Summary
The time course of heart rate (HR) and venous blood norepinephrine concentration [NE], as an expression of the sympathetic nervous activity (SNA), was studied in six sedentary young men during recovery from three periods of cycle ergometer exercise at 21%±2.8%, 43%±2.1% and 65%±2.3% of\(\dot V_{o_{2max} } \) respectively (mean±SE). The HR decreased mono-exponentially withτ values of 13.6±1.6 s, 32.7±5.6 s and 55.8±8.1s respectively in the three periods of exercise. At the low exercise level no change in [NE] was found. At medium and high exercise intensity: (a) [NE] increased significantly at the 5th min of exercise (Δ[NE]=207.7±22.5 pg·ml−1 and 521.3±58.3 pg·ml−1 respectively); (b) after a time lag of 1 min [NE] decreased exponentially (τ=87 s and 101 s respectively); (c) in the 1st min HR decreased about 35 beats · min−1; (d) from the 2nd to 5th min of recovery HR and [NE] were linearly related (100 pg·ml−1 Δ[NE]5 beats ·min−1). In the 1st min of recovery, independent of the exercise intensity, the adjustment of HR appears to have been due mainly to the prompt restoration of vagal tone. The further decrease in HR toward the resting value could then be attributed to the return of SNA to the pre-exercise level.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Beschi M, Castellano M, Agabiti-Rosei E, Rizzoni D, Rossini P, Muiesan G (1987) Assessment of semi-automated catecholamine assay by HPLC: choise of reverse phase C18 or cation-exchange column. Chromatographia 24:455–459
Broman S, Wigertz O (1971) Transient dynamics of ventilation and heart rate with step changes in work load from different load levels. Acta Physiol Scand 81:54–74
Christensen NJ, Brandsborg O (1973) The relationship between plasma catecholamine concentration and pulse rate during exercise and standing. Eur J Clin Invest 3:299–306
Christensen NJ, Galbo H (1983) Sympathetic nervous activity during exercise. Annu Rev Physiol 45:139–153
Davies CTM, di Prampero PE, Cerretelli P (1972) Kinetics of cardiac output and respiratory gas exchange during exercise and recovery. J Appl Physiol 32:618–625
Dimsdale JE, Hartley LH, Guiney T, Ruskin JN, Greenblatt D (1984) Post exercise peril. Plasma catecholamines and exercise. JAMA 251:630–632
Dixon WJ (1983) BMDP Statistical Software. University of California Press, Berkeley, p 672
Galbo H (1983) Hormonal and metabolic adaptation to exercise. Thieme, Stuttgart, pp 2–27
Goldstein DS, Feuerstein G, Izzo JL, Opire IJ, Keiser HR (1981) Validity and reliability of liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection for measuring plasma levels of norepinephrine and epinephrine in man. Life Sci 28:467–475
Hagberg JM, Hickson RC, McLane JA, Ehsani AA, Winder WW (1979) Disappearance of norepinephrine from the circulation following strenuous exercise. J Appl Physiol 47:1311–1314
Hagberg JM, Hickson RC, Ehsani AA, Holloszy JO (1980) Faster adjustment to and recovery from submaximal exercise in the trained state. J Appl Physiol 48:218–224
Kendall M, Stuart A, Ord JK (1983) The advanced theory of statistics. Griffin, London.
Linnarson D (1974) Dynamics of pulmonary gas exchange and heart rate changes at start and end of exercise. Acta Physiol Scand [Suppl] 415:1–68
Orizio C, Perini R, Comandè A, Castellano M, Beschi M, Veicsteinas A (1988) Plasma catecholamines and heart rate at the beginning of muscular exercise in man. Eur J Appl Physiol 57:644–651
Wallin BG, Morlin C, Hjiemdahl P (1987) Muscle sympathetic activity and venous plasma noradrenaline concentrations during static exercise in normotensive and hypertensive subjects. Acta Physiol Scand 129:489–497
Watson RDS, Hamilton CA, Jones DH, Reid JL, Stallard TJ, Littler WA (1980) Sequential changes in plasma noradrenaline during bicycle exercise. Clin Sci 58:37–43
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Perini, R., Orizio, C., Comandè, A. et al. Plasma norepinephrine and heart rate dynamics during recovery from submaximal exercise in man. Europ. J. Appl. Physiol. 58, 879–883 (1989). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02332222
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02332222