Psychophysiological Responses Research Articles

Affective cognition in response to infant stimuli in pregnant compared with non-pregnant women

ABSTRACT Physiological, neurocognitive, and psychological changes facilitates adaptation to motherhood. This cross-sectional study aimed to examine differences between pregnant and non-pregnant women in affective cognitive and psychophysiological responses to infant stimuli. We hypothesized that pregnant women would display (I) reduced negative emotional reactivity and perception of distressed infant stimuli, (II) increased attention toward infants compared to adults, and (III) greater psychophysiological response to infant distress. The sample comprised 22 pregnant women (22–38 weeks gestation) and 18 non-pregnant nulliparous women. Four computerized tasks were administered to measure affective cognitive processing of infant stimuli, while recording facial expressions, electrodermal activity, and eye gazes. Results indicated that pregnant women exhibited fewer negative facial expressions, reported less frustration when exposed to distressed infant cries, and showed greater attention to emotional infant faces compared to non-pregnant women, but the differences did not remain statistically significant after correction for multiple comparisons. No differences were observed in psychophysiological responses. The findings indicate a possible pregnancy-mediated effect regarding the cognitive processing of infant stimuli, potentially as preparation for motherhood. Future research with larger samples and longitudinal design is needed to understand the predictors, timing, and plasticity of cognitive changes during pregnancy.

Effects of coach-delivered verbal encouragement on the physiological and psychological responses of adolescent players in small-sided basketball games

IntroductionThe confluence of physiological and psychological dynamics is fundamental to athletic performance, particularly in basketball, where physical skill and mental resilience are imperative. While the role of verbal encouragement (VE) as a catalyst for enhancing performance has been explored in various sports disciplines, its specific effects within the basketball have not been adequately examined. Addressing this gap, the current study zeroes in on the influence of coach-delivered VE on the physiological and psychological responses of adolescent basketball players engaged in small-sided games (SSG), providing a focused analysis of how directed encouragement can modulate performance and experience in young athletes. This study aimed to investigate the effects of coach-delivered verbal encouragement on the psychological and physiological responses of adolescent basketball players.MethodsSixteen male participants (age: 16.93 ± 0.36 years; height: 176.8 ± 0.8 cm; body mass: 73.43 ± 12.57 kg; BMI: 21.70 ± 3.55) were allocated to a Verbal Encouragement Group (VEG, n = 8, mean age: 16.80 ± 0.44) and a Control Group (CG, n = 8, mean age: 17.06 ± 0.26). Each participant engaged in four sessions of small-sided games (SSGs) consisting of four players per side in a 14 × 10 m pitch.ResultsThe findings revealed significant benefits of coach-delivered verbal encouragement on both the physical and psychophysiological responses of the players (p < 0.05), including increased physical enjoyment, positive mood state, lower heart rate, and higher physical activity intensity level.DiscussionCoaches should incorporate verbal encouragement strategies during SSGs to enhance player performance and optimize both psychological and physiological adaptations.

Effects of Different Weekly Set Volumes on Strength and Perceptual Responses in Athletes.

This study investigated the effects of different resistance training (RT) volumes quantified by weekly sets at high intensity (load and effort) on dynamic strength adaptations and psychophysiological responses in trained individuals. Twenty-four athletes were randomly allocated to three groups that performed three (3 S, n=8), six (6 S, n=8), and nine (9 S, n=8) weekly sets, respectively, three times a week on the barbell back squat and bench press during an 8-week period. While all groups showcased strength gains (p<0.05), post hoc comparisons revealed that 6 S and 9 S elicited greater strength adaptations than 3 S in barbell back squat (p=0.027 and p=0.004, respectively) and bench press (p=0.001 and p=0.044, respectively). There were no differences between 6 S and 9 S conditions for back squat (p=0.999) and bench press (p=0.378). Although a time effect was observed for Session-RPE (p=0.014) and Total Quality Recovery scale (p=0.020), psychophysiological responses were similar among groups. Our findings suggest that performing six and nine weekly sets at high intensities led to greater strength gains compared to three weekly sets in strength-trained individuals, despite similar psychophysiological responses.

