EFFECTS OF ACUTE NORMOBARIC HYPOXIA DURING EXERCISE AND CONCURRENT MENTAL STRESS ON THE CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM IN HEALTHY ATHLETES
type: CreativeWork
description: BACKGROUND: Exercise and hypoxia are individually recognized as physiological stressors that challenge cardiovascular homeostasis through mechanisms orchestrated by medullary cardiovascular control centers. During physical exertion, the activation of the “exercise pressor reflex” facilitates systemic adjustments to preserve perfusion of vital organs such as the heart and brain while maintaining systemic blood pressure. The intersection of acute hypoxia (AH) and physical exercise imposes considerable cardiovascular strain. Moreover, cognitive load—another potent physiological stressor—has been shown to stimulate cardiovascular activity, potentially via overlapping central pathways with the exercise pressor reflex. Activities combining AH, EXE, and MT, such as military aviation or high-altitude sports, present complex stress environments. Despite this, there is limited evidence on how simultaneous exposure to these stressors impacts systemic hemodynamics, cerebral oxygenation, and autonomic regulation, especially in healthy trained individuals. AIM: This research aims to evaluate the integrative cardiovascular responses to exercise under normobaric hypoxia with concurrent cognitive engagement in healthy athletes. Specifically, the study assesses key hemodynamic parameters including stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), mean arterial pressure (MBP), and systemic vascular resistance (SVR), alongside cerebral oxygenation and cognitive performance outcomes. METHODS: Two experimental protocols were developed. In Experiment 1, fifteen healthy, physically active males (mean age 29.0 ± 5.9 years) performed submaximal cycling (80% of GET) under NORMO and HYPO (13.5% O2) conditions. A cognitive task was administered during the final three minutes of each six-minute session. Experiment 2 involved sixteen athletes (eight female; mean age: men 29.63 ± 6.41; women 27.25 ± 4.33), who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPT) in both NORMO and HYPO (simulated altitude: ~350…
abstract: BACKGROUND: Exercise and hypoxia are individually recognized as physiological stressors that challenge cardiovascular homeostasis through mechanisms orchestrated by medullary cardiovascular control centers. During physical exertion, the activation of the “exercise pressor reflex” facilitates systemic adjustments to preserve perfusion of vital organs such as the heart and brain while maintaining systemic blood pressure. The intersection of acute hypoxia (AH) and physical exercise imposes considerable cardiovascular strain. Moreover, cognitive load—another potent physiological stressor—has been shown to stimulate cardiovascular activity, potentially via overlapping central pathways with the exercise pressor reflex. Activities combining AH, EXE, and MT, such as military aviation or high-altitude sports, present complex stress environments. Despite this, there is limited evidence on how simultaneous exposure to these stressors impacts systemic hemodynamics, cerebral oxygenation, and autonomic regulation, especially in healthy trained individuals. AIM: This research aims to evaluate the integrative cardiovascular responses to exercise under normobaric hypoxia with concurrent cognitive engagement in healthy athletes. Specifically, the study assesses key hemodynamic parameters including stroke volume (SV), cardiac output (CO), mean arterial pressure (MBP), and systemic vascular resistance (SVR), alongside cerebral oxygenation and cognitive performance outcomes. METHODS: Two experimental protocols were developed. In Experiment 1, fifteen healthy, physically active males (mean age 29.0 ± 5.9 years) performed submaximal cycling (80% of GET) under NORMO and HYPO (13.5% O2) conditions. A cognitive task was administered during the final three minutes of each six-minute session. Experiment 2 involved sixteen athletes (eight female; mean age: men 29.63 ± 6.41; women 27.25 ± 4.33), who underwent cardiopulmonary exercise testing (CPT) in both NORMO and HYPO (simulated altitude: ~350…
author: DONEDDU, AZZURRA
language: eng
keywords: Settore MEDF-01/B - Metodi e didattiche delle attività sportive
date published: 2025-07-09T00:00:00+02:00
date modified: 2026-07-24T01:29:55Z
provider: Università di Cagliari
publisher: Networked Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations
type: WebPage
source organization: Università degli Studi di Cagliari

PropertyValue
property ID: Handle
value: https://hdl.handle.net/11584/449470