UDC

612.821

DOI

10.17238/issn2542-1298.2019.7.2.205

Authors

Andrey A. Mel’nikov*
*Yaroslavl Higher Military School of Counter-Air Defence (Yaroslavl, Russian Federation)
Corresponding author: Andrey Mel’nikov, address: prosp. Moskovskiy 28, Yaroslavl, 150001, Russian Federation; e-mail: meln1974@yandex.ru

Abstract

The study investigated the autonomic regulation of the circulatory system (central haemodynamics (CHD) and heart rate variability (HRV)) during mental calculation in young athletes (n = 95) of different specializations with a long training experience (8.0 ± 3.5 years). Indicators of central haemodynamics (stroke volume, cardiac output) and HRV (standard deviation of NN intervals (SDNN), low frequency (LF) and (HF) power, LF/HF ratio, stress index) were determined simultaneously using impedance cardiorheography (Medass company, Russia) before and during mental calculation (“500 – 7”) in supine position. It was established that at rest as well as during mental calculation, athletes had lower heart rate, total peripheral resistance, and diastolic and mean arterial pressure, while they had higher stroke volume, cardiac output, arterial compliance index, and HRV (SDNN, LF, HF) than the control group (n = 61). The CHD and HRV indicators during mental calculation correlated with the physical working capacity index PWC170. The increase in diastolic arterial pressure (p = 0.012), SDNN (p = 0.064) and LF (p = 0.054) in athletes during calculation was larger, while the decrease in stroke volume (p = 0.025) and, especially, in arterial compliance (p < 0.00002) was smaller, compared to the control group. PWC170 index in the united group (n = 156) correlated with the changes in arterial compliance (r = 0.252, p = 0.002). Thus, cardiac activity in athletes during psycho-emotional stress caused by mental calculation was characterized by greater efficiency of cardiac haemodynamics, increased HRV, as well as a less significant reduction in arterial compliance, indicating higher tolerance to psycho-emotional stress. The obtained data allow us to consider regular exercises to be an important measure preventing the development of various disorders of the circulatory system caused by psychoemotional stress.

Keywords

cardiac haemodynamics, heart rate variability, mental arithmetic, psycho-emotional stress, athletes

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