Junior Research Chair Dr. Jean-Philippe Chaput has co-written two papers that were recently published in Bioenergetics. The titles of the papers are “Mental Work Stimulates Cardiovascular Responses through a Reduction in Cardiac Parasympathetic Modulation in Men and Women” and “Effect of Different Doses of Exercise on Sleep Duration, Sleep Efficiency and Sleep Quality in Sedentary, Overweight Men“. Citation information for the papers is available below.

Emilie Pérusse-Lachance, Angelo Tremblay, Jean-Philippe Chaput, Paul Poirier, Normand Teasdale, Vicky Drapeau, Caroline Sénécal and Patrice Brassard. Mental Work Stimulates Cardiovascular Responses through a Reduction in Cardiac Parasympathetic Modulation in Men and Women. Bioenergetics 2012, S1-001.

ABSTRACT: Mental Work (MW) stimulates Cardiovascular (CV) functions in healthy adults and a reduction in cardiac parasympathetic modulation could be one mechanism involved in such a response. The influence of sex on these CV responses remains ambiguous. The aim of the study was to evaluate CV impacts of MW in healthy individuals and whether sex influences CV responses induced by MW. The impact of a 45-min reading and writing session vs. a control condition, on Blood Pressure (BP), Heart Rate (HR), and Heart Rate Variability (HRV), was evaluated in 44 healthy adults with the use of a randomized crossover design. The influence of sex on those variables was then evaluated. Diastolic BP (74 ± 1 vs. 69 ± 1 mm Hg; p < 0.05) and mean arterial pressure (MAP; 87 ± 7 vs. 83 ± 8 mmHg; p < 0.005), HR (68 ± 1 vs. 62 ± 1 bpm; p < 0.0001) and low frequency/high frequency ratio (2.8 ± 0.1 vs. 2.0 ± 0.1; p < 0.0001) were higher, while global HRV (SDNN: 84 ± 3 vs.104 ± 3 ms; p < 0.0001) and cardiac parasympathetic activity were lower during MW (p < 0.0001) vs. the control condition in the whole sample. During both experimental conditions, HR was higher (p < 0.0001), while BP, rMSSD, pNN50 and low frequency component of HRV were lower in women compared to men (all p < 0.05). The intensity of the cognitive demand and its influence on CV variables were comparable between men and women. These results support that MW increases BP and HR through decrement in cardiac parasympathetic modulation in healthy subjects and suggest that sex does not influence CV responses induced by cognitive demand of similar intensity.

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Jean-Philippe Chaput, Jonas S. Kjeldsen, Mads Rosenkilde, Signe W. Nielsen, Michala Reichkendler, Pernille Auerbach, Thorkil Ploug, Bente Stallknecht and Anders M. Sjödin. Effect of Different Doses of Exercise on Sleep Duration, Sleep Efficiency and Sleep Quality in Sedentary, Overweight Men. Bioenergetics 2012, S1-002.

ABSTRACT: Objective: To evaluate the dose-response effect of aerobic exercise on sleep duration, sleep efficiency and sleep quality in previously sedentary, moderately overweight men.  Methods: In a randomized, controlled trial, 53 sedentary Caucasian men aged between 20 and 40 years (VO2max<45 mL O2kg-1min-1, BMI: 25-30 kg/m2, body fat > 25%) completed a 13-week  aerobic exercise intervention consisting of either a physical activity energy deficit of 600 kcal day-1 (HIGH: n=18), 300 kcal day-1 (MOD: n=18), or being sedentary (CON: n=17). The endpoints were sleep duration (objectively measured by actigraphy over 3 days), sleep efficiency (3-day actigraphy), and subjectively rated sleep quality (Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index). Results: Because of missing sleep data, a total of 32 subjects were included in the present analysis (CON: n=12, MOD: n=12, HIGH: n=8). A significant increase in sleep duration was observed in HIGH (80 ± 30 min, p=0.03). However, the change was not significantly different from the change in CON. Sleep efficiency tended to decrease in HIGH (p=0.05), and there was a tendency towards an improved sleep quality within MOD and HIGH (p=0.08 in both). Conclusion: Our study suggests that a high daily dose of aerobic exercise for 13 weeks increases sleep duration, tends to decrease sleep efficiency, and tends to improve subjective sleep quality in sedentary, moderately overweight men. Because our sample included relatively young and sleep-efficient individuals, future studies should examine the dose-response effects of aerobic exercise on sleep parameters in older adults with sleeping problems.

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