Abstract
This study compared the autonomic responses to an active orthostatic test and Stroop
Color Word Test (Stroop) as well as cognitive performance in Stroop in twelve severely
overtrained (OA, 6 men and 6 women) and twelve control athletes (CA, 6 men and 6 women).
RR-intervals were recorded during the orthostatic test, the Stroop, and a relaxation
period succeeding the Stroop. Low frequency power during standing in the orthostatic
test was lower in OA than in CA (1322 ± 955 ms2 vs. 2262 ± 1029 ms2, p = 0.030, respectively). During Stroop, OA had higher relative total power (50
± 47 % vs. 19 ± 14 % of the individual total power during supine rest after awakening,
p = 0.028, respectively) and high frequency power (38.5 ± 9.4 % vs. 13.5 ± 2.3 % of
the individual high frequency power during supine rest after awakening, p = 0.035,
respectively) than CA. In the Stroop, OA made more mistakes than CA (9.7 ± 6.5 % vs.
5.4 ± 3.0 %, p = 0.045). The increase in absolute total power from the Stroop to relaxation
correlated negatively with the amount of mistakes in the Stroop (r = - 0.588, p =
0.003). Thus, cardiac autonomic modulation during orthostatic task and responses to
cognitive task and to relaxation, as well as the cognitive performance were attenuated
in severe overtraining.
Key words
overtraining - autonomic nervous system - heart rate variability - Stroop color word
test
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Mr.
Esa Hynynen
KIHU-Research Institute for Olympic Sports
Sports Physiology
Rautpohjankatu 6
40700 Jyväskylä
Finland
Telefon: + 35 84 05 60 43 43
Fax: + 35 82 07 81 15 01
eMail: esa.hynynen@kihu.fi