Increase In Parasympathetic Nervous Activity Research Articles

Plank exercise improves respiratory capacity through positive changes in body composition, abdominis function, and autonomic nerves' activities

AbstractThis research aimed to explore the impact of plank exercise training (PET) on respiratory function, body composition, abdominis performance, and autonomic nervous system (ANS). Sixty‐one young adults participated and were divided into a control group (CG, n = 31) and an exercise group (EG, n = 30), wherein PET was administered 3 days per week for 12 weeks. After the experiment, the body composition of the CG deteriorated, whereas that of the EG improved (p < 0.001). The EG exhibited a reduction of ∼34% in the mean maximum displacement and a rise of ∼20% in the mean contraction time of the abdominis. The sit‐up in the EG demonstrated a significant increase of ∼55%. In the EG, there was a substantial increase in peak expiratory force by ∼24% and forced expiratory volume in 1 s by ∼14%, accompanied by a reduction in resting respiratory rate by ∼ −9%. When compared to the CG, these alterations were significant between the two groups (p = 0.001). In the EG, there was a significant decrease in resting heart rate by ∼2%, accompanied by a decrease in sympathetic nervous activity by ∼ −5% and by an increase in parasympathetic nervous activity by ∼5%. When compared to the CG, these alterations were significant between the two groups (p = 0.001). The findings of this study revealed that implementing PET in young adults, while controlling for dietary intake and physical activity, resulted in noteworthy changes in respiratory capacity. These changes were coupled with improvements in body composition, abdominal functions, and the ANS.

Thermal Comfort and Human Responses according to Tree Density in Forest Environments during and after Physical Activities in the Summer

This study aimed to comprehensively investigate the thermal comfort and physiological and psychological effects according to tree density in forest environments during rest and during and after physical activities in the summer. Participants consisted of 18 male university students (average age: 24.0 ± 1.6 years old), and a within-subjects experimental design was used. Participants sat on a chair for 5 min to rest, performed a step-box exercise for 8 min, and then sat on the chair again, and rested for 10 min in a forest with high tree density (85.6%) and one with low tree density (12.2% as a control). Thermal comfort (predicted mean vote; PMV and percentage of dissatisfied; PPD) and physiological and psychological responses were measured. We investigated and analyzed the changes in “rest”, “during exercise”, and “after exercise”. As a result, a forest with high tree density showed a statistically significant decrease in PMV and PPD values; an increase in parasympathetic nervous activity; a decrease in respiratory rate, systolic blood pressure, and pulse rate; an improvement in mood state; an increase in comfortable, relaxed, and natural feelings; and more of an increase in personal thermal sensation during the recovery period after physical activities than in a forest with low tree density. In conclusion, a forest with high tree density during recovery after physical activities in the summer has higher thermal comfort and physiological and psychological relaxation effects on humans, as compared to one with low tree density.

Effects of viewing flowering plants on employees' wellbeing in an office-like environment

Despite the existence of plentiful studies on how plants can positively affect human wellbeing, few have focused on the potential effects of flower colours on stressed people. The present study was designed to illustrate the psychophysiological relaxation impacts of seeing purple and blue hydrangea flowers among finance workers. Thirty employees were asked to view purple, blue flowers or an empty table for 3-min, during which we measured the participants' brain activity, heart rate variability and skin conductance. We also assessed their emotions and mood states. Findings suggest that, compared with viewing the control, viewing blue and purple flowers resulted in a significant increase in alpha relative waves in the prefrontal and occipital lobes, and a significant increase in parasympathetic nervous activity. A significant increase in the sensation vote for ‘comfort', ‘relaxation' and ‘cheerfulness', as well as a dramatic improvement in the mood state was observed. The results show clear evidence for the support of the use of blue and purple flowering plants in places where comfort and calmness are required. In addition, blue flowers were more favoured and had the greatest positive effects. Results indicate that viewing flowering plants would be a promising therapeutic approach for enhancing physiological functions and improving psychological relaxation for office workers.

Horticultural Activity: Its Contribution to Stress Recovery and Wellbeing for Children.

