Newswise — Bethesda, Md. (October 31, 2016)—Leading experts will convene at the Integrative Biology of Exercise 7 meeting (Nov. 2–4 in Phoenix) to discuss current research and new findings on how exercise affects us at all stages of life, from preconception to old age. See highlighted research abstracts below. Contact the APS Communications Office for full abstracts or to contact a member of the research team.
Having an Apple-Shaped Body May Affect MemoryEMBARGOED UNTIL Nov. 3, 8:30 a.m. MST: Visceral fat located around the midsection may impair cognitive function and memory. Researchers from the Medical College of Georgia studied inflammation and neuronal function in obese mice and found that memory suffered. However, losing visceral fat restored cognitive losses.
How Exercise Protects Against Common Brain DisordersEMBARGOED UNTIL Nov. 3, 8:30 a.m. MST: Regular exercise may help protect against common brain disorders, including Alzheimer’s disease, sleep deprivation and posttraumatic stress disorder. Researchers from the University of Houston found that rats showed less anxiety, depression symptoms and memory impairment after being exercised on a treadmill.
When It Comes to Sprint Training, Does Track or Treadmill Reign Supreme?EMBARGOED UNTIL Nov. 3, 1 p.m. MST: Researchers at the University of Texas at El Paso randomly assigned 11 runners to six weeks of sprint training on either the track or a high-speed treadmill. The researchers wanted to see how the methods affected sprint speed, aerobic fitness and body composition. At the end of the six-week trial, the research team found both track and treadmill effective in improving speed and aerobic power. However, only one caused a “significant decrease in percent body fat.”
The Surprising Role of Stress on Performance for an Elite UltramarathonerEMBARGOED UNTIL Nov. 3, 5:15 p.m. MST: “Stress hormones, such as cortisol, often increase during exercise, and this can positively affect athletic performance. However, continual activation of this stress response system can be detrimental to the body,” wrote researchers from Northeastern State University in Oklahoma. The researchers looked at how stress response affected an athlete who won a 100-kilometer race in 2015, using saliva samples collected after race completion. “In contrast to what many studies of exhaustive exercise have shown, cortisol levels and alpha-amylase activity decreased after 100 kilometers in this runner compared to pre-race levels,” the researchers wrote. The results suggest that extreme athletes may have an edge.
NOTE TO JOURNALISTS: The Integrative Biology of Exercise 7 meeting will be held in Phoenix, Nov. 2–4, 2016. Read the full program. To schedule an interview with the conference organizers or presenters, contact the APS Communications Office or call 301-634-7209. Find more research highlights in the APS Press Room.
Physiology is the study of how molecules, cells, tissues and organs function in health and disease. Established in 1887, the American Physiological Society (APS) was the first U.S. society in the biomedical sciences field. The Society represents more than 11,000 members and publishes 14 peer-reviewed journals with a worldwide readership.
RSS