Exercise Science Commons^™

Shared Premotor Resources Underlie Dual-Task Interference Between Speech And Balance, Weina Lu, Sasha Lifton Lewis, Zoey Wire, Ingo Helmich

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Humans frequently speak while standing, potentially engaging overlapping motor-cognitive resources. Dual-task paradigms with increased motor-cognitive demands reliably impair postural control, presumably due to competition for shared neural resources. The premotor cortex is critically involved in balance stabilization and in resolving competing motor plans and is also engaged during processing of action-related language. We therefore hypothesized that a central processing bottleneck emerges in the PMC when speaking and controlling posture simultaneously. Forty-one right-handed healthy adults (25 female, 16 male) maintained an upright stance while either verbally describing or mentally imagining navigation through a visually presented maze from an egocentric or allocentric …

Sensory Integration Processes Characterize Concussed Athletes With Balance Deficits, Bhagyashree Singh, Ingo Helmich

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Impaired postural control constitutes a major symptom after mild traumatic brain injuries (mTBI/sport-related concussions (SRC)). In order to uphold cognition and behavior during pathological situations, individuals may be characterized by neuronal upregulation. Because postural control necessitates the integration of sensory information within somatosensory (/parietal) cortices, we investigated the hypothesis that athletes with ongoing symptoms after SRC are characterized by increased brain activation within these areas in order to compensate for postural deficits. Sixty-six athletes (27 ± 13 years; 50 men, 16 women) participated in the study. Twenty-two concussed athletes reported high post-concussion symptoms (PCS; symptomatic group), and 22 concussed athletes …

Higher Amounts Of Habitual Physical Activity Changes The Relationship Between Hot Flashes And Subclinical Cardiovascular Disease Risk, Sarah Witkowski, Tint Tha Ra Wun, Jo Sophia Brunzelle, Sara Buszkiewicz, Lorna Murphy, Randi L. Garcia, Lynnette Leidy Sievert

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

The menopausal transition is associated with increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Hot flashes (HF), a cardinal symptom of menopause, have been associated with increased CVD risk, particularly in perimenopausal women. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) is an indicator of endothelial function and a subclinical CVD risk factor. Lower FMD has been associated with more HF. As moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is recognized to reduce CVD risk, our goal was to determine whether higher levels of MVPA change the relationship between HF and FMD in perimenopausal women. Healthy perimenopausal women had HF measured objectively using sternal skin conductance for 24 …

Neuronal Control Of Posture In Blind Individuals, I. Helmich, R. Gemmerich

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

The control of posture is guided by the integration of sensory information. Because blind individuals cannot apply visual information to control posture as sighted individuals do they must compensate by the remaining senses. We therefore hypothesize that blind individuals alter their brain activation in the sensorimotor cortex during postural control to compensate for balance control without vision by the increased integration of somatosensory information. Ten blind and ten sighted (matched) individuals controlled posture during conditions with (I) eyes closed / open, and (II) stable / unstable surface conditions. Postural sway was recorded by applying a pressure distribution measuring plate. Brain …

Repetitive Subconcussive Head Impacts In Sports And Their Impact On Brain Anatomy And Function: A Systematic Review, Lukas Hack, Bhagyashree Singh, Ferdinand Binkofski, Ingo Helmich

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Repetitive subconcussive head impacts occur regularly in sports. However, the exact relationship between their biomechanical properties and their consequences on brain structure and function has not been clarified yet. We therefore reviewed prospective cohort studies that objectively reported the biomechanical characteristics of repetitive subconcussive head impacts and their impact on brain anatomy and function. Only studies with a pre- to post-measurement design were included. Twenty-four studies met the inclusion criteria. Structural white matter alterations, such as reduced fractional anisotropy and an increase in mean diffusivity values, seem to be evident in athletes exposed to repetitive subconcussive head impacts exceeding 10 …

Concussions In Paralympic Sports: A Systematic Review, B. Singh, R. Gemmerich, T. Ziegler, I. Helmich