When We Are Happy, We Are the Same—Emotions as a Boundary Condition for the Impact of Cultural Differences on Strategic Decisions

AbstractStrategic decision-making research has mainly relied on the values-based approach to culture. However, the dynamic constructivist approach to culture has shown that cultural tendencies may also be altered by contingency factors in the decision-making process itself. We theorize based on the appraisal tendency framework as well as the concept of cultural affordances that emotions, such as happiness, can alter the cultural dispositions of managers from Western and East Asian contexts. To test our hypotheses, we conduct a lab-in-the-field experiment with 187 executives from China and Germany, and measure emotions based on participants’ psychophysiological skin conductance responses. Our results show that happiness moderates and can even reverse initial cultural dispositions in executives’ strategic decision-making behavior. These findings suggest that emotions may be important contingency factors that can alter the initial cultural dispositions of decision makers in the strategy process.

The role of visuomotor synchrony on virtual full-body illusions in children and adults.

The present study explored the effects of visuomotor synchrony in virtual reality during the embodiment of a full human avatar in children (aged 5-6 years) and adults. Participants viewed their virtual bodies from a first-person perspective while they moved the body during self-generated and structured movement. Embodiment was measured via questions and psychophysiological responses (skin conductance) to a virtual body-threat and during both movement conditions. Both children and adults had increased feelings of ownership and agency over a virtual body during synchronous visuomotor feedback (compared to asynchronous visuomotor feedback). Children had greater ownership compared to adults during synchronous movement but did not differ from adults on agency. There were no differences in SCRs (frequency or magnitude) between children and adults, between conditions (i.e., baseline or movement conditions) or visuomotor feedback. Collectively, the study highlights the importance of visuomotor synchrony for children's ratings of embodiment for a virtual avatar from at least 5 years old, and suggests adults and children are comparable in terms of psychophysiological arousal when moving (or receiving a threat to) a virtual body. This has important implications for our understanding of the development of embodied cognition and highlights the considerable promise of exploring visuomotor VR experiences in children.

Reduced amplitude and slowed latency of the acoustic startle response in adolescents and adults with 22q11.2 deletion syndrome

Background22q11.2 deletion syndrome (22q11DS) is one of the most robust genetic predictors of psychosis and other psychiatric illnesses. In this study, we examined 22q11DS subjects' acoustic startle responses (ASRs), which putatively index psychosis risk. Latency of the ASR is a presumptive marker of neural processing speed and is prolonged (slower) in schizophrenia. ASR measures correlate with increased psychosis risk, depend on glutamate and dopamine receptor signaling, and could serve as translational biomarkers in interventions for groups at high psychosis risk. MethodsStartle magnitude, latency, and prepulse inhibition were assessed with a standard acoustic startle paradigm in 31 individuals with 22q11.2DS and 32 healthy comparison (HC) subjects. Surface electrodes placed on participants' orbicularis oculi recorded the electromyographic signal in ASR eyeblinks. Individuals without measurable startle blinks in the initial habituation block were classified as non-startlers. ResultsAcross the startle session, the ASR magnitude was significantly lower in 22q11DS subjects than HCs because a significantly higher proportion of 22q11DS subjects were non-startlers. Latency of the ASR to pulse-alone stimuli was significantly slower in 22q11DS than HC subjects. Due to the overall lower 22q11DS startle response frequency and magnitudes prepulse inhibition could not be analyzed. ConclusionsReduced magnitude and slow latency of 22q11DS subjects' responses suggest reduced central nervous system and neuronal responsiveness. These findings are consistent with significant cognitive impairments observed in 22q11DS subjects. Further research is needed to untangle the connections among basic neurotransmission dysfunction, psychophysiological responsiveness, and cognitive impairment.

