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Assessment of autonomic function in high level athletes by pupillometry
João A Capão Filipe1, F Falcão-Reis, J Castro-Correia
1Pupillometry Unit, Department of Ophthalmology, University of Porto School of Medicine, S. João Hospital, Porto 4200-319, Portugal. jacapaofilipe@ntecabo.pt
Autonomic Neuroscience : Basic & Clinical
|February 1, 2003
Summary
Endurance runners show altered pupillary light reflex, indicating changes in autonomic nervous system activity. This suggests a potential "dysautonomy" linked to intense endurance training in athletes.
Area of Science:
- Autonomic Nervous System Physiology
- Exercise Physiology
- Ophthalmology
Background:
- Heart rate variability analysis is standard for assessing autonomic function in athletes.
- The impact of exercise on the autonomic regulation of the pupillary light reflex remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate and evaluate pupil autonomic function in highly trained athletes.
- To determine if exercise training influences the autonomic control of the pupillary light reflex.
Main Methods:
- Utilized portable infrared pupillometry to record pupil light response curves in 46 athletes and 51 controls.
- Analyzed pupillogram data using a computer system to calculate key pupillometric parameters.
Main Results:
- Endurance runners exhibited significantly higher reflex amplitude, mean percent reflex amplitude, and time to 75% redilation compared to controls (P<0.05).
- No significant influence of sex, age, height, weight, BMI, or years of sports practice was observed.
- Findings suggest increased parasympathetic and reduced sympathetic activity in the pupillary light reflex of endurance runners.
Conclusions:
- Endurance training may lead to a generalized
- dysautonomy
- affecting pupillary autonomic function.
- Altered pupillary light reflex parameters in runners support the hypothesis of training-induced autonomic adaptations.