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

› Introduction: The Paralympic movement has grown rapidly over the last few years. As participation in Para sports increases, so do its sport-related injuries. A particular injury constitutes sport-related concussions (SRC). However, the data regarding its epidemiology in Para sports has been inadequately researched. Therefore, this review aimed to investigate the occurrence of SRC in Para sports. › Methods: A systematic literature review was conducted according to PRISMA guidelines. › Results: 13 articles were included in this review. Wheelchair Basketball, Sledge Hockey, Blind Football, Para Swimming, Para Judo, and Para Skiing are most commonly affected by SRC. Sledge hockey reported …

Female Athletes Explicitly Gesture In Emotional Situations, Y. Adams, M. Augenstein, P. Furley, A. Krieg, P. Born, I. Helmich

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Both appraisal emotion approaches and self-regulation theory emphasize that appraising an event as conducive or detrimental to one’s current goals may trigger an affective response that can be observed nonverbally. Because there may be a female advantage in the inhibition and self-regulation of emotions, we hypothesized that female but not male athletes regulate emotions during sports through explicit nonverbal behaviors. Methods: All nonverbal hand movement behavior of right-handed female and male tennis athletes was recorded during competitive matches. All immediate nonverbal expressions after point losses and wins were coded by two independent blind raters applying the NEUROpsychological GESture (NEUROGES®) …

The Influence Of Habitual Physical Activity And Sedentary Behavior On Objective And Subjective Hot Flashes At Midlife, Sarah Witkowski, Quinn White, Sofiya Shreyer, Daniel E. Brown, Lynette Leidy Sievert

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

The years surrounding the transition to menopause are marked by multiple challenges to health. Hot flashes are a commonly reported symptom of women at this time and their frequency has been associated with disease risk. Regular physical activity and reduced sedentary time are recommended for health and wellbeing. However, the effect of physical activity and sedentary behavior on hot flashes remains unclear. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate relationships between physical activity, sedentary time and hot flashes during both waking and sleeping periods using concurrent objective and subjective measures of hot flashes in midlife women. METHODS: Women …

Acute Increases In Physical Activity And Temperature Are Associated With Hot Flash Experience In Midlife Women, Sarah Witkowski, Quinn White, Sofiya Shreyer, Randi L. Garcia, Daniel E. Brown, Lynnette Leidy Sievert

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective: This study determined the association between acute changes in physical activity, temperature and humidity and 24-hour subjective and objective hot flash experience.

Methods: Data collection occurred during the cooler months of the year in Western Massachusetts (October-April). Women aged 45-55 across 3 menopause stages (n=270) were instrumented with ambulatory monitors to continuously measure hot flashes, physical activity, temperature and humidity for 24-hours. Objective hot flashes were assessed via sternal skin conductance, and subjective hot flashes were recorded by pressing an event marker and data logging. Physical activity was measured with wrist-worn accelerometers and used to define sleep and wake …

Trauma Prevalence And Desire For Trauma-Informed Coaching In Collegiate Sports: A Mixed Methods Study, Elizabeth Alma Hertzler-Mccain, Aerin Mcquillen, Shalini Setty, Stephanie Lopez, Erica Tibbetts

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

This study investigated trauma prevalence amongst collegiate student-athletes and openness towards trauma-informed coaching practices among athletes and coaches at two small Division III colleges. Surveys gathered quantitative data from athletes (n = 91) and coaches (n =18) and qualitative data from athletes (n = 33). Quantitative results indicated that 52.7% of athletes experienced at least one potentially traumatic event during their lifetime. The most prevalent trauma was unwanted sexual contact. Additionally, 50.5% of athletes experienced sport-based harassment or abuse during their lifetime, with 21.7% of affected athletes experiencing said abuse in college sports. Athletes reported that 8 out of 10 …

The Influence Of Grip Positioning On Muscle Activation Patterns In Tennis Forehand: A Preliminary Investigation, Magdalena Stepnik, Stephanie L. Jones

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

This study compared muscle activation patterns during the forehand stroke among thirteen nonprofessional tennis players across three grip positions [Eastern(4), Semi Western(6), Western(3)]. Surface electromyography was used to assess fourteen trunk and dominant upper arm muscles, while hitting forehand crosscourt shots using their preferred grip. Individuals using Semi Western grip demonstrated higher activation of proximal musculature responsible for horizontal flexion/internal rotation at the shoulder (Pectoralis), whereas those using Eastern grip had higher activation in distal musculature (FCU, ECR), acting primarily to control flexion/extension. These differences suggest the Eastern grip requires less axial rotation of the arm but more contribution of …

