Autonomic, cardiovascular, respiratory, muscle oxygenation regulation during postural transitions and acute exercise in females and males living with frailty

This research aims to: (1) determine how the brain, heart, vessels, lungs, and muscle oxygenation regulation in female and male frail older adults. In study #1, participants will perform three postural transitions: (a) sit-to-stand, (b) lie-to-stand, and (c) lie-to-sit, and three identical constant workload walking tests. The autonomic (brain, e.g., sympathetic and parasympathetic activity), cardiovascular (e.g., heart rate, blood pressure, cardiac output), respiratory (e.g., oxygen consumption, carbon dioxide output, ventilation) and muscle oxygenation (near-infrared spectroscopy) will be assessed in females and males with different frailty statuses. Homeostatic dysregulation compromises rapid adjustments in the autonomic, cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscle oxygenation regulatory mechanisms affecting maintenance of homeostasis, especially in vulnerable populations (e.g., older adults). The dysregulation exposes them to higher risks of frailty, chronic diseases, and falls. Frailty is characterized by the degradation of biological and functional reserves to tolerate stressors resulting in high vulnerability to adverse health outcomes. People living with frailty are under-recognized, under-served, under-appreciated, and poorly understood. This research proposal is critical because it will inform the future development of more robust early frailty risk detection assessments, frailty preventative, and rehabilitative treatment/intervention strategies considering sex differences.

Faculty Supervisor:

Rodrigo Villar

Student:

Partner:

Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv

Discipline:

Life Sciences

Sector:

Health and Related Sciences & Technology

University:

University of Manitoba

Program: