Compared with eumenorrhoeic women, exercise-trained women with functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea (ExFHA) exhibit low heart rates (HRs) and absent reflex renin–angiotensin-system activation and augmentation of their muscle sympathetic nerve response to orthostatic stress. To test the hypothesis that their autonomic HR modulation is altered concurrently, three age-matched (pooled mean, 24±1 years; mean ± S.E.M.) groups of women were studied: active with either FHA (ExFHA; n=11) or eumenorrhoeic cycles (ExOv; n=17) and sedentary with eumenorrhoeic cycles (SedOv; n=17). Blood pressure (BP), HR and HR variability (HRV) in the frequency domain were determined during both supine rest and graded lower body negative pressure (LBNP; −10, −20 and −40 mmHg). Very low (VLF), low (LF) and high (HF) frequency power spectra (ms2) were determined and, owing to skewness, log10-transformed. LF/HF ratio and total power (VLF + LF + HF) were calculated. At baseline, HR and systolic BP (SBP) were lower (P<0.05) and HF and total power were higher (P<0.05) in ExFHA than in eumenorrhoeic women. In all groups, LBNP decreased (P<0.05) SBP, HF and total power and increased (P<0.05) HR and LF/HF ratio. However, HF and total power remained higher (P<0.05) and HR, SBP and LF/HF ratio remained lower (P<0.05) in ExFHA than in eumenorrhoeic women, in whom measures did not differ (P>0.05). At each stage, HR correlated inversely (P<0.05) with HF. In conclusion, ExFHA women demonstrate augmented vagal yet unchanged sympathetic HR modulation, both at rest and during orthostatic stress. Although the role of oestrogen deficiency is unclear, these findings are in contrast with studies reporting decreased HRV in hypoestrogenic post-menopausal women.
Skip Nav Destination
Article navigation
Research Article|
September 01 2015
Augmented vagal heart rate modulation in active hypoestrogenic pre-menopausal women with functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea
Emma O'Donnell;
Emma O'Donnell
*Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Department of Exercise Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2W6, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Jack M. Goodman;
Jack M. Goodman
*Cardiovascular Research Laboratory, Department of Exercise Sciences, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario M5S 2W6, Canada
†Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Beverly L. Morris;
Beverly L. Morris
‡Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C4, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
John S. Floras;
John S. Floras
†Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario M5G 1X5, Canada
‡Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Toronto General Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario M5G 2C4, Canada
Search for other works by this author on:
Paula J. Harvey
§Department of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Women's College Hospital, University of Toronto, Ontario M5S 1B3, Canada
Correspondence: Dr Paula Harvey (email [email protected]).
Search for other works by this author on:
Publisher: Portland Press Ltd
Received:
March 19 2014
Revision Received:
July 06 2015
Accepted:
July 28 2015
Accepted Manuscript online:
July 28 2015
Online ISSN: 1470-8736
Print ISSN: 0143-5221
© 2015 Authors; published by Portland Press Limited
2015
Clin Sci (Lond) (2015) 129 (10): 885–893.
Article history
Received:
March 19 2014
Revision Received:
July 06 2015
Accepted:
July 28 2015
Accepted Manuscript online:
July 28 2015
Citation
Emma O'Donnell, Jack M. Goodman, Beverly L. Morris, John S. Floras, Paula J. Harvey; Augmented vagal heart rate modulation in active hypoestrogenic pre-menopausal women with functional hypothalamic amenorrhoea. Clin Sci (Lond) 1 November 2015; 129 (10): 885–893. doi: https://doi.org/10.1042/CS20150209
Download citation file:
Sign in
Don't already have an account? Register
Sign in to your personal account
You could not be signed in. Please check your email address / username and password and try again.
Could not validate captcha. Please try again.
Biochemical Society Member Sign in
Sign InSign in via your Institution
Sign in via your InstitutionGet Access To This Article
Cited By
Open Access for all
We offer compliant routes for all authors from 2025. With library support, there will be no author nor reader charges in 5 journals. Check here |
![]() |