Healthy Young Women Research Articles

Acute and Repeated Ashwagandha Supplementation Improves Markers of Cognitive Function and Mood.

Ashwagandha has been reported to reduce stress and attenuate cognitive decline associated with inflammation and neurodegeneration in clinical populations. However, the effects as a potential nootropic nutrient in younger populations are unclear. This study examined the effects of liposomal ashwagandha supplementation on cognitive function, mood, and markers of health and safety in healthy young men and women. 59 men and women (22.7 ± 7 yrs., 74.9 ± 16 kg, 26.2 ± 5 BMI) fasted for 12 h, donated a fasting blood sample, and were administered the COMPASS cognitive function test battery (Word Recall, Word recognition, Choice Reaction Time Task, Picture Recognition, Digit Vigilance Task, Corsi Block test, Stroop test) and profile of mood states (POMS). In a randomized and double-blind manner, participants were administered 225 mg of a placebo (Gum Arabic) or ashwagandha (Withania somnifera) root and leaf extract coated with a liposomal covering. After 60-min, participants repeated cognitive assessments. Participants continued supplementation (225 mg/d) for 30 days and then returned to the lab to repeat the experiment. Data were analyzed using a general linear model (GLM) univariate analysis with repeated measures and pairwise comparisons of mean changes from baseline with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Ashwagandha supplementation improved acute and/or 30-day measures of Word Recall (correct and recalled attempts), Choice Reaction Time (targets identified), Picture Recognition ("yes" correct responses, correct and overall reaction time), Digit Vigilance (correct reaction time), Stroop Color-Word (congruent words identified, reaction time), and POMS (tension and fatigue) from baseline more consistently with several differences observed between groups. Results support contentions that ashwagandha supplementation (225 mg) may improve some measures of memory, attention, vigilance, attention, and executive function while decreasing perceptions of tension and fatigue in younger healthy individuals. Retrospectively registered clinical trial ISRCTN58680760.

PEDAGOGICAL POSSIBILITIES OF INCREASING EDUCATIONAL EFFICIENCY IN PHYSICAL EDUCATION LESSONS

In this work, the pedagogical possibilities of increasing the effectiveness of education in physical education classes, the means of all-round development of physical education and sports are directly dependent on economic conditions, the need for mentally mature, physically healthy and strong young men and women for our republic today. Because the progress and development of a country with a healthy population will be healthy.

Differential Effect of 2 Hormonal Contraceptives on the Relative Telomere Length of Youth With Type 1 Diabetes.

Adolescents and young women (AYA) with type 1 diabetes (T1D) may require hormonal contraception for an extended period. However, it is unclear what effect hormonal contraception has on telomere length, a marker of the risk for complications. To investigate the relative telomere length (RTL) in AYA with T1D (AYA-T1D) and healthy young women (AYA-C) after 18 months of combined oral contraception use (COC) with ethinyl estradiol/desogestrel, or a subdermal etonogestrel implant (IM). A nonrandomized prospective study was performed in which 39 AYA-T1D and 40 AYA-C chose the COC or the IM. RTL was measured by monochrome multiplex-quantitative PCR in DNA from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). The impact of contraceptives and clinical variables on RTL was assessed using lineal regression analysis. Longer RTL compared to baseline was observed in AYA-T1D (P < .05) and AYA-C (P < .01) after using the IM. However, the total of AYA and the AYA-C group treated with COC decreased RTL after 18 months of treatment compared to baseline (P < .05). The type of contraceptive used was determinant for the changes in RTL compared to baseline in all subjects and controls (P ≤ .006). For AYA-T1D, HbA1c levels were not associated with RTL, but the high-sensitivity C-reactive protein was negatively related with the changes in RTL at 18 months compared to baseline (standardized R2 : 0.230, P = .003). IM was associated with longer RTL in AYA-T1D and AYA-C. In contrast, a shortening of telomere length in PBMC was observed after using COC.

