Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Dominance in cardiac parasympathetic activity during real recreational SCUBA diving

  • Original Article
  • Published:
European Journal of Applied Physiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

It was already established that exposure to hyperbaric conditions induces vagal-depended bradycardia but field study on autonomic nervous system (ANS) activity during self-contained underwater breathing apparatus (SCUBA) diving is lacking. The aim of the present study was to evaluate ANS modifications during real recreational SCUBA diving using heart rate variability analysis (timedomain, frequency-domain and Poincaré plot) in 10 experienced and volunteers recreational divers. Mean RR, root mean square of successive differences of interval (rMSSD), high frequency of spectral analysis and standard deviation 1 of Poincaré Plot increased (P < 0.05) during dive. Low frequency/high frequency ratio decreased during dive (P < 0.05) but increased after (P < 0.05). Recreational SCUBA diving induced a rise in vagal activity and a decrease in cardiac sympathetic activity. Conversely, sympathetic activity increases (P < 0.05) during the recovery.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3
Fig. 4

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Akselrod S, Gordon D, Ubel FA, Shannon DC, Berger AC, Cohen RJ (1981) Power spectrum analysis of heart rate fluctuation: a quantitative probe of beat-to-beat cardiovascular control. Science 213(4504):220–222. doi:10.1126/science.6166045

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Bonde-Petersen F, Schultz-Pedersen L, Dragsted N (1992) Peripheral and central blood flow in man during cold, thermoneutral, and hot water immersion. Aviat Space Environ Med 63(5):346–350

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Brown TE, Beightol LA, Koh J, Eckberg DL (1993) Important influence of respiration on human R-R interval power spectra is largely ignored. J Appl Physiol 75(5):2310–2317

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Eckenhoff RG, Knight DR (1984) Cardiac arrhythmias heart rate changes in prolonged hyperbaric air exposures. Undersea Biomed Res 11(4):355–367

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Gabrielsen A, Johansen LB, Norsk P (1993) Central cardiovascular pressures during graded water immersion in humans. J Appl Physiol 75(2):581–585

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hayashi N, Ishihara M, Tanaka A, Osumi T, Yoshida T (1997) Face immersion increases vagal activity as assessed by heart rate variability. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 76(5):394–399. doi:10.1007/s004210050267

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hirayanagi K, Nakabayashi K, Okonogi K, Ohiwa H (2003) Autonomic nervous activity and stress hormones induced by hyperbaric saturation diving. Undersea Hyperb Med 30(1):47–55

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Johnson DG, Hayward JS, Jacobs TP, Collis ML, Eckerson JD, Williams RH (1977) Plasma norepinephrine responses of man in cold water. J Appl Physiol 43(2):216–220

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Katona PG, Jih F (1975) Respiratory sinus arrhythmia: noninvasive measure of parasympathetic cardiac control. J Appl Physiol 39(5):801–805

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Kinoshita T, Nagata S, Baba R, Kohmoto T, Iwagaki S (2006) Cold-water face immersion per se elicits cardiac parasympathetic activity. Circ J 70(6):773–776. doi:10.1253/circj.70.773

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Kollai M, Mizsei G (1990) Respiratory sinus arrhythmia is a limited measure of cardiac parasympathetic control in man. J Physiol 424:329–342

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lafay V (2006) The heart and undersea diving. Arch Mal Coeur Vaiss 99(11):1115–1119

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lafay V, Boussuges A, Ambrosi P, Barthelemy P, Frances Y, Gardette B, Jammes Y (1997) Doppler-echocardiography study of cardiac function during a 36 atm (3, 650 kPa) human dive. Undersea Hyperb Med 24(2):67–71

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lemaitre F, Bernier F, Petit I, Renard N, Gardette B, Joulia F (2005) Heart rate responses during a breath-holding competition in well-trained divers. Int J Sports Med 26(6):409–413. doi:10.1055/s-2004-821159

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lund VE, Kentala E, Scheinin H, Klossner J, Helenius H, Sariola-Heinonen K, Jalonen J (1999) Heart rate variability in healthy volunteers during normobaric and hyperbaric hyperoxia. Acta Physiol Scand 167(1):29–35. doi:10.1046/j.1365-201x.1999.00581.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Lund V, Kentala E, Scheinin H, Klossner J, Sariola-Heinonen K, Jalonen J (2000) Hyperbaric oxygen increases parasympathetic activity in professional divers. Acta Physiol Scand 170(1):39–44. doi:10.1046/j.1365-201x.2000.00761.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Marabotti C, Belardinelli A, L’Abbate A, Scalzini A, Chiesa F, Cialoni D, Passera M, Bedini R (2008) Cardiac function during breath-hold diving in humans: an echocardiographic study. Undersea Hyperb Med 35(2):83–90

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Mitchell JH, Haskell W, Snell P, Van Camp SP (2005) Task Force 8: classification of sports. J Am Coll Cardiol 45:1364–1367. doi:10.1016/j.jacc.2005.02.015

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Miwa C, Sugiyama Y, Mano T, Iwase S, Matsukawa T (1996a) Spectral characteristics of heart rate and blood pressure variabilities during head-out water immersion. Environ Med 40(1):91–94