EFFECTS OF A SINGLE HEART RATE-CLAMPED CYCLING SESSION UNDER SYSTEMIC HYPOXIA ON RECOVERY OF PHYSICAL AND PSYCHO-PHYSIOLOGICAL RESPONSES FROM EXERCISE-INDUCED FATIGUE

AIMS We investigated whether a single heart-rate clamped cycling session under systemic hypoxia affects the recovery of physical and psycho-physiological responses from residual fatigue compared to normoxia. METHODS On separate occasions, twelve trained males had countermovement jump height, leg stiffness, and perceptual fatigue assessed daily during a 3-d acute training camp scenario. On days 1 and 3, participants cycled for 60 min at a constant heart rate (80% of ventilatory threshold). On day 2, fatigue was induced through a simulated team game circuit (STGC), followed by a 60-min heart rate clamped cycling bout in either normoxia, hypoxia (simulated altitude ∼3500 m), or no cycling. RESULTS Compared to baseline, jump height decreased at all timepoints following the STGC (all p &amp;lt; 0.05). Leg stiffness and cycling power output only decreased immediately following the STGC, with a 48% further decrease in cycling power output in hypoxia compared to normoxia (p &amp;lt; 0.05). The well-being questionnaire showed that perceived fatigue, decreased sleep quality, and increased muscle soreness responses occurred on day 3 (p&amp;lt; 0.05). CONCLUSION In a pre-fatigued state, a single heart rate-clamped cycling session in hypoxia reduced mechanical output without affecting recovery of physical performance and perceptual measures from residual fatigue induced through team sport activity.

Effects of hearing acuity on psychophysiological responses to effortful speech perception

In recent studies, psychophysiological measures have been used as markers of listening effort, but there is limited research on the effect of hearing loss on such measures. The aim of the current study was to investigate the effect of hearing acuity on physiological responses and subjective measures acquired during different levels of listening demand, and to investigate the relationship between these measures. A total of 125 participants (37 males and 88 females, age range 37-72 years, pure-tone average hearing thresholds at the best ear between -5.0 to 68.8 dB HL and asymmetry between ears between 0.0 and 87.5 dB) completed a listening task. A speech reception threshold (SRT) test was used with target sentences spoken by a female voice masked by male speech. Listening demand was manipulated using three levels of intelligibility: 20% correct speech recognition, 50%, and 80% (IL20%, IL50%, IL80%, respectively). During the task, peak pupil dilation (PPD), heart rate (HR), pre-ejection period (PEP), respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA), and skin conductance level (SCL) were measured. For each condition, subjective ratings of effort, performance, difficulty, and tendency to give up were also collected. Linear mixed effects models tested the effect of intelligibility level, hearing acuity, hearing asymmetry, and tinnitus complaints on the physiological reactivity (compared to baseline) and subjective measures. PPD and PEP reactivity showed a non-monotonic relationship with intelligibility level, but no such effects were found for HR, RSA, or SCL reactivity. Participants with worse hearing acuity had lower PPD at all intelligibility levels and showed lower PEP baseline levels. Additionally, PPD and SCL reactivity were lower for participants who reported suffering from tinnitus complaints. For IL80%, but not IL50% or IL20%, participants with worse hearing acuity rated their listening effort to be relatively high compared to participants with better hearing. The reactivity of the different physiological measures were not or only weakly correlated with each other. Together, the results suggest that hearing acuity may be associated with altered sympathetic nervous system (re)activity. Research using psychophysiological measures as markers of listening effort to study the effect of hearing acuity on such measures are best served by the use of the PPD and PEP.

Психофизиологический и психоэндокринный подходы в зарубежных исследованиях стрессового реагирования у полицейских

&lt;p style="text-align: justify;"&gt;The article presents a review of psychophysiological and psychoendocrine approaches in foreign studies of stress response in police officers. The main vectors of psychophysiological response to stress in representatives of dangerous professions are identified. It has been determined that, in combination with the autonomic nervous and immune systems, the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis is involved in the formation of an individual response to chronic stress. The main emphasis of foreign works devoted to the study of the psychoendocrine component of the stress response in police officers is to study the influence of the dehydroepiandrosterone and cortisol. Modern technologies for recording stress indicators was also being studied. Further study of psychophysiological and psychoendocrine approaches in studies of stress response in police officers from the point of view of their integration seems promising.&lt;/p&gt;

Psychophysiological Responses to High-Intensity Interval Training Exercise over Menstrual Cycle Phases: An Exploratory Study.