Gut Microbiota-Derived Trimethylamine N-Oxide Contributes To Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Through Inflammatory And Apoptotic Mechanisms, Tyler W. Benson, Kelsey A. Conrad, Xinmin S. Li, Zeneng Wang, Robert N. Helsley, Rebecca C. Schugar, Taylor M. Coughlin, Caris Wadding-Lee, Salma Fleifil, Hannah M. Russell, Timothy Stone, Michael Brooks, Jennifer A. Buffa, Kevin Mani, Martin Björck, Anders Wanhainen, Naseer Sangwan, Sudha Biddinger, Rohan Bhandari, Akiirayi Ademoya, Crystal Pascual, W. H.Wilson Tang, Michael Tranter, Scott J. Cameron, J. Mark Brown, Stanley L. Hazen, A. Phillip Owens

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Background: Large-scale human and mechanistic mouse studies indicate a strong relationship between the microbiome-dependent metabolite trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) and several cardiometabolic diseases. This study aims to investigate the role of TMAO in the pathogenesis of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and target its parent microbes as a potential pharmacological intervention. Methods: TMAO and choline metabolites were examined in plasma samples, with associated clinical data, from 2 independent patient cohorts (N=2129 total). Mice were fed a high-choline diet and underwent 2 murine AAA models, angiotensin II infusion in low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (Ldlr-/-) mice or topical porcine pancreatic elastase in C57BL/6J mice. Gut …

Physical Activity And Exercise For Hot Flashes: Trigger Or Treatment?, Sarah Witkowski, Rose Evard, Jacquelyn J. Rickson, Quinn White, Lynnette Leidy Sievert

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Importance and Objective: Hot flashes (HFs) are a prevalent feature of menopause. Hot flashes can be bothersome and affect quality of life. However, HFs have also been associated with the risk for cardiovascular disease. Therefore, providing current evidence on the effect of therapies to reduce HFs can help patients and providers with decision making. This review provides details on the scientific evidence to date related to the effect of physical activity (PA) and exercise to alter the HF experience in women

Methods: The PubMed database was searched between June 2020 and June 2022 for currently available evidence regarding the relation …

Phasic And Repetitive Self-Touch Differ In Hemodynamic Response In The Prefrontal Cortex–An Fnirs Study, Sabrina Von Au, Ingo Helmich, Simon Kieffer, Hedda Lausberg

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Introduction: Each individual touches the own body several 100 times a day. While some researchers propose a self-regulatory function of self-touch, others report that self-touching increases nervousness. This controversy appears to be caused by the fact that researchers did not define the kind of self-touch they examined and actually, referred to different types of self-touch. Thus, kinematically defining different types of self-touch, such as phasic (discrete), repetitive, and irregular, and exploring the neural correlates of the different types will provide insight into the neuropsychological function of self-touching behavior. Methods: To this aim, we assessed hemodynamic responses in prefrontal brain areas …

A Comparison Of Stress, Symptoms, Physical Activity, And Adiposity Among Women At Midlife Before And During The Pandemic, Lynnette Leldy Stevert, Sofiya Shreyer, Ashley Boudreau, Sarah Witkowski, Daniel E. Brown

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic presented challenges that disproportionately impacted women. Household roles typically performed by women (such as resource acquisition and caretaking) became more difficult due to financial strain, fear of infection, and limited childcare options among other concerns. This research draws from an ongoing study of hot flashes and brown adipose tissue to examine the health-related effects of the COVID-19 pandemic among 162 women aged 45–55 living in western Massachusetts.

