The reaction of the cardiorespiratory system under conditions of real and imaginary physical activity

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Introduction. The cardiorespiratory system –is a combination of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels that provide proper oxygenation to tissues and organs during exercise [1].

It has been suggested that movement images contain an element of sensory experiences (kinesthetic sensations), which replaces the sensory feedback that usually occurs as a result of explicit action. Many studies have shown that the cortical motor regions, the parietal cortex, and the cerebellum, which are normally involved in actual movement performance, are the main neural substrates for various types of movement imagination.

Motor imagery and illusory sensations typically activated the contralateral cingulate motor regions, the supplementary motor region, the dorsal premotor cortex, and the cerebellum.

It is assumed that subjects internally simulate kinesthetic sensations associated with an imaginary movement while imagining movements.

Boardman fields 4, 6, and 19 Бордмануlink the imaginary image to reality. The effect is based on predictive excitation — this is a control principle in which the activity of the control object changes in advance based on information about the upcoming change in conditions [2].

Figure 1. Some functional parts of the brain.

Imagining movements involves the process of sensory modeling. Imagining right wrist movements (image versus resting state) significantly activated contralateral (left) CMA, SMA, PMD, parietal cortex, and ipsilateral cerebellum, which are usually involved in the actualexecution of wrist movements [3].

It is believed that imaginary movements mimic physical ones, with similar behavioral limitations and patterns of neurophysiological activation, as well as with a mechanism of inhibition that suppresses the execution of movements.

 

Purpose of the work. To study the response of the cardiorespiratory system under conditions of real and imaginary physical exertion

 

Materials and methods of research. The study was conducted on the basis of Voronezh State University named after N. N. Burdenko. Two groups of students aged 17-21 years were identified: with regular physical activity (athletes, 30 people) and without it (control, 30 people). Both groups underwent a cycleof tests that determine the reactivity of the cardiorespiratory system. Spirometry is the most common test recommended for monitoring respiratory dysfunction in different groups of subjects. Monitoring and dynamics of blood pressure was carried out thanks to tonometry, this is the most common and affordable test.

 

Assessment of respiratory system parameters. ПутёBy quantifying respiratory volumes and capacities, such as forced vital capacity of the lungs, forced expiratory volume in the first second and the relationship between these parameters (FEV1/VEL ratio), due to the high sensitivity and specificity of the tests, it is possible to detect the presence of obsutructive conditions in the subjects. When assessing the function of external respiration of the test subjects, no obstructive or restrictive abnormalities were detected. A statistically significant difference in the value of the analyzed spirogram parameters was found in the groups of untrained individuals (control) and athletes (Fig. 2). Constant physical exertion contributes to a decrease in the sensitivity of the respiratory center to carbon dioxide, which in the conditions of performing squats will be accompanied by the development of deeper and rarer breathing to compensate for oxygen deficiency (Fig. 2). An increase in the level of oxygen consumption in the the value of the respiratory volume is accompanied by a slight increase in VEL (by 5%) both for real and imaginary loads. The level of FVC-an indicator of lung tissue elasticity-increased by 9% and 13% with imaginary and real physical activity, respectively.

 

2. Changes in lung capacity under the influence of physical activity in athletes and untrained individuals (p <0.05).

 

Attention is drawn to the tendency to increase the values of VEL, FVC, FEV1 when performing an imaginary load by an average of 2.5% in untrained individuals and by 8% in the group of athletes relative to the control. These changes can be explained in terms of triggering predictive regulation, which is better expressed in physically trained individuals. A number of studies have shown that with the development of the motor sensory system in humans, and, accordingly, its musculoskeletal system, the interaction of motor and sensory control systems increases [4].

An organism that has repeatedly encountered repetitive motor acts becomes more adapted to them, and does not react as if to a stressful situation

At the next stage of research, we evaluated the state of the lumen of the bronchial tree. It is known that airway obstruction is suspected when the ratio of forced expiratory volume per second to forced vital capacity (FEV1/FVC) decreases. In our case, there was no decrease in FEV1 in any of the groups of examined individuals, which indicates the absence of obstructive abnormalities. As follows from Figure 2, the difference in the strength of the response from the tracheobronchial system of athletes is more pronounced, which indicates a greater development of their respiratory muscles.

Figure 3. Changes in maximum expiratory velocities at different levels under the influence of physical activity in athletes and untrained individuals (p <0.05).

 

The value of the Tiffno index Тиффноin both test groups corresponded to the normal level, its value was statistically higher relative to untrained individuals afterperforming physical activity (Figure 4). The presented data convincingly prove significant differences in the level of development of regulatory mechanisms of the respiratory system of trained individuals relative to the control group [5].

4. Changes in the Tiffno index Тиффноunder the influence of real and imaginary physical activity in athletes and untrained individuals (p <0.05).

 

     Assessment of parameters of the cardiovascular system. Based on the presented data, it can be concluded that performing imaginary physical activity has a direct activating effect on the cardiovascular system of both trained and untrained individuals. Systolic blood pressure increases by 4% relative to baseline, while diastolic blood pressure increases by 3 and 5% in untrained and trained individuals, respectively. The heart rate of athletes when performing an imaginary load increases by 9% in comparison with the indicator for physically untrained students (2%). The value of pulse pressure statistically significantly increased only after performing real physical activity in both groups of subjects surveyed.

 

Figure 5. Indicators of the state of the human cardiovascular system before and after performing imaginary and real physical activity.

 

Conclusion. Thus, the conducted studies indicate the activation of regulatory mechanisms for controlling the respiratory and cardiovascular systems both when performing imaginary and real physical activity. The level of response in trained individuals is higher, which indicates a strengthening of physiological control mechanisms when performing systematic physical exertion.

The imaginary load does not cause significant changes in both groupsof ach, which may be due to the lack of a real physiological need. Minor changes may be dueto psychogenic factors, such as load prediction.

About the authors

Nikita A. Kombarov

Voronezh State Medical University named after N. N. Burdenko

Author for correspondence.
Email: nik_kombarov@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0007-2712-685X
ResearcherId: MIN-7401-2025

Student of the Faculty of Medicine

Russian Federation, 394036, Russia, Voronezh, Russia, Studencheskaya street, 10

Rychkov S. Rychkov

Voronezh State Medical University named after N. N. Burdenko

Email: egor_god2020@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0009-0003-6040-535X

Student of the Faculty of Medicine

Russian Federation, 394036, Russia, Voronezh, Russia, Studencheskaya street, 10

Elena S. Baeva

Voronezh State Medical University named after N. N. Burdenko

Email: elena.s.baeva@mail.ru
ORCID iD: 0000-0002-9572-0101
SPIN-code: 9644-5601
ResearcherId: AAK-9347-2021

Candidate of Biological Sciences, Associate Professor of the Department of Normal Physiology

Russian Federation, 394036, Russia, Voronezh, Russia, Studencheskaya street, 10

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