Although there is potential for the menstrual cycle to impact psychophysiological responses to exercise, there has been a paucity of studies investigating this aspect, specifically in the context of high-intensity interval training (HIIT). This exploratory study aimed to examine the psychophysiological responses to HIIT over the menstrual cycle. Twenty-three healthy and physically active young women were recruited. Each woman completed a cycle ergometer HIIT session in the menstrual, follicular, and luteal phases of the menstrual cycle in a random order. Psychophysiological variables of interest were collected at baseline, and during and after exercise. Primary variables of interest were anxiety, mood, motivation, enjoyment, arousal, affect, and menstrual distress. Higher pain, water retention, behavior change (related to social interactions, eating habits, and self-performance), and autonomic reactions (consisting of nausea, dizziness, hot flashes, and cold sweats) were observed before HIIT during the menstrual phase compared to the follicular phase (p < 0.05). Participants exhibited worse psychological responses to HIIT sessions during the menstrual phase, followed by the luteal phase. Findings also noted participants arrived to the laboratory with lower motivation to initiate HIIT sessions during the luteal and menstrual phases compared to the follicular phase. This difference was observed before and during HIIT. Motivation and depressive symptoms showed a significant reduction from pre-HIIT to post-HIIT (p < 0.05), regardless of menstrual phase. The findings revealed that the menstrual cycle had a significant impact on psychophysiological responses. Moreover, HIIT could be adopted to improve motivation and depressive symptoms, however, further research is needed to explore the effects of HIIT across the menstrual cycle in women with clinical depression.

Design and emotional responses: is there coherence between what is said and what is felt? A study using biofeedback and virtual reality

Identifying users’ experience when using products is one of the major challenges for design. Analyzing users’ psychophysiological reactions to an experience using biofeedback can produce more reliable results than using subjective evaluations, such as structured interviews and questionnaires. Two case studies were conducted to identify emotions users actually felt and to check whether there is some correspondence with what they reported after using two computational systems. The first system investigated users’ emotions during training on a vehicle driving simulator, and the second analyzed the emotions experienced during a car racing game, both in a virtual reality environment. User’s opinions about their emotional state were obtained using self-report techniques (using the Geneva Emotions Wheel—GEW and Positive and Negative Affective Schedule—PANAS questionnaires) and applying EEG (brain activity with Frontal Alpha Asymmetry Index—FAAI) and infrared thermography (facial thermograms). The training experiment presented the greater concordance between the psychophysiological and the self-report responses. Results evidenced the importance of undertaking multimodal studies in design research to determine users’ emotional experiences in a virtual reality context.

Recovery following exercise-induced fatigue: Influence of a single heart rate clamped cycling session under systemic hypoxia

ABSTRACT We investigated whether a single heart rate clamped cycling session under systemic hypoxia affects the recovery of physical and psycho-physiological responses from residual fatigue compared to normoxia. On separate occasions, twelve trained males performed a 3-d acute training camp scenario. On days 1 and 3, participants cycled for 60 min at a constant heart rate (80% of ventilatory threshold). On day 2, fatigue was induced through a simulated team game circuit (STGC), followed by a 60-min intervention of either: (1) heart rate clamped cycling in normoxia; (2) heart rate clamped cycling in hypoxia (simulated altitude ~ 3500 m); or (3) no cycling. Countermovement jump height and leg stiffness were assessed before and after every session. Perceptual fatigue was evaluated daily. Compared to baseline, jump height decreased at all timepoints following the STGC (all p < 0.05). Leg stiffness and cycling power output only decreased immediately following the STGC, with a 48% further decrease in cycling power output in hypoxia compared to normoxia (p < 0.05). Perceived fatigue, decreased sleep quality, and increased muscle soreness responses occurred on day 3 (p < 0.05). A single heart rate-clamped cycling session in hypoxia reduced mechanical output without affecting recovery of physical performance and perceptual measures from residual fatigue induced through team sport activity.