Ultrasound thyroid size in young healthy women in the minsk city

Ultrasound thyroid size in young healthy women in the minsk city

Age Comparisons of Cardiac Work During Exercise in Women: Insight from Acute β1 Adrenergic Blockade

Postmenopausal women exhibit exaggerated increases in blood pressure during activities of daily living and exercise. The decreased size and increased stiffening of postmenopausal women's hearts elevate myocardial oxygen demand when compared to age-matched men and younger cohorts. Together, this poses a risk to the safety of, and capacity for, exercise in postmenopausal women. We recently studied the effects of esmolol, a fast-acting, cardio-selective β1 antagonist, on oxygen transport variables during dynamic exercise in healthy young (Y) and older (O) women to better understand differences in cardiovascular responses to exercise. Objective: Determine the effects of acute cardiac specific blockade on myocardial oxygen demand (rate pressure product, RPP) and cardiac work (CW) in healthy young premenopausal and older postmenopausal women. Methods: Thirteen healthy young (20-32 yr) and older postmenopausal (58-70 yr) women performed moderate (85% of lactate threshold) and heavy (50% between lactate threshold and the respiratory compensation point) recumbent leg cycling exercise during IV infusion of saline or esmolol in randomized order. Whole body oxygen consumption (VO2, indirect calorimetry), brachial systolic blood pressure (SBP, automated cuff), heart rate (HR, ECG), and cardiac output (CO, bioimpedance) were measured continuously. RPP (HR×SBP), CW (CO×SBP), and cardiac effciency (CE, CW/VO2) were calculated. Mixed model repeated measures ANOVAs were used to determine the effect of treatment and age group. Results: Power outputs were lower in O vs. Y at both moderate (45±9W and 72±15W, p&lt;0.001) and heavy (81±21W vs. 117±32W, p&lt;0.001) intensities. During the saline trial CO was lower (p&lt;0.001), and RPP was higher (p&lt;0.001) in the O vs. Y group during both intensities. There was a main effect of treatment on RPP, CW, and CE. Esmolol reduced RPP (4638±775 SD, p&lt;0.001), CW (547±89, p&lt;0.001) and CE (1682±62, p&lt;0.001) in both O and Y. There was a main effect of age group on CE, pairwise comparisons showed CE was lower in O than Y (441±112, p&lt;0.001). Conclusions: Older postmenopausal women experience higher myocardial oxygen demand and perform more cardiac work for a given whole body liter oxygen consumed during dynamic leg exercise compared to younger premenopausal women. Acute β1 adrenergic blockade narrows the gap between central cardiovascular function in young and old women and provides a powerful tool to investigate age-related cardiovascular differences. NIH R21 AG054940. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Plasma Levels of Estradiol and Progesterone are Positively Associated with IL-1α and IL-1Ra in Young Women with PTSD

Introduction: Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is independently associated with greater cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Prior studies have reported higher inflammation as a possible underlying mechanism. Premenopausal females are typically thought to be protected from CVD due to estradiol (E2) and available data supports growing CVD risk in females before menopause by virtue of having PTSD. Given that E2 and progesterone (P4) have been shown to have a broad range of both pro- and anti-inflammatory effects, the purpose of our study was to investigate whether plasma levels of E2 and P4 are associated with subclinical inflammation in young women with PTSD. We hypothesized that E2 and P4 will be negatively associated with IL-1α, IL-1Ra, and IL-6. Methods: Seventy-five otherwise healthy young women (age, 28±7 years; BMI, 26.7±6 kg/m2) with a prior clinical diagnosis of PTSD (PTSD+, n=39) and without a PTSD diagnosis (PTSD-, n=36) were included in this study. We collected blood plasma samples to quantify E2 and P4 and inflammatory biomarkers Interleukin-1α (IL-1α), Interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) and Interleukin-6 (IL-6). Total plasma levels of E2 and P4 were measured using the quantitative sandwich enzyme immunoassay technique (ELISA). The inflammatory biomarkers were quantified using a Luminex assay. Participants were also asked to complete a self-administered PTSD checklist for DSM-5 (PCL5) to assess the severity of PTSD symptoms. We ran Pearson correlations between the sex hormones and the inflammatory biomarkers stratified by PTSD diagnosis. Results: We found a positive correlation between E2 levels and IL-1α (r=0.39, p=0.018), E2 and IL-1Ra (r=0.35, p=0.030), P4 and IL-1α (r=0.45, p=0.005), and P4 and IL-1Ra (r=0.27, p=0.101) in the PTSD+ group. In contrast, in the PTSD- group, there was no correlation between E2 and IL-1α (r=0.05, p=0.77), E2 and IL-1Ra (r=-0.06, p=0.73), P4 and IL-1α (r=-0.04, p=0.83) and P4 and IL-1Ra (r=0.07, p=0.68). Conclusion: Our analysis revealed that in young women with a clinical diagnosis of PTSD, E2 and P4 levels in the blood are positively associated with an increased IL-1α and IL-1Ra but not in young trauma-exposed women without PTSD. These findings suggest that in young women with PTSD, E2 and P4 might have a paradoxical effect on inflammation such that E2 and P4 promote the release of both pro-inflammatory (i.e. IL-1α) and anti-inflammatory (i.e. IL-1Ra) cytokines. Conversely, an increase in subclinical inflammation could lead to an increase in E2 and P4 levels, which in turn would promote the release of anti-inflammatory cytokines in order to inhibit the inflammatory response. K01HL161027 and UMN CTSI UL1TR002494 No Disclosure. This is the full abstract presented at the American Physiology Summit 2024 meeting and is only available in HTML format. There are no additional versions or additional content available for this abstract. Physiology was not involved in the peer review process.

