Effect Of Acute Active Playing And Brain Stimulation Upon Cardiovascular Parameters In Children

Abstract

In our recent studies we verified that 30 min of acute active playing reduced the blood pressure compared to prior exercise activity in children. Brain stimulation through transcranial direct current stimulation (TDCS) may promote some cardiovascular benefits, but little is known regarding the effects of nonstandard exercise modes on cardiovascular parameters in children. PURPOSE: Verify if an acute 10 or 20 min of active playing or 20 min of TDCS could exert benefts upon blood pressure and heart rate on children. METHODS: Thirty healthy children (14 girls;16 boys) participated on this study. At the first session an anthropometric evaluation, sexual maturation and cardiorespiratory fitness were measured. The participants were divided into groups: 1) control 20-min seated (CG; n=10; 9.7±0.8yr; 16.3±1.6kg.m2(-1)); 2) a 10-minTag Play (G10; n=10; 9.8±0.8yr; 15.3±2.3kg.m2(-1)); a 20-min of active playing - Tag Play (G20; n=10; 9.8±0.6yr; 16.4±0.8kg.m2(-1)); or a 20-min of TDCS (1mA) (TDCS; n=7; 10.0±0.6yr; 15.9±1.3 kg.m2(-1)) that was applied in the left prefrontal cortex. The heart rate (HR), systolic, diastolic and mean arterial pressure (SBP, DPB and MAP) were recorded over 10min of rest before and immediately after, at 10, 20, 30, 40, 50 and 60min of recovery. Repeated-measures Split-Plot ANOVA was used to identify differences within and between groups. RESULTS: There was no difference observed at SBP between pre, post and between interventions. Regarding the DBP the TDCS induced decreased (p<0,05) immediately after intervention (-5%) when compared to rest. The MAP was reduced (p<0,05) in the same moment (-4,7%), and at 10 min (-2,3%) of recovery when compared to rest; whereas HR was significant higher until 30 min of recovery for 10 min Tag Play and until 40 min post intervention for 20 min Tag Play (p<0,05). CONCLUSIONS: It was not possible to identify the post-exercise hypotension after 10 and 20 min of acute active playing (Tag-Play). Otherwise 20min of TDCS (1mA) induced significant reduction in SBP, DBP and MAP in children.