Does Playing Tennis with a Low-Compression Ball Effect Psychophysiological Responses and Match Characteristics in Recreational Adult Players?

This study aimed to compare the effects of playing tennis using low-compression balls (Lc-Balls) and standard balls (St-Balls) on psychophysiological responses and match characteristics among recreational adult tennis players. Participants (N = 24; age: 20.5 ± 1.3 years) were randomly matched to play two singles matches over three sets: one match was played with a Lc-Ball and one match was played with a St-Ball, resulting in twenty-four matches. Heart-rate responses and match characteristics were assessed during each match. Post-match measures included retrospective assessments of perceived exertion, ratings of enjoyment towards physical activity, and ratings of mental effort and mood. Results showed higher psychophysiological responses and more intensive play during the game when playing with the Lc-Ball (p ≤ 0.05, d values ranging from 0.24 to 1.93 [small to very large effect]). Further, playing with a Lc-Ball related to reporting a lower rating of perceived exertion (p = 0.00, d = 0.90 [moderate effect]) and greater physical enjoyment (p = 0.00, d = 1.73 [large effect]). Playing with the St-Ball was associated with higher unpleasant mood responses including depression, tension, anger, and fatigue. In conclusion, the results suggest that using the Lc-Ball may lead to better match performance with higher enjoyment in the tennis match-play in recreational adult tennis players.

Psychophysiological and emotional effects of human-Dog interactions by activity type: An electroencephalogram study.

Animal-assisted interventions are being increasingly used in studies that support various health effects. This study compared the psychophysiological and emotional responses during diverse activities with a dog to understand the impact of activity type. This study included 30 healthy adults (average age: 27.9 ± 8.4 years). Participants performed eight different activities with a dog for 3 minutes each. These activities included meeting, playing, feeding, massaging, grooming, photographing, hugging, and walking. Brain waves in the prefrontal, frontal, parietal, and occipital lobes were measured during the activities. Subjective evaluation of their emotions was recorded after each activity via the Profile of Mood States, Semantic Differential Method, and Stress Numeric Rating Scale. The alpha (relative, relative slow, relative fast) power spectra indicated that the brain's relaxation and resting state significantly increased when playing with and walking a dog. The beta (relative, relative low, and relative mid) power spectra significantly increased during dog massage, grooming, and playing activities, indicating improved concentration without stress. Notably, playing with a dog positively affected both relaxation and concentration. The Profile of Mood States outcome showed that activities such as feeding, massaging, and hugging the dog decreased the total mood disorder score, which indicated a positive effect on participants' moods. The Semantic Differential Method revealed that participants felt comfortable and natural while walking with a dog and relaxed when massaging it. Participants showed significantly lower stress moods in all the activities. This study demonstrated that specific dog activities could activate stronger relaxation, emotional stability, attention, concentration, and creativity by facilitating increased brain activity. In addition, interactions with dogs could decrease stress and induce positive emotional responses. These results provide data that forms the basis for the composition of the AAI program and may be applicable as a reference to determine the most effective activities for specific applications.

Unpredictable threat increases early event-related potential amplitudes and cardiac acceleration: A brain-heart coupling study.