Effect of Physical Exercise on Executive Functions Using the Emotional Stroop Task in Perimenopausal Women: A Pilot Study.

A quasi-experimental pilot study was conducted involving 14 perimenopausal women (Peri-MG) and 13 healthy young women (YG) who completed an EST before and after an aerobic cycling exercise. Mixed-effects models for repeated measures were used to analyze reaction times (RTs) and error rates (ERs) during emotional word processing (positive, negative, and neutral) for both groups. Compared with the YG, the Peri-MG showed significantly shortened RTs for positive and negative emotions (p < 0.05) post-exercise, but not for neutral words. In addition, the Peri-MG exhibited significantly increased ERs for negative words at baseline compared with the YG (p < 0.05), but this difference was not observed during the post-exercise test. The findings suggest that aerobic exercise can enhance executive control performance in perimenopausal women. The Peri-MG exhibited marked behavioral plasticity in the form of reduced bias to salient cues that were significantly more sensitive to alterations due to exercise. This new evidence enhances the understanding of emotional vulnerability and beneficial susceptibility to exercise in perimenopausal women.

Post-meal exercise under ecological conditions improves post-prandial glucose levels but not 24-hour glucose control

ABSTRACT We investigated whether post-meal walking (PMW) improved post-prandial glucose and 24h glucose control under free-living conditions among physically inactive young women. METHODS: Young women (Age: 20±1years; percent body fat: 28.2 ± 12%; BMI: 23.8 ± 4.2kg·m−1) completed a randomised crossover study to assess if PMW confers benefit. On the PMW day, women completed three bouts of brisk walks, and on the Control day they were instructed to follow normal habitual activities. Continuous glucose monitors captured post-prandial and 24h glucose, and physical activity monitors tracked physical activity throughout the study. RESULTS: PMW walking increased total daily step count (Control = 9,159 ± 2,962 steps vs. PMW = 14,611±3,891 steps, p<0.001) and activity scores (Control=33.87±1.16 METs·h vs. PMW = 36.11±1.58 METs·h, p < 0.001). PMW led to lower 3h average post-prandial glucose (main effect of condition, p=0.011) and 3h post-prandial area under curve glucose responses (main effect of condition, p = 0.027) compared to the control condition. Post hoc analysis revealed the largest decline occurred after dinner (3h average glucose Control = 7.55±1.21 mmol/L vs. PMW = 6.71 ± 0.80mmol/L, p = 0.039), when insulin sensitivity is typically diminished. Despite improvements in post-prandial glucose control, this did not translate to improvements in 24h glucose control (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Physically inactive and metabolically healthy young women, PMW improves post-prandial glucose but not 24h glucose control.

Association of hair cortisol concentration with brain-derived neurotrophic factor gene methylation: The role of sex as a moderator.

Hair cortisol concentration (HCC) reflects the long-term activity of the hypothalamus-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis in response to stress. Brain-derived neurotrophic factor DNA methylation (BDNF DNAM) may affect HCC, and sex and Val66Met may contribute to this association. Thus, the aim of this study was to investigate the associations between HCC and Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) DNAM, and the moderating effects of Val66Met and sex. We recruited 191 healthy young participants (96 women, mean age 23.0±2.6years) and collected body samples to evaluate HCC, and to determine BDNF DNAM and Val66Met genotypes. We analyzed the effects of BDNF DNAM, sex, and Val66Met on HCC. We also evaluated the associations between BDNF DNAM and HCC in groups separated by sex and genotypes. We found a marked association of BDNF DNAM with HCC across men and women. After dividing the data by sex, a positive correlation of HCC with BDNF DNAM was found only in women. There was no substantial moderation effect of Val66Met genotypes on the association between BDNF DNAM and HCC. Therefore, BDNF DNAM was found to have positive association with HCC only in healthy young women, indicating that sex moderates the association of BDNF DNAM with long-term HPA axis activity.

