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The unique contribution of the serotonin transporter-linked polymorphic region (5-HTTLPR), intronic region 2 (STin2), and monoamine oxidase A (MAO-A) genes to individual differences in personality traits has been widely explored, and research has shown that certain forms of these polymorphisms relate to impulsivity and impulsivity-related disorders. Humans showing these traits are also described as having an asymmetrical prefrontal cortical activity when compared to others. In this explorative study, we examine the relationship between serotonergic neurotransmission polymorphisms, cortical activity features (prefrontal alpha asymmetry, individual alpha peak frequency [iAPF]), emotion-related and non-emotion-related impulsivity in humans. 5-HTTLPR, MAO-A, and STin2 polymorphisms were assessed in blood taken from 91 participants with high emotion-related impulsivity levels. Sixty-seven participants completed resting electroencephalography and a more comprehensive impulsivity index. In univariate analyses, iAPF correlated with both forms of emotion-related impulsivity. In multiple linear regression models, 5-HTTLPR polymorphism (model 1, adj. R2 = 15.2%) and iAPF were significant interacting predictors of emotion-related impulsivity, explaining a large share of the results' variance (model 2, adj. R2 = 21.2%). Carriers of the low transcriptional activity 5-HTTPLR and MAO-A phenotypes obtained higher emotion-related impulsivity scores than others did. No significant results were detected for non-emotion-related impulsivity or for a form of emotion-related impulsivity involving cognitive/motivational reactivity to emotion. Our findings support an endophenotypic approach to impulsivity, showing that tri-allelic 5-HTTLPR polymorphism, iAPF, and their interaction are relevant predictors of one form of emotion-related impulsivity.

Emotion-related impulsivity, defined as the tendency to say or do things that one later regret during periods of heightened emotion, has been tied to a broad range of psychopathologies. Previous work has suggested that emotion-related impulsivity is tied to an impaired function of the serotonergic system. Central serotonin synthesis relies on the intake of the essential amino acid, tryptophan and its ability to pass through the blood brain barrier. Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association between emotion-related impulsivity and tryptophan intake. Methods: Undergraduate participants (N = 25, 16 women, 9 men) completed a self-rated measure of impulsivity (Three Factor Impulsivity Index, TFI) and daily logs of their food intake and exercise. These data were coded using the software NutriNote to evaluate intakes of tryptophan, large neutral amino acids, vitamins B6/B12, and exercise. Results: Correlational analyses indicated that higher tryptophan intake was associated with significantly lower scores on two out of three subscales of the TFI, Pervasive Influence of Feelings scores r = -.502, p

This systematic review and meta‐analysis assesses independently the acute effects of anodal and cathodal motor cortex transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) on athletic performance in healthy adults. Besides, it evaluates the unique and conjoint effects of potential moderators (i.e., stimulation parameters, exercise type, subjects' training status and risk of bias). Online database search was performed from inception until March 18th 2024 (PROSPERO: CRD42023355461). Forty‐three controlled trials were included in the systematic review, 40 in the anodal tDCS meta‐analysis (68 effects), and 9 (11 effects) in the cathodal tDCS meta‐analysis. Performance enhancement between pre‐ and post‐stimulation was the main outcome measure considered. The anodal tDCS effects on physical performance were small to moderate (g =.29, 95%CI [.18,.40], PI = −.64 to 1.23, I2 = 64.0%). Exercise type, training status and use of commercial tDCS were significant moderators of the results. The cathodal tDCS effects were null (g =.04, 95%CI [−.05,.12], PI = −.14 to.23, I2 = 0%), with a small to moderate heterogeneity entirely due to sampling error, thus impairing further moderator analysis. These findings hold significant implications for the field of brain stimulation and physical performance, as they not only demonstrate a small to moderate effect of acute tDCS but also identify specific categories of individuals, devices and activities that are more susceptible to improvements. By addressing the multidimensional factors influencing the mechanisms of tDCS, we also provide suggestions for future research. Results indicate a small favouring effect of anodal tDCS on athletic performance with large heterogeneity. Exercise type, training status and use of commercial tDCS significantly moderate anodal tDCS effects. Cathodal tDCS shows null effects, with small to moderate heterogeneity entirely due to sampling error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Hypothesis Exercise therapy has been shown to be an effective complementary treatment for patients with psychotic disorders. However, the specific impacts of different training modalities remain poorly understood. This article aims to quantitatively review the moderating influence of different exercise modalities, hypothesizing that higher exercise intensity as well as utilization