Physical exercise is essential for increasing ventricular contractility in hypertensive rats treated with losartan.

The treatment of hypertensive patients with losartan is very common. Despite the reduction in blood pressure, its effects on cardiac contractility and sympathetic autonomic drive are still controversial. In turn, aerobic physical training (APT) also presents an important therapeutic option, providing significant improvements in cardiovascular autonomic control, however little is known about its effects on cardiac contractility, especially when associated with losartan. Therefore, we investigated in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) the effects of losartan and APT on cardiac hemodynamics and functionality, with emphasis on autonomic tonic balance and cardiac contractility. Sixty-four SHR (18 weeks old) were divided into four groups (N = 16): vehicle; vehicle submitted to APT through swimming for 12 weeks; treated with losartan (5 mg·kg-1·d-1) for 12 weeks; and treated with losartan associated with APT. The groups were submitted to cardiac morphological and functional analysis by echocardiography; double blockade of cardiac autonomic receptors with atropine and propranolol; and coronary bed reactivity and left ventricular contractility analyses by the Langendorff technique. APT improved functional parameters and autonomic balance by reducing sympathetic drive and/or increasing vagal drive. In contrast, it promoted a concentric remodeling of the left ventricle (LV). Treatment with losartan reduced sympathetic autonomic drive and cardiac morphological parameters, but there were no significant gains in cardiac functionality and contractility. When combined, the concentric remodeling of the LV to APT was abolished and gains in cardiac functionality and contractility were observed. Our findings suggest that the effects of losartan and APT are complementary and should be applied together in the treatment of hypertension. In spontaneously hypertensive rats, the combination of aerobic physical training with losartan treatment was crucial to greater blood pressure reductions and an increase in left ventricular contractility. Furthermore, losartan treatment prevented the concentric left ventricular remodeling caused by aerobic physical training.

Physical training improves physical activity levels but is associated with amplification of sedentary behavior in older women.

Physical activity level (PAL) and sedentary behavior (SB) are independent predictors of mortality. It is unclear how these predictors interact with each other and health variables. Investigate the bidirectional relationship between PAL and SB, and their impact and health variables of women aged 60 to 70 years. One hundred forty-two older adults women (66.3 ± 2.9 years) considered insufficiently active were submitted to 14 weeks of multicomponent training (MT), multicomponent training with flexibility (TMF), or the control group (CG). PAL variables were analyzed by accelerometry and QBMI questionnaire, physical activity (PA) light, moderate, vigorous and CS by accelerometry, 6 min walk (CAM), SBP, BMI, LDL, HDL, uric acid, triglycerides, glucose and cholesterol total. In linear regressions, CS was associated with glucose (B:12.80; CI:9.31/20.50; p < 0.001; R2:0.45), light PA (B:3.10; CI:2, 41/4.76; p < 0.001; R2:0.57), NAF by accelerometer (B:8.21; CI:6.74/10.02; p < 0.001; R2:0.62), vigorous PA (B:794.03; CI:682.11/908.2; p < 0.001; R2:0.70), LDL (B:13.28; CI:7.45/16.75; p < 0.002; R2:0.71) and 6 min walk (B:3.39; CI:2.96/8.75; p < 0.004; R2:0.73). NAF was associated with mild PA (B:0.246; CI:0.130/0.275; p < 0.001; R2:0.624), moderate PA (B:0.763; CI:0.567/0.924; p < 0.001; R2:0.745), glucose (B:-0.437; CI:-0.789/-0.124; p < 0.001; R2:0.782), CAM (B:2.223; CI:1.872/4.985; p < 0.002; R2:0.989) and CS (B:0.253; CI: 0.189/0.512; p < 0.001; R2:1.94). The NAF can enhance CS. Build a new look at how these variables are independent but dependent simultaneously, being able to influence the quality of health when this dependence is denied.

Comparing Fourteen Weeks of Multicomponent Training Versus Combined Training in Physically Inactive Older Women: A Randomized Trial.

BACKGROUND: Combined (CT) and multicomponent training (MT) presents several benefits for aging individuals. However, the literature does not provide evidence on which of the two physical training models can better enhance improvements in physical capacity and health parameters in middle-aged and older women. OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the effects of MT and CT on physical capacity, cognitive, behavioral, and psychosocial assessment, and biochemical profile of physically inactive women aged between 50 and 70 years. METHODS: Participants were randomized into two groups: MT (32 women, 64.2 ± 6.4 years) and CT (39 women, 61.4 ± 4.3 years). Both training sessions had a weekly volume of 180 min, for 14 weeks, with assessments at baseline and after the training period. RESULTS: CT showed better results when compared to MT. In the four evaluation blocks, we noticed differences in the effect size (L = large, M = moderate, S = small, and T = trivial) between the groups in 26 variables in total, highlighting the CT group (L = 11, M = 5, S = 2, and T = 8) compared to the MT group (L = 8, M = 7, S = 7, and T = 4). Our findings showed group-time differences for strength variables using the maximum dynamic repetition test in upper and lower limbs and for agility. The multicomponent training showed improvement in the functional strength of the upper limbs evaluated through the elbow flexion and extension test (p = 0.037), and HDL (p = 0.022). CONCLUSIONS: Fourteen weeks of CT showed better benefits when compared to MT.

Memantine associated with ventricular-subcutaneous shunt promotes behavioral improvement, reduces reactive astrogliosis and cell death in juvenile hydrocephalic rats.

Hydrocephalus is defined as the accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the brain ventricles. The usual treatment of hydrocephalus is surgical (shunt), but not all patients can undergo treatment immediately after diagnosis. Thus, neuroprotective measures were tested to minimize the tissue damage involved. Memantine is a non-competitive antagonist of the N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptor, which has shown a neuroprotective action in neurodegenerative diseases. This study aimed to evaluate the neuroprotective response of memantine in animals treated with or without a ventricular-subcutaneous shunt. Seven-day-old male Wistar rats induced by intracisternal injection of kaolin were used, divided into five groups: intact control (n = 10), hydrocephalic (n = 10), hydrocephalic treated with memantine (20 mg/kg/day) (n = 10), hydrocephalic treated with shunt (n = 10), hydrocephalic treated with shunt and memantine (20 mg/kg/day) (n = 10). Memantine administration was started on the day after hydrocephalus induction and continued until the last day of the experimental period, totaling 21 consecutive days of drug application. The CSF shunt surgery was performed seven days after hydrocephalus induction. Behavioral tests (open field, and modified Morris water maze), histological, and immunohistochemical evaluations were performed. Treatment with memantine resulted in significant improvement (p < 0.05) in sensorimotor development, preservation of spatial memory, reduction of astrocytic reaction in the corpus callosum, cortex, and germinal matrix. When associated with the shunt, it has also been shown to reduce the cell death cascade. It is concluded that memantine is a promising adjuvant drug with beneficial potential for the treatment of lesions secondary to hydrocephalus.

Effects of Combined Versus Multicomponent Training in Physically Active Women Aged 50-75 Years.

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the effects of combined training (CT) and multicomponent training (MT) on different health parameters in physically active women aged between 50 and 75 years. Method: The participants were randomly divided into two training groups (CT and MT), lasting 180 min per week, for 14 consecutive weeks of training with the level of physical activity, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, strength, cardiorespiratory skills, coordination, flexibility, agility, and quality of life. Results: Participants who underwent CT and MT training showed positive responses regarding the assessment of body mass, waist circumference, lower limb resistance and strength, upper limb strength, and mental domain related to the quality of life. However, only participants undergoing CT were able to increase agility and cardiorespiratory capacities. Conclusion: 14 weeks of CT were more efficient to improve physical capacities in physically active women aged between 50 and 75 years when compared to MT.

Quality of Movement Is Associated With Cognitive Function in Physically Inactive Older Women.

The relationship between the quality of movement, considering different global and universal basic patterns of movement and cognition domains in older adults remain unclear. The current study explored this association in physically inactive older women. In total, 187 participants, aged 60-70 years (mean = 64.9, SD = 6.9 years), were recruited from a physical education program in a public university. The older adults performed the following tests: Functional Movement Screen, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, and Modified Baecke Questionnaire for the Older Adults. The regression analysis showed an association between age (ß = -0.11, 95% confidence interval, CI, [-0.10, 0.30], p = .03); visuospatial abilities (ß = 0.36, 95% CI [0.24, 1.23], p < .001); language (ß = 0.23, 95% CI [0.20, 1.08], p < .001); and orientation domains (ß = 0.13, 95% CI [0.11, 1.22], p = .016) of the Montreal Cognitive Assessment and the Functional Movement Screen. The quality of movement was related to both age and cognitive performance, such as the visuospatial abilities, language, and orientation domains, in physically inactive older women.