The Impact of Stress and Social Determinants on Diet in Cardiovascular Prevention in Young Women.

The prevention of cardiovascular diseases is a fundamental pillar for reducing morbidity and mortality caused by non-communicable diseases. Social determinants, such as socioeconomic status, education, neighborhood, physical environment, employment, social support networks, and access to health care, play a crucial role in influencing health outcomes and health inequities within populations. Social determinants and stress in women are interconnected factors that can significantly impact women's health and well-being. Pregnancy is a good time to engage young women and introduce them to beneficial behaviors, such as adopting essential life skills, especially diet, and learning stress management techniques. Stress influences diet, and women are more likely to engage in unhealthy eating behaviors such as emotional eating or coping with stress with food. Strong action is needed to improve women's lifestyle starting at a young age considering that this lays the foundation for a lower cardiovascular risk in adults and the elderly. The objective of this review is to examine cardiovascular primary prevention in young healthy women, focusing particularly on unresolved issues and the influence of social determinants, as well as the correlation with stressors and their influence on diet.

Narcissistic predispositions of self-harm in young women with and without depression

Introduction Diagnostic criteria for narcissistic personality disorder primarily focus on grandiosity and significance. In psychotherapeutic work, it is important to distinguish two subtypes of pathological narcissism: narcissistic grandiosity and narcissistic vulnerability. One of the manifestations of narcissistic traits is unstable or unformed self-esteem, manifested in attempts to conform to ideals. A part of modern society perceives the female body as an object that “needs to be looked at”. Self-objectification refers to a learned pattern of self-assessment of the importance of one’s body and appearance compared to other aspects of the self. Self-observation and comparison of oneself with others is one of the manifestations of self-objectification. With acts of auto aggression, the body becomes a tool or a means to solve psychological problems. In order for this to become possible, the ability to objectify your body “to look at it from the outside” plays an important role.ObjectivesAnalysis of the relationship between non-suicidal self-injurious behavior and narcissistic personality traits in young women with depression and young women without a psychiatric diagnosis.MethodsТhe study included 49 women divided into two groups. The first group included 24 patients with depression undergoing inpatient treatment (mean age 18.4). The second group included 25 healthy subjects (mean age 18 years). The methods: The answer to the question “Sometimes I purposely injure myself” was used as an indicator of self-harm (NSSI) (five-point Likert scale); “Ich structure test” (ISTA); “Physical Appearance Comparison Scale-Revised” (PACS-R).Results In the clinical group, a significant association of severity of NSSI with indicators of “deficit narcissism” was revealed (Spearman r=,534*). Correlations were found between the severity of NSSI and PACS-R (r=,344**). In the clinical group, there was no connection between “Comparison with others” and narcissistic traits. In a group of healthy subjects, significant associations of NSSI severity with “destructive narcissism” (,572**) and PACS-R (,576**) were revealed. In the clinical group, the severity of NSSI is associated with a more serious pathology - the lack of formation of “normal” narcissism, and in the healthy group it is more likely to be deformed narcissism. Self-objectification and comparison of oneself with others in the clinical group is not associated with manifestations of narcissistic traits, such connections are demonstrated in the group of healthy young women.ConclusionsIt is shown that in the clinical group of depressed young women, the severity of self-harming behavior is associated with “deficit narcissism”, and in healthy young women, first of all, with “destructive narcissism” with an increased need to compare themselves with others.Disclosure of InterestNone Declared