In recent years, children’s use of mobile phones has grown rapidly, which might lead to an increase in mental stress and negatively affect their health. Despite increasing evidence that horticultural activity can provide significant health benefits, few scientific evidence-based studies are currently available regarding these benefits to children’s health and wellbeing in schools. Therefore, this study aims to determine the potential benefits of horticultural activity for children from both psychological and physiological perspectives. Twenty-six elementary school students (mean age, 8.12 ± 0.21 years) were asked to perform a plant-related task and a mobile game task for 5 min. During both tasks, physiological sensors were used to measure the participants’ heart rate variability, skin conductance, and skin temperature. Additionally, the participants’ emotional responses were assessed using semantic differential and State–Trait Anxiety Inventory tests immediately after each task. Results revealed that, compared with the mobile game task, participants’ health statuses were positively correlated with the horticultural task, including a considerable decrease in skin conductance and sympathetic nervous activity, together with a marginal increase in parasympathetic nervous activity. Such responses suggested that horticultural activity increased relaxation and decreased feelings of stress. Furthermore, the horticultural activity was associated with a substantial increment in comfort, naturalness, relaxation, and cheerfulness feelings, as well as a significant reduction in depression and a reduction in total anxiety levels. Given these positive benefits, horticultural activity may provide a great contribution to children’s healthy life at school, prompt psychological relaxation and minimize mental stress relative to smartphone games.

Physiological Effects of Viewing Bonsai in Elderly Patients Undergoing Rehabilitation.

The benefits of various nature-derived stimuli that can be used for stress relief and relaxation has recently gained immense attention; however, there are very few studies about their influence on elderly patients. The present study aims to present the effects of viewing bonsai on autonomic nervous activity, prefrontal cortex activity, and subjective assessment findings of psychological relaxation in elderly patients undergoing rehabilitation. Fourteen participants aged 64–91 years (mean age ± standard deviation, 78.6 ± 9.6 years) participated in this study. Miniature potted 10-year-old Japanese cypress bonsai trees were used as visual stimuli. Participants viewed the bonsai for 1 min, and the control comprised of no experimental stimulus. Physiological effects on autonomic nervous activity were assessed by measuring the heart rate variability (HRV) and pulse rate. The effects on prefrontal cortex activity were determined using near-infrared spectroscopy, which involved assessment of oxyhemoglobin concentrations in the left and right prefrontal cortices. Subjective evaluations were achieved by the modified semantic differential method. Viewing bonsai resulted in a significant increase in parasympathetic nervous activity, a significant decrease in sympathetic nervous activity, and a significant increase in the perceptions of feeling “comfortable” and “relaxed.” In conclusion, our findings indicated that viewing bonsai induces physiological and psychological relaxation.

Ingestion of coffee polyphenols suppresses deterioration of skin barrier function after barrier disruption, concomitant with the modulation of autonomic nervous system activity in healthy subjects.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of consumption of coffee polyphenols (CPPs) on the autonomic nervous system activity and decreased skin barrier function caused by sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) treatment. In this single-blind, placebo-controlled study, ten healthy male subjects consumed either a beverage containing CPPs or a placebo beverage for four weeks. CPPs significantly suppressed the deterioration in skin barrier function and skin moisture content induced by SDS treatment after the third week. Furthermore, in the heart rate variability analysis, CPPs significantly produced an increase in parasympathetic nervous activity, and a decrease in sympathetic nervous activity after the four weeks of beverage consumption. These results suggest that CPPs might influence the regulation of the autonomic nervous system and contribute to the suppressive effect on deterioration of skin barrier function.

Heterogenous haemodynamic effects of adaptive servoventilation therapy in sleeping patients with heart failure and Cheyne-Stokes respiration compared to healthy volunteers.

This study investigated the haemodynamic effects of adaptive servoventilation (ASV) in heart failure (HF) patients with Cheyne-Stokes respiration (CSR) versus healthy controls. Twenty-seven HF patients with CSR and 15 volunteers were ventilated for 1h using a new ASV device (PaceWave™). Haemodynamics were continuously and non-invasively recorded at baseline, during ASV and after ventilation. Prior to the actual study, a small validation study was performed to validate non-invasive measurement of Stroke volume index (SVI). Non-invasive measurement of SVI showed a marginal overall difference of -0.03±0.41 L/min/m(2) compared to the current gold standard (Thermodilution-based measurement). Stroke volume index (SVI) increased during ASV in HF patients (29.7±5 to 30.4±6 to 28.7±5mL/m(2), p<0.05) and decreased slightly in volunteers (50.7±12 to 48.6±11 to 47.9±12mL/m(2)). Simultaneously, 1h of ASV was associated with a trend towards an increase in parasympathetic nervous activity (PNA) in HF patients and a trend towards an increase in sympathetic nervous activity (SNA) in healthy volunteers. Blood pressure (BP) and total peripheral resistance response increased significantly in both groups, despite marked inter-individual variation. Effects were independent of vigilance. Predictors of increased SVI during ASV in HF patients included preserved right ventricular function, normal resting BP, non-ischaemic HF aetiology, mitral regurgitation and increased left ventricular filling pressures. This study confirms favourable haemodynamic effects of ASV in HF patients with CSR presenting with mitral regurgitation and/or increased left ventricular filling pressures, but also identified a number of new predictors. This might be mediated by a shift towards more parasympathetic nervous activity in those patients.

Compression on trigger points in the leg muscle increases parasympathetic nervous activity based on heart rate variability

Massotherapy, the therapeutic use of massage, is used to treat various chronic pain syndromes. One type of massotherapy, pressure stimulus applied over trigger points (TPs), is reported to have excellent therapeutic effects. Its effect is possibly mediated through changes in the autonomic nervous system although little research has been conducted to assess autonomic activity during TP compression. We have investigated how compression applied over TPs affects the autonomic nervous system. Six healthy young adult females whose daily working routine was carried out predominantly in a standing position were enrolled in the study cohort. After a day's work, the subjects were asked to rest supine, and electrocardiograms (ECGs), instantaneous lung volume (ILV) and systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP, DBP) were measured before and after pressure application over the TPs in those lower limb muscles where the subjects felt muscle fatigue or discomfort. The subjects were also asked to coordinate breathing with the beeping sounds. The therapeutic effects of TP compression were assessed by a subjective fatigue scale. Parasympathetic nervous activity was also assessed by spectral analysis of heart rate (HR) variability. The transfer function from ILV to HR was evaluated using linear analysis. The results indicated that TP compression (1) decreased HR, SBP and DBP, (2) increased parasympathetic activity, (3) increased the gain from ILV to HR, and (4) improved the fatigue scores. These findings suggest that an increase in parasympathetic nervous activity after the TP compression induced a reduction of fatigue. The therapeutic mechanisms of TP compression to enhance parasympathetic nervous system are discussed.

Edrophonium‐Induced Right Ventricular Outflow Tract Tachycardia

Idiopathic right ventricular outflow tract-ventricular tachycardia (RVOT-VT) generally occurs when sympathetic nervous system activity is increased, though, in a few patients, it develops when parasympathetic nervous activity (PNA) is increased. Among 101 consecutive patients with RVOT-VT confirmed by endocardial catheter mapping, 5 (4.9%) presented with nocturnal RVOT-VT. Autonomic nervous balance was studied by heart rate variability (HRV) analysis from 24-hour ambulatory electrocardiogram (ECG). Standard programmed ventricular stimulation (PVS), ventricular burst pacing, and drug provocation were performed to induce RVOT-VT. In the studied five patients, the average number of mostly nocturnal ventricular premature contractions (VPCs) was 6649 +/- 4472/day. Two patients had nocturnal nonsustained RVOT-VT on 24-hour ambulatory ECG recordings. The HRV analysis revealed that a progressive increase in high-frequency power coincided with an increase in VPCs or development of RVOT-VT at night, whereas low/high frequency ratio did not change significantly during the 24-hour period. RVOT-VT could not be induced by PVS, ventricular burst pacing, or isoproterenol or adenosine triphosphate i.v. However, RVOT-VT could only be induced by edrophonium, 5 mg i.v., in all patients. An increase in PNA was observed in a few patients before the development of RVOT-VT. Edrophonium facilitated induction of RVOT-VT in such patients.

Autonomic nervous responses according to preference for the odor of jasmine tea.

The effect of jasmine tea odor on the autonomic nervous system was investigated by a power spectral analysis of the heart rate variability. We assigned eight volunteers to two groups with either a predilection for or antipathy toward the jasmine tea odor. We tested both high- and low-intensity jasmine tea odors. The low-intensity odor was produced by diluting 20-fold the jasmine tea used for the high-intensity odor test. The low-intensity odor produced an increase in parasympathetic nervous activity in both the predilection and antipathy groups. The high-intensity odor produced an increase in parasympathetic nervous activity in the predilection group, but an increase in sympathetic nervous activity in the antipathy group. The odor of Chinese green tea, a basic ingredient of jasmine tea, produced no effects similar to those of the jasmine tea odor. These results suggest that the jasmine tea odor activated the parasympathetic nerve, whereas the higher-intensity odor activated the sympathetic nerve in those subjects who disliked the odor.