Methods: We compared women who participated in the study pre- and early pandemic with women who participated mid-pandemic and later-pandemic (when vaccines became widely available). We collected self-reported symptom …

The Influence Of Menopause And Cardiorespiratory Fitness On Lipoprotein Particles In Midlife Women, Corinna Serviente, Melody Chalvin, Sarah Witkowski

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Lipoprotein particles may provide better information about cardiovascular risk than standard cholesterol measures for women. Whether lipoprotein subclasses change with menopausal stage is unclear. Given the high prevalence of low cardiorespiratory fitness in midlife women and benefit of cardiovascular disease risk, it is also important to understand the effect of fitness on lipoprotein profiles. This study evaluated the influence of menopausal status and fitness on lipoprotein particles in healthy midlife women. Lipoprotein particles were measured in high-(n = 25) and low-(n = 13) fit perimenopausal and late postmenopausal women, and in high-fit premenopausal (n = 10), perimenopausal (n = 12), …

Dual Goals Of Trunk Restriction And Stability Are Prioritized By Individuals With Chronic Low Back Pain During A Volitional Movement, Stephanie L. Jones, Juvena R. Hitt, Sharon M. Henry

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Background

Individuals with chronic low back pain demonstrate impaired responses to volitional and externally-generated postural perturbations that may impact stability whilst performing activities of daily living. Understanding how balance may be impaired by strategy selection is an important consideration during rehabilitation from low back pain to prevent future injurious balance loss.

Research question

This cross-sectional study explored the influence of an active pain episode on volitional movement patterns and stability during a sit-to-stand task in individuals with chronic low back pain compared to those with no low back pain history.

Methods

Thirteen participants with low back pain who were in …

Dietary Choline Supplementation Attenuates High-Fat-Diet-Induced Hepatocellular Carcinoma In Mice, Amanda L. Brown, Kelsey Conrad, Daniela S. Allende, Anthony D. Gromovsky, Renliang Zhang, Chase K. Neumann, A. Phillip Owens, Michael Tranter, Robert N. Helsley

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Background: Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is the third most common cause of cancer-related death in the world. Choline deficiency has been well studied in the context of liver disease; however, less is known about the effects of choline supplementation in HCC. Objective: The objective of this study was to test whether choline supplementation could influence the progression of HCC in a high-fat-diet (HFD)-driven mouse model. Methods: Four-day-old male C57BL/6J mice were treated with the chemical carcinogen, 7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, and were randomly assigned at weaning to a cohort fed an HFD (60% kcal fat) or an HFD with supplemental choline (60% kcal fat, …

Reduced Frontopolar Brain Activation Characterizes Concussed Athletes With Balance Deficits, I. Helmich, J. Coenen, S. Henckert, E. Pardalis, S. Schupp, H. Lausberg

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Objectives: Athletes with sport-related concussions (SRC) often demonstrate deficits in postural stability. Lower cerebral blood flow in frontal cortices has been documented in athletes with symptoms after SRC, however, it is unclear if functional brain oxygenation during postural control tasks is reduced in symptomatic athletes after SRC in the same manner. We therefore compared brain oxygenation patterns in frontal cortices of symptomatic and asymptomatic athletes with SRC during postural control tasks with the hypothesis that symptomatic athletes are characterized by reduced functional brain oxygenation during postural control. Methods: 62 concussed athletes (n = 31 symptomatic, n = 31 asymptomatic) were …

Sensorimotor Function In Progressive Multiple Sclerosis, Jules D. Miehm, John Buonaccorsi, Jongil Lim, Sumire Sato, Caitlin Rajala, Julianna Averill, Farnaz Khalighinejad, Carolina Ionete, Stephanie L. Jones, Jane A. Kent, Richard E.A. Van Emmerik

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Background: A sensitive test reflecting subtle sensorimotor changes throughout disease progression independent of mobility impairment is currently lacking in progressive multiple sclerosis.

Objectives: We examined non-ambulatory measures of upper and lower extremity sensorimotor function that may reveal differences between relapsing–remitting and progressive forms of multiple sclerosis.

Methods: Cutaneous sensitivity, proprioception, central motor function and mobility were assessed in 32 relapsing–remitting and 31 progressive multiple sclerosis patients and 30 non-multiple sclerosis controls.

Results: Cutaneous sensation differed between relapsing–remitting and progressive multiple sclerosis at the foot and to a lesser extent the hand. Proprioception function in the upper but not the lower …

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone, But Not Cardiorespiratory Fitness, Is Associated With Flow-Mediated Dilation With Advancing Menopausal Stage, Corinna Serviente, Sarah Witkowski

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective:The aim of the study was to evaluate if there are differences in endothelial function before and after acute exercise in women at different menopausal stages with high and low cardiorespiratory fitness.Methods:Participants were healthy high-fit premenopausal (n = 11), perimenopausal (n = 12), and postmenopausal women (n = 13) and low-fit perimenopausal (n = 7) and postmenopausal women (n = 8). Brachial artery flow-mediated dilation (FMD) was measured before and after acute moderate intensity exercise. FMD was calculated as (Diameterpeak-Diameterbaseline)/ Diameterbaseline) × 100. Differences between high-fit women and between high- and low-fit perimenopausal and postmenopausal women were assessed with repeated-measure …

Follicle-Stimulating Hormone Is Associated With Lipids In Postmenopausal Women, Corinna Serviente, Tomi-Pekka Tuomainen, Jyrki Virtanen, Sarah Witkowski, Leo Niskanen, Elizabeth Bertone-Johnson

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the relation between FSH and lipid levels in postmenopausal women from the Kuopio Ischaemic Heart Disease Risk Factor Study.

Methods: Postmenopausal women (n = 588) aged 53 to 73 years and not using hormone therapy were included. The relation between FSH and total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), and triglycerides (TGs) was evaluated using linear regression, adjusting for estradiol, body mass, smoking, and other hormonal and lifestyle factors. The relation between FSH, dyslipidemia, and abnormal lipid levels were also evaluated.

Results: FSH was positively and linearly …

Prognostic Value Of D-Dimer And Markers Of Coagulation For Stratification Of Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Growth, Alexandra C. Sundermann, Keith Saum, Kelsey A. Conrad, Hannah M. Russell, Todd L. Edwards, Kevin Mani, Martin Björck, Anders Wanhainen, A. Phillip Owens

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is associated with high morbidity and mortality and is an established cause of unbalanced hemostasis. A number of hemostatic biomarkers have been associated with AAA; however, the utility of hemostatic biomarkers in AAA diagnosis and prognosis is unclear. The aim of the present study was to characterize the potential prognostic value of D-dimer and markers of altered hemostasis in a large cohort of patients with AAAs characterized by either fast or slow aneurysm growth (frequency matched for baseline diameter) and subaneurysmal dilations. We measured plasma concentrations of thrombin-antithrombin (TAT) complex, platelet factor 4 (PF4), and D-dimer …

Par2 (Protease-Activated Receptor 2) Deficiency Attenuates Atherosclerosis In Mice, Shannon M. Jones, Adrien Mann, Kelsey Conrad, Keith Saum, David E. Hall, Lisa M. Mckinney, Nathan Robbins, Joel Thompson, Abigail D. Peairs, Eric Camerer, Katey J. Rayner, Michael Tranter, Nigel Mackman, A. Phillip Owens

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Objective-PAR2 (protease-activated receptor 2)-dependent signaling results in augmented inflammation and has been implicated in the pathogenesis of several autoimmune conditions. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of PAR2 deficiency on the development of atherosclerosis. Approach and Resutle-PAR2 mRNA and protein expression is increased in human carotid artery and mouse aortic arch atheroma versus control carotid and aortic arch arteries, respectively. To determine the effect of PAR2 deficiency on atherosclerosis, male and female low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (Ldlr-/-) mice (8-12 weeks old) that were Par2+/+ or Par2-/- were fed a fat-and cholesterol-enriched diet for 12 or 24 weeks. …

Type 2 Diabetes Impairs The Ability Of Skeletal Muscle Pericytes To Augment Postischemic Neovascularization In Db/Db Mice, Katherine L. Hayes, Louis M. Messina, Lawrence M. Schwartz, Jinglian Yan, Amy S. Burnside, Sarah Witkowski

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Peripheral artery disease is an atherosclerotic occlusive disease that causes limb ischemia and has few effective noninterventional treatments. Stem cell therapy is promising, but concomitant diabetes may limit its effectiveness. We evaluated the therapeutic potential of skeletal muscle pericytes to augment postischemic neovascularization in wild-type and type 2 diabetic (T2DM) mice. Wild-type C57BL/6J and leptin receptor spontaneous mutation db/db T2DM mice underwent unilateral femoral artery excision to induce limb ischemia. Twenty-four hours after ischemia induction, CD45-CD34-CD146+ skeletal muscle pericytes or vehicle controls were transplanted into ischemic hindlimb muscles. At postoperative day 28, pericyte transplantation augmented blood flow recovery in wild-type …