Acute stress does not modulate selective attention in a composite letter task

Acute stress has been demonstrated to affect a diverse array of attentional processes, one of which is selective attention. Selective attention refers to the cognitive process of deliberately allocating attentional resources to a specific stimulus, while ignoring other, distracting stimuli. While catecholamines have been shown to narrow attention, investigations on the influence of the stress hormone cortisol have yielded ambiguous results. We conducted two separate studies utilizing different laboratory stress induction paradigms to examine if cortisol influences the ability to selectively attend to local or global elements of a visual stimulus. In Study 1, 72 healthy young men took part either in the stressful Socially Evaluated Cold Pressor Test (SECPT) or a non-stressful (warm water) control, before being exposed to a composite letter task (CLT). Study 2 comprised a sample of 72 healthy young men and women and made use of a modified version of the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) as well as a non-stressful control version, the friendly-TSST (f-TSST). Via endocrine, physiological, and subjective markers, we confirmed a successful stress induction. As verified with Bayesian statistics, stress did not affect selective attention in neither of the two studies. Furthermore, we were able to replicate the previously demonstrated absence of global precedence for composite figures composed of letters. Our results offer novel insights into the temporal dynamics of the effects of acute stress on attentional processes. Future studies should manipulate the timing of stress induction and investigate the effects of stress on letter vs. non-letter composite figures to shed further light on the underlying mechanisms.

The effect of cognitive reappraisal and early-life maternal care on neuroendocrine stress responses

Early-life adversity (ELA) is related to profound dysregulation of the hypothalamic–pituitary–adrenal (HPA) axis, reflected in both, blunted or exaggerated cortisol stress responses in adulthood. Emotion regulation strategies such as cognitive reappraisal might contribute to this inconsistent finding. Here, we investigate an interaction of early-life maternal care (MC), where low MC represents a form of ELA, and instructed emotion regulation on cortisol responses to acute stress. Ninety-three healthy young women were assigned to a low (n = 33) or high (n = 60) MC group, based on self-reported early-life MC. In the laboratory, participants received regulation instructions, asking to cognitively reappraise (reappraisal group, n = 45) or to focus on senses (control group, n = 48) during subsequent stress exposure, induced by the Trier Social Stress Test. Salivary cortisol and subjective stress levels were measured repeatedly throughout the experiment. Multilevel model analyses confirmed a MC by emotion regulation interaction effect on cortisol trajectories, while controlling for hormonal status. Individuals with low MC in the control compared with the reappraisal group showed increased cortisol responses; individuals with high MC did not differ. These results highlight the significance of emotion regulation for HPA axis stress regulation following ELA exposure. They provide methodological and health implications, indicating emotion regulation as a promising target of treatment interventions for individuals with a history of ELA.

Adiposity indices and their higher predictive value for new-onset hypertension in metabolically healthy young women: findings from a population-based prospective cohort study

Background and aimsThe present study aimed to investigate the predictive ability of selected adiposity indices, such as body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), for new-onset hypertension in metabolically healthy Taiwanese adults. The study also sought to establish sex-specific cutoff points for these indices and to analyze the risk of new-onset hypertension, taking into account sex and age.MethodsThis prospective cohort study utilized the Taiwan Biobank database to examine metabolically healthy participants aged between 20 and 65 at baseline. Four adiposity indices, namely BMI, WHR, WC, and WHtR, were calculated and used to predict new-onset hypertension over 4 years. Receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) and areas under the curve (AUCs) were used to evaluate the effectiveness of the parameters in predicting new-onset hypertension over 4 years. Sex-specific cutoff points were identified and used to assess the risk of new-onset hypertension.ResultsThis study analyzed 13,375 participants over 4.28 years. The incidence of new-onset hypertension was 17.65%. The new-onset rate of hypertension was 34.39% in men and 65.61% in women. Adiposity indices effectively predict new-onset hypertension, with WHtR having the highest predictive value (i.e., AUC) for both sexes. The classification of participants into low and high categories for each adiposity index was based on sex-specific cutoff points, and the risk of new-onset hypertension was assessed according to sex and age. This study found that high adiposity indices predicted a significantly higher risk of new-onset hypertension in metabolically healthy adults. The risk was equal for both sexes. Young women had a higher risk of new-onset hypertension than middle-aged women when they were further categorized. All risk ratios of the indices in young women were over two-fold and significant.ConclusionAccording to the sex-specific cutoff point, high adiposity indices had a higher predictive value for new-onset hypertension in metabolically healthy Taiwanese young women.