of mindfulness-based exercise (MBE) components, will improve intervention outcomes. Study Design PubMed, Web of Science, and PsycINFO were searched from 2010 to March 2022 for randomized controlled trials investigating exercise interventions in patients with psychotic disorders (preregistration: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/J8QNS). Outcomes considered were positive/negative symptoms, Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS) General Psychopathology/Total scores, depressive symptoms, psychosocial functioning, quality of life, cardiorespiratory fitness, and body mass index. Separate meta-analyses, including moderator analyses, were performed to evaluate the moderating influence of different training modalities. Study Results Of 6653 studies, 40 (n  = 2111 patients) were included in the meta-analysis. The effects of moderate-intensity exercise exceed low-intensity approaches for PANSS Total scores (P  = .02) and depressive symptoms (P  = .04). The presence of MBE components was associated with improvements in positive symptoms (P  = .04) and PANSS General Psychopathology subscores (P  = .04) but also with higher error and between-study heterogeneity. Our analysis also shows improved intervention effects on depression in younger patients (P  = .012) and improved psychosocial functioning scores following more frequent sessions (P  < .01). Conclusions A minimum of moderate intensity should be considered. More frequent training sessions per week also seem to be beneficial. While adding mindfulness elements is promising, it increases heterogeneity and requires caution in terms of generalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Researchers have increasingly differentiated trait‐like tendencies toward impulsivity occurring during emotional states (emotion‐related impulsivity [ERI]) from impulsivity not tied to emotion (non‐ERI). Relative to non‐ERI, ERI has shown robust correlations with psychopathology and mild to moderate associations with physical health parameters (e.g., physical activity, poor sleep quality, body mass index [BMI]). Therefore, we first aimed to investigate the unique contributions of ERI and non‐ERI to psychopathology symptoms while controlling for neuroticism. Second, we sought to explore the combined associations of physical health parameters with several impulsivity forms. Methods: German‐speaking adults (N = 350, 35.9 ± 14.6 years, 69.1% female, BMI: 24.0 ± 4.8 kg/m2, mostly students or employees) completed measures of impulsivity, psychopathology symptoms, neuroticism, and physical health. We gathered measures of two ERI forms: Feelings Trigger Action and Pervasive Influence of Feelings. As a control comparison, we gathered a measure of non‐ERI, the Lack of Follow‐Through scale. We conducted separate path models for Aims 1 and 2. Results: For Aim 1, Pervasive Influence of Feelings showed strong links with internalizing symptoms. Feelings Trigger Action and Lack of Follow‐Through showed small links with alcohol use. For Aim 2, poor sleep quality was related to all three impulsivity factors, while physical activity was only related to Pervasive Influence of Feelings and Lack of Follow‐Through. BMI showed a curvilinear association with impulsivity. Conclusions: ERI is more directly relevant than non‐ERI for psychopathology symptoms, emphasizing the need to differentiate between the two ERI types. The association of ERI and non‐ERI with physical activity and poor sleep quality may serve as potential treatment targets for impulsivity‐related problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In sports, physical recovery following exercise‐induced fatigue is mediated via the reactivation of the parasympathetic nervous system (PNS). A noninvasive way to quantify the reactivation of the PNS is to assess vagally‐mediated heart rate variability (vmHRV), which can then be used as an index of physical recovery. This systematic review and meta‐analysis investigated the effects of physical recovery techniques following exercise‐induced fatigue on vmHRV, specifically via the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD). Randomized controlled trials from the databases PubMed, WebOfScience, and SportDiscus were included. Twenty‐four studies were part of the systematic review and 17 were included in the meta‐analysis. Using physical post‐exercise recovery techniques displayed a small to moderate positive effect on RMSSD (k = 22, Hedges' g = 0.40, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.20–0.61, p = 0.04) with moderate heterogeneity. In the subgroup analyses, cold water immersion displayed a moderate to large positive effect (g = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.42–1.07) compared with none for other techniques. For exercise type, physical recovery techniques performed after resistance exercise (g = 0.69, 95% CI: 0.48–0.89) demonstrated a larger positive effect than after cardiovascular intermittent (g = 0.52, 95% CI: 0.06–0.97), while physical recovery techniques performed after cardiovascular continuous exercise had no effect. No significant subgroup differences for training status and exercise intensity were observed. Overall, physical post‐exercise recovery techniques can accelerate PNS reactivation as indexed by vmHRV, but the effectiveness varies with the technique and exercise