In the face of unpredictable threat, rapid processing of external events and behavioral mobilization through early psychophysiological responses are crucial for survival. While unpredictable threat generally enhances early processing, it would seem adaptive to particularly increase sensitivity for unexpected events as they may signal danger. To examine this possibility, n = 77 participants performed an auditory oddball paradigm and received unpredictable shocks in threat but not in safe contexts while a stream of frequent (standard) and infrequent (deviant) tones was presented. We assessed event-related potentials (ERP), heart period (HP), and time-lagged within-subject correlations of single-trial EEG and HP (cardio-EEG covariance tracing, CECT) time-locked to the tones. N1 and P2 ERP amplitudes were generally enhanced under threat. The P3 amplitude was enhanced to deviants versus standards and this effect was reduced in the threat condition. Regarding HP, both threat versus safe and unexpected versus expected tones led to stronger cardiac acceleration, suggesting separate effects of threat and stimulus expectancy on HP. Finally, CECTs revealed two correlation clusters, indicating that single-trial EEG magnitudes in the N1/P2 and P3 time-windows predicted subsequent cardiac acceleration. The current results show that an unpredictable threat context enhances N1 and P2 amplitudes and cardiac acceleration to benign auditory stimuli. They further suggest separable cortical correlates of different effects on cardiac activity: an early N1/P2 correlate associated with threat-effects on HP and a later P3 correlate associated with expectedness-effects. Finally, the results indicate that unpredictable threat attenuates rather than enhances the processing of unexpected benign events during the P3 latency.

Effect of recurrent task-induced acute stress on task performance, vagally mediated heart rate variability, and task-evoked pupil response

Advances in wearable sensor technologies can be leveraged to investigate behavioral and physiological responses in task-induced stress environments. Reliable and valid multidimensional assessments are required to detect stress given its multidimensional nature. This study investigated the effect of recurrent task-induced acute stress on task performance, vagally mediated heart variability measures (vmHRV) and task-evoked pupillary response (TEPR). Task performance, vmHRV measures, and TEPR were collected from 32 study participants while they performed a computer-based task in a recurrent task-induced acute stress environment. Mixed-effects modeling was used to assess the sensitivity of each outcome variable to experimental conditions. Repeated measures correlation tests were used to examine associations between outcome variables. Task performance degraded under stress. vmHRV measures were lower in the stress conditions relative to the no stress conditions. TEPR was found to be higher in the stress conditions compared to the no stress conditions. Task performance was negatively associated with the vmHRV measures, and degraded task performance was linked to increased TEPR in the stress conditions. There were positive associations between vmHRV measures. TEPR was negatively associated with vmHRV measures. Although task-induced stress degrades task performance, recurrent exposure to that stress could alter this effect via habituation. Further, our findings suggest that vmHRV measures and TEPR are sensitive enough to quantify psychophysiological responses to recurrent task-induced stress.

Differential psychophysiological responses associated with decision-making in children from different socioeconomic backgrounds.

This study examined how socioeconomic status (SES) influences on decision-making processing. The roles of anticipatory/outcome-related cardiac activity and awareness of task contingencies were also assessed. One hundred twelve children (Mage = 5.83, SDage = 0.32; 52.7% female, 51.8% low-SES; data collected October-December 2018 and April-December 2019) performed the Children's Gambling Task, while heart rate activity was recorded. Awareness of gain/loss contingencies was assessed after completing the task. Distinct decision-making strategies emerged among low and middle/high-SES children. Despite similar awareness levels between SES groups, future-oriented decision-making was linked solely to the middle/high-SES group. Somatic markers did not manifest unequivocally. However, contrasting cardiac patterns were evident concerning feedback processing and the association between anticipatory activity and awareness (low: acceleration vs. middle/high: deceleration). Results are interpreted from an evolutionary-developmental perspective.