Self-reported and tracked nighttime smartphone use and their association with overweight and cardiometabolic risk markers

Nighttime smartphone use is associated with sleep problems, which in turn have a bidirectional association with overweight. We aim to investigate whether nighttime smartphone use and sleep are related to overweight and metabolic dysfunction in adult populations. We used data from three population samples (aged 16–89) from the SmartSleep Study, which included survey data (N = 29,838), high-resolution tracking data (N = 3446), follow-up data (N = 1768), and cardiometabolic risk markers (N = 242). Frequent self-reported nighttime smartphone use was associated with 51% higher odds (95% CI: 1.32; 1.70) of overweight compared with no use. Tracked nighttime smartphone use was also associated with overweight. Similar results were found for obesity as an outcome. No consistent associations were found between nighttime smartphone use and cardiometabolic risk markers in a small subsample of healthy young women. Poor sleep quality (vs. good sleep quality) was associated with overweight (OR = 1.19, 85% CI: 1.10; 1.28). Overall, frequent nighttime smartphone use was consistently associated with overweight and a higher BMI across diverse population samples. The bidirectional interplay between nighttime smartphone use, sleep, and overweight may create a vicious circle of metabolic dysfunction over time. Therefore, nighttime smartphone use may be a potential target point for public health interventions to reduce overweight at the population level.

Enteric and systemic postprandial lactate shuttle phases and dietary carbohydrate carbon flow in humans

Dietary glucose in excess is stored in the liver in the form of glycogen. As opposed to direct conversion of glucose into glycogen, the hypothesis of the postprandial lactate shuttle (PLS) proposes that dietary glucose uptake is metabolized to lactate in the gut, thereby being transferred to the liver for glycogen storage. In the present study, we provide evidence of a PLS in young healthy men and women. Overnight fasted participants underwent an oral glucose tolerance test, and arterialized lactate concentration and rate of appearance were determined. The concentration of lactate in the blood rose before the concentration of glucose, thus providing evidence of an enteric PLS. Secondary increments in the concentration of lactate in the blood and its rate of appearance coincided with those of glucose, which indicates the presence of a larger, secondary, systemic PLS phase driven by hepatic glucose release. The present study challenges the notion that lactate production is the result of hypoxia in skeletal muscles, because our work indicates that glycolysis proceeds to lactate in fully aerobic tissues and dietary carbohydrate is processed via lactate shuttling. Our study proposes that, in humans, lactate is a major vehicle for carbohydrate carbon distribution and metabolism.

Association of Serum progesterone level, Peak Expiratory Flow Rate and obesity in healthy young women.

Obesity is one of the lifestyle disorders which is slowly and steadily extending throughout the world. Women especially are showing an upward shift in Body mass index (BMI) in this modern era. Obesity in females has been associated with various risk factors. Less studies have been explored on the influence of BMI on different parameters of menstrual cycle The purpose of the study was to determine the influence of BMI on different parameters of the menstrual cycle. A total of 50 healthy female volunteers with regular menstrual cycle were selected after prior consent, and among them based on the body mass index, 32 females were categorized into obese group based on the BMI. Menstrual cycle history was monitored for 3 months for confirming regularity. Serum Progesterone and Peak expiratory flow rate (PEFR) were recorded. Progesterone levels were very highly significant in the luteal phase when compared to early follicular and ovulatory phase. The PEFR value in luteal phase was higher when compared to early follicular and ovulatory phase which was statistically highly significant. Positive correlation between progesterone and PEFR was observed in the luteal phase, but it was not statistically significant. Positive correlation between BMI and PEFR was also observed. The study reveals significant hormonal and respiratory changes throughout the menstrual cycle. Progesterone levels and PEFR are markedly higher in the luteal phase, while BMI positively correlates with PEFR. A significant negative correlation exists between Waist Hip ratio (WHR) in the luteal phase. Further studies are needed to explore the underlying mechanisms driving the correlations between progesterone, respiratory parameters, BMI, and WHR in more diverse population.

