveness of Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation Combined with Visual Feedback Training in Improving Neuroplasticity and Lower Limb Function after Chronic Stroke: A Pilot Study

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Biology 2023, 12(4), 515; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12040515 - 29 Mar 2023

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Abstract

After a stroke, sustained gait impairment can restrict participation in the activities listed in the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health model and cause poor quality of life. The present study investigated the effectiveness of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and visual feedback training (VF) training in improving lower limb motor performance, gait, and corticospinal excitability in patients with chronic stroke. Thirty patients were randomized into three groups that received either rTMS or sham stimulation over the contralesional leg region accompanied by VF training groups in addition to the conventional rehabilitation group. All participants underwent intervention sessions three times per week for four weeks. Outcome measures included the motor-evoked potential (MEP) of the anterior tibialis muscle, Berg Balance Scale (BBS) scores, Timed Up and Go (TUG) test scores, and Fugl–Meyer Assessment of Lower Extremity scores. After the intervention, the rTMS and VF group had significantly improved in MEP latency (p = 0.011), TUG scores (p = 0.008), and BBS scores (p = 0.011). The sham rTMS and VF group had improved MEP latency (p = 0.027). The rTMS and VF training may enhance the cortical excitability and walking ability of individuals with chronic stroke. The potential benefits encourage a larger trial to determine the efficacy in stroke patients. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Exercise on Human Physiology and Pathology)

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Open AccessArticle

Does Exercise-Induced Hypoalgesia Depend on Exercise Duration?

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Biology 2023, 12(2), 222; https://doi.org/10.3390/biology12020222 - 30 Jan 2023

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Abstract

Acute physical activity is assumed to lead to exercise-induced hypoalgesia (EIH). Yet, little research has been conducted dealing with the influence of exercise duration on EIH. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of three different exercise durations using the same intensity compared to a control session on EIH. A total of 36 participants conducted three different exercise sessions on a bicycle ergometer for 30, 45, and 60 min, respectively, in addition to a passive control session. The intensity was set to 75% of the individual’s VO₂max. Pre and post exercise, pain sensitivity was measured employing pressure pain thresholds (PPT) at the elbow, knee, and ankle joints, as well as the sternum and forehead. In addition, the conditioned pain modulation (CPM) response was conducted pre and post exercise. The results reveal that the exercises neither led to any changes in PPT measured at any landmark nor induced any CPM response effects. These results do not confirm the hypoalgesic effects usually observed after exercise. The reasons explaining these results remain rather elusive but might be explained by the low intensities chosen leading to a milder release of pain inhibiting substances, the landmarks employed for PPT measurements, or potential non-responsiveness of participants. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effects of Physical Exercise on Human Physiology and Pathology)

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