Post-Fatigue Recovery Of Power, Postural Control And Physical Function In Older Women, Stephen A. Foulis, Stephanie L. Jones, Richard E. Van Emmerik, Jane A. Kent

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Low muscle power, particularly at high velocities, has been linked to poor physical function in older adults. Any loss in muscle power following fatiguing exercise or daily activities could impact physical function and postural control until power has fully recovered. To test the overall hypothesis that a common task such as walking can result in prolonged power loss and decreased physical function and balance, 17 healthy older (66–81 years) women completed a 32-min walking test (32MWT) designed to induce neuromuscular fatigue, followed by 60min of recovery (60R). Fatigue and recovery of knee extensor muscle power (3 velocities) were quantified by …

Endothelial And Inflammatory Responses To Acute Exercise In Perimenopausal And Late Postmenopausal Women, Corinna Serviente, Lisa M. Troy, Maxine De Jonge, Daniel D. Shill, Nathan T. Jenkins, Sarah Witkowski

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Endothelial dysfunction and inflammation are characteristics of subclinical atherosclerosis and may increase through progressive menopausal stages. Evaluating endothelial responses to acute exercise can reveal underlying dysfunction not apparent in resting conditions. The purpose of this study was to investigate markers of endothelial function and inflammation before and after acute exercise in healthy low-active perimenopausal (PERI) and late postmenopausal (POST) women. Flow-mediated dilation (FMD), CD31+/CD42b- and CD62E+ endothelial microparticles (EMPs), and the circulating inflammatory factors monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), interleukin 8 (IL-8), and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured before and 30 min after acute exercise. Before exercise, FMD was …

Glucose And Acute Exercise Influence Factors Secreted By Circulating Angiogenic Cells In Vitro, Sarah Witkowski, Gayatri Guhanarayan, Rachel Burgess

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Circulating angiogenic cells (CAC) influence vascular repair through the secretion of proangiogenic factors and cytokines. While CAC are deficient in patients with diabetes and exercise has a beneficial effect on CACs, the impact of these factors on paracrine secretion from CAC is unknown. We aimed to determine whether the in vitro secretion of selected cytokines and nitric oxide (NO) from CAC is influenced by hyperglycemia and acute exercise. Colonyforming unit CAC (CFU-CAC) were cultured from young active men (n = 9, 24 ± 2 years) at rest and after exercise under normal (5 mmol/L) and elevated (15 mmol/L) glucose. Preliminary …

Brain Oxygenation Patterns During The Execution Of Tool Use Demonstration, Tool Use Pantomime, And Body-Part-As-Object Tool Use, Ingo Helmich, Henning Holle, Robert Rein, Hedda Lausberg

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Divergent findings exist whether left and right hemispheric pre- and postcentral cortices contribute to the production of tool use related hand movements. In order to clarify the neural substrates of tool use demonstrations with tool in hand, tool use pantomimes without tool in hand, and body-part-as-object presentations of tool use (BPO) in a naturalistic mode of execution, we applied functional Near InfraRed Spectroscopy (fNIRS) in twenty-three right-handed participants. Functional NIRS techniques allow for the investigation of brain oxygenation during the execution of complex hand movements with an unlimited movement range. Brain oxygenation patterns were retrieved from 16 channels of measurement …

Pericyte Nf-Κb Activation Enhances Endothelial Cell Proliferation And Proangiogenic Cytokine Secretion In Vitro, Katherine E. Labarbera, Robert D. Hyldahl, Kevin S. O'Fallon, Priscilla M. Clarkson, Sarah Witkowski

Exercise and Sport Studies: Faculty Publications

Pericytes are skeletal muscle resident, multipotent stem cells that are localized to the microvasculature. In vivo, studies have shown that they respond to damage through activation of nuclear-factor kappa-B (NF-κB), but the downstream effects of NF-κB activation on endothelial cell proliferation and cell– cell signaling during repair remain unknown. The purpose of this study was to examine pericyte NF-κB activation in a model of skeletal muscle damage; and use genetic manipulation to study the effects of changes in pericyte NF-κB activation on endothelial cell proliferation and cytokine secretion. We utilized scratch injury to C2C12 cells in coculture with human primary …