Impacts of connections to the outside on underground space occupants’ psychophysiological health: A virtual reality-based experimental approach

Underground space occupants tend to face more psychophysiological health risks than their aboveground counterparts. Enabling a certain level of connection (e.g., physical, visual, or a mixture thereof) to the outside environments has been recognized as a way to mitigate the risks. However, their impacts on occupants’ psychophysiological health have not been known with any precision. This research, therefore, aims to improve our understanding of the impacts of connection to the outside on occupants’ psychophysiological health. In reality, it would be too expensive to build the physical connections and test their impacts. Virtual reality (VR) can circumvent this problem by bringing a person to immersive environments to carry out experiments. This study firstly developed four VR scenes with different connection designs. Then, it recruited forty-seven participants randomly assigned to the four scenes for the experiments. The participants’ psychophysiological responses, including mental workload, alertness, and mental fatigue, were measured continuously using electroencephalogram (EEG) signals. A series of tests, including Wilcoxon signed-rank and Kruskal-Wallis tests, were performed. The results indicate that i) physical connection to the outside environments has no significant impact on underground space occupants’ psychophysiological states under stress, and ii) while visual connection has no significant impact on occupants’ mental workload and fatigue, it buffers the increase in their alertness levels under stressful situations. Low alertness levels are associated with creativity and novelty. Thus, visual connection to the outside environments is recommended for underground spaces for creative purposes (e.g., art studios and creative media production). This research provides a significant reference for better harnessing underground space by considering their connection to the outside environments.

Trait-dependent effects of theta burst stimulation after psychosocial stress: a sham-controlled study in healthy individuals

ObjectivePrevious studies suggest that theta burst stimulation (TBS), a form of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS), applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) might be a promising approach to modulate stress-reactive rumination and the associated psychophysiological stress response. Crucially, individuals showing higher levels of trait rumination might benefit more from prefrontal stimulation. MethodsIn this sham-controlled study, 127 healthy individuals, with varying ruminative tendencies, received a single-session of intermittent TBS (iTBS), continuous TBS (cTBS) or sham TBS (sTBS) over the left DLPFC before being confronted with a Trier Social Stress Test. ResultsResults showed significant TBS effects on salivary cortisol as a function of trait rumination. cTBS, as compared to sTBS and iTBS, resulted in an attenuated stress-induced cortisol response in high compared to low trait ruminators. Although independent of trait rumination levels, cTBS showed positive effects on stress-related changes in mood and, both cTBS and iTBS (versus sham) presented an enhanced heart rate recovery following the stressor. We found no evidence for (trait rumination-dependent) TBS effects on stress-reactive rumination, negative affect, subjective stress or heart rate variability. ConclusionscTBS shows beneficial effects on certain measures of stress, especially in high trait ruminators. SignificanceThese findings highlight the importance of accounting for individual differences when examining TBS effects.

Acute Responses to Repeated-SprintTraining in Hypoxia Combined With Whole-Body Cryotherapy: A Preliminary Study.

This study aimed to investigate acute psychophysiological responses to repeated-sprint training in hypoxia (RSH) combined with whole-body cryotherapy (WBC). Sixteen trained cyclists performed 3 sessions in randomized order: RSH, WBC-RSH (WBC pre-RSH), and RSH-WBC (WBC post-RSH). RSH consisted of 3 sets of 5 × 10-second sprints with 20-second recovery at a simulated altitude of 3000m. Power output, muscle oxygenation (tissue saturation index), heart-rate variability, and recovery perception were analyzed. Sleep quality was assessed on the nights following test sessions and compared with a control night using nocturnal ActiGraphy and heart-rate variability. Power output did not differ between the conditions (P = .27), while the decrease in tissue saturation index was reduced for WBC-RSH compared to RSH-WBC in the last set. In both conditions with WBC, the recovery perception was higher compared to RSH (WBC-RSH: +15.4%, and RSH-WBC: +21.9%, P < .05). The number of movements during the RSH-WBC night was significantly lower than for the control night (-18.7%, P < .01) and WBC-RSH (-14.9%, P < .05). RSH led to a higher root mean square of the successive differences of R-R intervals and high-frequency band during the first hour of sleep compared to the control night (P < .05) and RSH-WBC (P < .01). Inclusion of WBC in an RSH session did not modify the power output but could improve prolonged performance in hypoxia by maintaining muscle oxygenation. A single RSH session did not deteriorate sleep quality. WBC, particularly when performed after RSH, positively influenced recovery perception and sleep.