Unveiling the Influence of the Menstrual Cycle on Mental Rotation Abilities: A Comparative Analysis of Three-Dimensional vs. Two-Dimensional Tasks

The activational effects of sex hormones on spatial ability have been well documented. It has been suggested that these effects might be related to hormonally induced changes in interhemispheric communication. In this EEG study, we opted to explore menstrual cycle-related changes in the efficacy of solving mental rotation tasks and laterality indices while participants were engaged with the tasks. We compared 2D and 3D mental rotation tasks, as they differ both psychometrically and in terms of lateralization. A group (n = 39) of healthy young women was tested twice, once during the mid-luteal (high estrogen and progesterone) and once during the early follicular (low levels of sex hormones) phase of menstrual cycle. The differences in power within the same frequency band on homologous sites of the left and right hemispheres were then calculated. Participants were faster, more accurate, and showed higher laterality scores when solving 3D mental rotation tasks in the early follicular phase compared to the mid-luteal phase. This indicates a higher lateralization of this specific spatial function when the levels of sex hormones are low. However, for 2D mental rotation tasks, participants showed neither shifts in efficacy nor in hemispheric laterality as a function of the menstrual cycle. This pattern of results provides further support for the notion that fluctuations in sex hormones affect laterality, and consequently, the expression of lateralized cognitive abilities.

Higher arterial stiffness and blunted vagal control of the heart in young women with compared to without a clinical diagnosis of PTSD.

Young women are typically thought to be protected from cardiovascular disease (CVD) before menopause. However, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increases CVD risk in women by up to threefold. Data in predominantly male cohorts point to physiological mechanisms such as vascular and autonomic derangements as contributing to increased CVD risk. The purpose of the study reported here was to determine whether young women diagnosed with PTSD, compared to those without, present with arterial stiffness and impaired autonomic control of the heart. A total of 73 healthy young women, ranging in age from 18 to 40years, with a history of trauma exposure were included in this study, 32 with and 41 without a clinical PTSD diagnosis. We measured resting pulse wave velocity (PWV), central hemodynamics, augmentation pressure and augmentation index (AI) via pulse wave analysis using applanation tonometry. Heart rate variability was also assessed via peripheral arterial tone. In comparison to controls, women with PTSD showed higher central arterial pressure (mean ± standard deviation: systolic blood pressure 104 ± 8 vs. 97 ± 8mmHg, p < 0.001; diastolic blood pressure 72 ± 7 vs. 67 ± 7mmHg, p = 0.003), PWV (6 ± 0.3 vs. 5 ± 0.6m/s, p < 0.001) and AI (22 ± 13 vs. 15 ± 12%, p = 0.007) but lower standard deviation of normal-to-normal intervals (SDNN; 44 ± 17 vs. 54 ± 18ms, p = 0.005) and root mean square of successive differences between normal heartbeats (RMSSD; 37 ± 17 vs. 51 ± 22ms, p = 0.002). PTSD in young women is associated with higher brachial and central pressures, increased arterial stiffness and blunted parasympathetic control of the heart. These findings illustrate potential mechanisms underlying high risk for CVD in young women with PTSD, suggesting possible treatment targets for this at-risk group.

Inverse Association between Exercising Blood Pressure Response and Left Ventricular Chamber Size and Mass in Women Who Habitually Resistance Train

Exercise is a major modifiable lifestyle factor that leads to temporarily increased systolic blood pressure (SBP), which is thought to influence left ventricular mass normalized to body surface area (LVM/BSA). This relationship has never been studied in women who habitually perform resistance exercise. Purpose: To determine if a direct correlation exists between the SBP response to resistance exercise (change from rest; eSBP) and LVM/BSA in young healthy women who habitually resistance train. Methods: Leg extension resistance exercise was performed while continuously monitoring blood pressure using finger plethysmography. LVM was estimated using echocardiography. Data are shown as mean ± SD. Results: Thirty-one women participated (age 23 ± 3 years, height 164 ± 7 cm, body mass 63.7 ± 10.3 kg). Resting SBP (110 ± 8 mmHg, r = 0.355, p = 0.049) was shown to be directly correlated to LVM/BSA (72.0 ± 28.4 g/m2). Conversely, eSBP (30.8 ± 14.6 ∆mmHg, r = −0.437, p = 0.014) was inversely related to LVM/BSA. eSBP was not correlated to interventricular septum width (0.88 ± 0.12 cm, r = −0.137, p = 0.463) or posterior wall thickness (0.91 ± 0.15 cm, r = −0.084, p = 0.654). eSBP was inversely related to left ventricle internal diameter during diastole (LVIDd) (4.25 ± 0.33 cm, r = −0.411, p = 0.021). Conclusion: Counter to the hypothesis, these data suggest an inverse association between eSBP during resistance exercise and LVM/BSA in healthy young women who resistance train. This relationship is due to a smaller LVIDd with greater eSBP.