type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seminal work has found a negative association between physical exercise and impulsivity levels in humans. This paper aims to strengthen these findings by evaluating the association between the amount of self-reported physical exercise per week and emotion-related impulsivity whilst considering age and gender as covariates on a large-scale dataset. Participants completed an online self-report questionnaire about emotion-related impulsivity (i.e. Feelings Trigger Action) and exercise-related questions. After quality control, 773 participants were included in the analysis. Correlational analyses and a multiple regression model explaining the emotion-related impulsivity scores via the amount of exercise per week and demographic characteristics (i.e. age and gender) were performed. The number of hours spent exercising per week was significantly inversely correlated with the Feelings Trigger Action score (r = −.131, p <.001) and two out of its three subscales. The multiple linear regression model showed that hours of exercise per week and gender were significantly associated with the Feelings Trigger Action score (std. β = −.122, p <.001), however, this model explained only 3.2% of the overall variance. This large-scale dataset confirms seminal work displaying an inverse association between emotion-related impulsivity and hours of exercise per week. Further studies are required to understand the mechanisms underlying the relationship between the two variables. Highlights This study (N = 773) confirms seminal work on the connection between exercise and impulsivity. When controlling for demographic variables, the amount of exercise per week was inversely correlated (small effect size) with emotion-related impulsivity levels. In the multiple-regression model, hours of exercise per week and gender were significantly associated with the Feelings Trigger Action score. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article aimed to synthesize the various triggers of the diving response and to perform a meta‐analysis assessing their effects on cardiac vagal activity. The protocol was preregistered on PROSPERO (CRD42021231419; 01.07.2021). A systematic and meta‐analytic review of cardiac vagal activity was conducted, indexed with the root mean square of successive differences (RMSSD) in the context of the diving response. The search on MEDLINE (via PubMed), Web of Science, ProQuest and PsycNet was finalized on November 6th, 2021. Studies with human participants were considered, measuring RMSSD pre‐ and during and/or post‐exposure to at least one trigger of the diving response. Seventeen papers (n = 311) met inclusion criteria. Triggers examined include face immersion or cooling, SCUBA diving, and total body immersion into water. Compared to resting conditions, a significant moderate to large positive effect was found for RMSSD during exposure (Hedges' g = 0.59, 95% CI 0.36 to 0.82, p <.001), but not post‐exposure (g = 0.11, 95% CI −0.14 to 0.36, p =.34). Among the considered moderators, total body immersion had a significantly larger effect than forehead cooling (QM = 23.46, df = 1, p <.001). No further differences were detected. Limitations were the small number of studies included, heterogenous triggers, few participants and low quality of evidence. Further research is needed to investigate the role of cardiac sympathetic activity and of the moderators. In the first meta‐analysis on this topic, the diving response has been found to be moderately to largely effective in increasing cardiac vagal activity during exposure. Face immersion and total body immersion caused stronger effects than forehead cooling and should be further investigated as potential interventions in psychotherapy and stress management in the work place. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive impairment is common, debilitating, and poorly managed in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Exercise training might have positive effects on cognitive performance in pwMS, yet the overall magnitude, heterogeneity, and potential moderators remain unclear. Objective: This three-level meta-analysis aims to identify the effects of exercise training and those of exercise modalities on global and domain-specific cognitive performance in pwMS. Methods: MEDLINE, PsycInfo, SportDiscus, CENTRAL, and EMBASE were screened for randomized and non-randomized clinical trials from inception to 27 January 2020, yielding 3091 articles. Based on titles and abstracts, 75 articles remained in the selection process. After full-text evaluation, 13 studies were finally selected (PROSPERO pre-registered). Results: The pooled effect of exercise training on the global cognitive performance was null (g = 0.