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miwa C, Mano T, Saito M, Iwase S, Matsukawa T, Sugiyama Y, Koga K (1996b) Ageing reduces sympatho-suppressive response to head-out water immersion in humans. Acta Physiol Scand 158(1):15–20. doi:10.1046/j.1365-201X.1996.527289000.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Miwa C, Sugiyama Y, Mano T, Iwase S, Matsukawa T (1997) Sympatho-vagal responses in humans to thermoneutral head-out water immersion. Aviat Space Environ Med 68(12):1109–1114

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Molénat F, Boussuges A, Grandfond A, Rostain JC, Sainty JM, Robinet C, Galland F, Meliet JL (2004) Haemodynamic effects of hyperbaric hyperoxia in healthy volunteers: an echocardiographic and Doppler study. Clin Sci (Lond) 106(4):389–395. doi:10.1042/CS20030293

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Mourot L, Bouhaddi M, Gandelin E, Cappelle S, Dumoulin G, Wolf JP, Rouillon JD, Regnard J (2008) Cardiovascular autonomic control during short-term thermoneutral and cool head-out immersion. Aviat Space Environ Med 79(1):14–20. doi:10.3357/ASEM.2147.2008

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Neubauer B, Tetzlaff K, Staschen CM, Bettinghausen E (2001) Cardiac output changes during hyperbaric hyperoxia. Int Arch Occup Environ Health 74(2):119–122. doi:10.1007/s004200000201

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Niskanen JP, Tarvainen MP, Ranta-Aho PO, Karjalainen PA (2004) Software for advanced HRV analysis. Comput Methods Programs Biomed 76(1):73–81. doi:10.1016/j.cmpb.2004.03.004

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Norsk P (1992) Gravitational stress and volume regulation. Clin Physiol 12(5):505–526. doi:10.1111/j.1475-097X.1992.tb00355.x

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Norsk P, Bonde-Petersen F, Warberg J (1985) Central venous pressure and plasma arginine vasopressin during water immersion in man. Eur J Appl Physiol Occup Physiol 54(1):71–78. doi:10.1007/BF00426302

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Pelliccia A, Fagard R, Bjornstad HH et al (2005) Recommendations for competitive sports participation in athletes with cardiovascular disease: a consensus document from the Study Group of Sports Cardiology of the Working Group of Cardiac Rehabilitation and Exercise Physiology and the Working Group of Myocardial and Pericardial Diseases of the European Society of Cardiology. Eur Heart J 26:1422–1445. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehi325

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Periodtoe A, Sawada Y (1989) Assessment of baroreceptor reflex function during mental stress and relaxation. Psychophysiology 26(2):140–147. doi:10.1111/j.1469-8986.1989.tb03145.x

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Portier H, Guézennec CY (2007) Study of heart rate variability during offshore race with sleep deprivation. Sci Sports 22:163–165. doi:10.1016/j.scispo.2007.05.002

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Radespiel-Tröger M, Rauh R, Mahlke C, Gottschalk T, Mück-Weymann M (2003) Agreement of two different methods for measurement of heart rate variability. Clin Auton Res 13(2):99–102. doi:10.1007/s10286-003-0085-7

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Ross A, Periodtoe A (1980) Attenuation of the diving reflex in man by mental stimulation. J Physiol 302:387–393

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schipke JD, Pelzer M (2001) Effect of immersion, submersion, and scuba diving on heart rate variability. Br J Sports Med 35(3):174–180. doi:10.1136/bjsm.35.3.174

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Shiraishi M, Schou M, Gybel M, Christensen NJ, Norsk P (2002) Comparison of acute cardiovascular responses to water immersion and head-down tilt in humans. J Appl Physiol 92(1):264–268

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Srámek P, Simecková M, Janský L, Savlíková J, Vybíral S (2000) Human physiological responses to immersion into water of different temperatures. Eur J Appl Physiol 81(5):436–442. doi:10.1007/s004210050065

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Task Force of the European Society of Cardiology, the North American Society of Pacing, Electrophysiology (1996) Heart rate variability: standards of measurement, physiological interpretation and clinical use. Circulation 93(5):1043–1065

    Google Scholar 

  • Tulppo MP, Mäkikallio TH, Takala TE, Seppänen T, Huikuri HV (1996) Quantitative beat-to-beat analysis of heart rate dynamics during exercise. Am J Physiol 271(1 Pt 2):H244–H252

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Ueno LM, Miyachi M, Matsui T, Takahashi K, Yamazaki K, Hayashi K, Onodera S, Moritani T (2005) Effect of aging on carotid artery stiffness and baroreflex sensitivity during head-out water immersion in man. Braz J Med Biol Res 38(4):629–637. doi:10.1590/S0100-879X2005000400018

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Service de Physiologie Clinique et de l’Exercice, CHU Nord, 42055, Saint-Etienne cedex 2, France

    Florian Chouchou, Vincent Pichot, Martin Garet, Jean-Claude Barthélémy & Frédéric Roche

Authors
  1. Florian Chouchou
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Vincent Pichot
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Martin Garet
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Jean-Claude Barthélémy
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. Frédéric Roche
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Florian Chouchou.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Chouchou, F., Pichot, V., Garet, M. et al. Dominance in cardiac parasympathetic activity during real recreational SCUBA diving. Eur J Appl Physiol 106, 345–352 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1010-0

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-009-1010-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation