Investigation of Autonomic Stress Response Patterns in College Students With Varying Physical Activity Levels
For patients and families
In plain language
An automatic summary of structured registry data. It is an orientation aid, not a substitute for the official protocol or a physician assessment.
- What is being studied
- The protocol lists: Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing.
- Who it may be relevant to
- Registry conditions: Autonomic Nervous System Activity, Cardiovascular, Physical Activity Level. Basic parameters: 18 years — 30 years · All.
- What needs checking
- Age, condition and sex are only basic indicators. Prior treatment, laboratory values and other mandatory requirements appear in the eligibility criteria below.
- Where it takes place
- Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
- Next step
- Save the trial, show it to the treating physician, and confirm current recruitment with the study center. Costs, documents and travel →
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Overview
This study aims to investigate the differences in cardiovascular stress response patterns among individuals with various physical activity levels (sedentary controls and different types of athletes). By synchronously monitoring ECG, heart rate, skin sympathetic nerve activity (SKNA), blood pressure, and cardiac output, the study will characterize physiological dynamics during resting, orthostatic challenge, cold pressor stress, and maximal exercise.
Detailed description
Participants will be categorized into five groups based on their training background: sedentary, endurance, strength, technical, and traditional ethnic sports. The experimental protocol includes baseline measurements in lying, standing, and sitting positions, followed by a series of acute stress tests: a lie-to-stand orthostatic test, a slow breathing test, and a cold pressor test. Finally, participants will perform a ramp incremental exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Synchronous physiological data including HRV and SKNA will be collected to evaluate the dynamic regulation of the autonomic nervous system.
Interventions
- Diagnostic test Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) is a non-invasive, integrated assessment of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscular systems' responses to physical stress.
Primary outcome measures
- Heart Rate Variability [Time frame: Baseline (10-minute rest), during the 10-minute mental stress test, and during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (approx. 20 minutes)]
- Skin Sympathetic Nerve Activity [Time frame: Baseline (10-minute rest), during the 10-minute mental stress test, and during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (approx. 20 minutes)]
Eligibility criteria
Inclusion criteria
Healthy young adults aged 18-25 years
Body Mass Index (BMI) within the range of 18.5-23.9 kg/m 2
No history of systematic professional athletic training (for sedentary group) or confirmed training background (for athlete groups)
No exercise contraindications or history of cardiovascular, respiratory, or metabolic diseases
No family history of sudden cardiac death
Ability to understand the study protocol and sign the informed consent form
Exclusion criteria
History of limb sports injury within the past 6 months or unhealed fractures
Habits of smoking or chronic alcohol consumption
Presence of implanted electronic devices (e.g., pacemakers)
Clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety or depression
Recent use of medications affecting autonomic or cardiovascular function
Regular practice of meditation or ongoing psychotherapy
Irregular menstrual cycles (for female participants)
Peripheral neuropathy or other autonomic nervous system disorders
Criteria are shown verbatim from the registry (in English). Final eligibility is always assessed by the study center.
Healthy volunteers: Yes
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
Study locations
Center list to be confirmed — check the primary protocol.
Identifiers
NCT: NCT07360821 · 2025601H · 2025601H