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): –0.11 to 0.18) and no significant differences were displayed among domains. Heterogeneity within studies was null ( I (2) 2 = 0.0%) and between studies was low ( I (3) 2 = 25.1%). None of the moderators (exercise modalities, age, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), supervision, cognitive domains) reached significance. However, the exercise volume explained most of the overall heterogeneity (slope = 4.651 × 10−5, R (2) 2 = 100%, R (3) 2 = 52.34%). Conclusion: These results do not support the efficacy of exercise training on global or domain-specific cognitive performance in pwMS. Future studies are needed to determine whether higher training dose are beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive impairment is common, debilitating, and poorly managed in persons with multiple sclerosis (pwMS). Exercise training might have positive effects on cognitive performance in pwMS, yet the overall magnitude, heterogeneity, and potential moderators remain unclear., Objective: This three-level meta-analysis aims to identify the effects of exercise training and those of exercise modalities on global and domain-specific cognitive performance in pwMS., Methods: MEDLINE, PsycInfo, SportDiscus, CENTRAL, and EMBASE were screened for randomized and non-randomized clinical trials from inception to 27 January 2020, yielding 3091 articles. Based on titles and abstracts, 75 articles remained in the selection process. After full-text evaluation, 13 studies were finally selected (PROSPERO pre-registered)., Results: The pooled effect of exercise training on the global cognitive performance was null ( g  = 0.04, 95% confidence interval (CI): -0.11 to 0.18) and no significant differences were displayed among domains. Heterogeneity within studies was null ( I ( 2 ) 2 = 0.0%) and between studies was low ( I ( 3 ) 2 = 25.1%). None of the moderators (exercise modalities, age, Expanded Disability Status Scale (EDSS), supervision, cognitive domains) reached significance. However, the exercise volume explained most of the overall heterogeneity (slope = 4.651 × 10 -5 , R ( 2 ) 2  = 100%, R ( 3 ) 2  = 52.34%)., Conclusion: These results do not support the efficacy of exercise training on global or domain-specific cognitive performance in pwMS. Future studies are needed to determine whether higher training dose are beneficial.

Context: Serotonergic dysfunction, including reduced central serotonin levels, is associated with different psychiatric syndromes, including depression. As a serotonin precursor, 5-hydroxytryptophan has long been used as a nonpharmacological treatment for depression., Objective: A systematic review and meta-analysis was conducted to determine the antidepressant effects of 5-hydroxytryptophan in depressed patients., Data Sources: MEDLINE (via PubMed) and Google Scholar were searched from inception to May 2018., Data Extraction: Thirteen investigations were included in the systematic review (using PRISMA guidelines), and 7 in the full meta-analysis (pre-registered on PROSPERO: CRD42018104415)., Data Analysis: Analyses revealed a depression remission rate of 0.65 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.55-0.78; remission rate [k] = 13), and this was confirmed by the questionnaire results, which revealed a large Hedges' g (1.11; 95%CI, 0.53-1.69). Methodological variability (in treatment duration, type of depression studied, experimental design, 5-hydroxytryptophan dosage) contributes to heterogeneity in the results (I2 = 76%, τ2 = 0.379). In addition, the OHAT (Office of Health Assessment and Translation risk of bias rating) tool suggested that, on the whole, current studies are relatively weak (few include placebo groups)., Conclusion: Further trials should overcome these limitations by using placebo-controlled studies that include patients with well-defined depression diagnoses, along with strong characterization of psychological and physiological patient characteristics., (© The Author(s) 2019. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Life Sciences Institute. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.)

Regular physical activity and exercise interventions are suspected to have anti-inflammatory effects depending on exercise modality, thereby potentially reducing the risk and progress of several chronic diseases. Alterations in the kynurenine pathway may represent a link between inflammatory responses following acute exercise and chronic anti-inflammatory properties, such as increased levels of regulatory T-cells (T reg ). Here, we hypothesize that acute exercise activates the kynurenine pathway and physical fitness is associated with proportions of circulating anti-inflammatory T reg in older healthy women. Nineteen older healthy female participants (55 years (SD: ± 5.6)) completed a cardiopulmonary incremental exercise test (CPET) with spirometry on a bicycle ergometer until exhaustion with maximum oxygen uptake (VO 2 max) as outcome. Blood samples were taken before (T0) and one minute after (T1) the CPET. Levels of tryptophan, serotonin and kynurenine were determined by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assays. Flow cytometry was used to identify proportions of T-cell subsets. Both, kynurenine (p = 0.003, d = 0.40) and the kynurenine/tryptophan ratio (p = 0.034, d = 0.48) increased significantly after acute exercise. Moreover, participants` VO 2 max was strongly correlated with T reg levels (p < 0.001, r = 0.689). This is the first study indicating a kynurenine pathway activation following acute exercise in older healthy women. The observed correlation between T reg levels and VO 2 max emphasizes a potential link between short-term upregulated kynurenine levels and longer-term anti-inflammatory properties of exercise. Future research is needed to clarify to what extend acute exercise-induced activations of the kynurenine pathway contribute to T reg differentiation., (© Journal of Sports Science and Medicine.)