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Assessing Somatosensory Profiles and Autonomic Nervous System Responses in Physical Exercise Studies

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Functional Neuroimaging in Exercise and Sport Sciences

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Abstract

The aim of this chapter is to summarize methods for assessing effects of physical exercise on somatosensory and autonomic nervous system responses. The focus will be laid on extended methods for evaluating thermal and pain processing (“Quantitative Sensory Testing”; QST), which may be modulated by exercise. Additionally, methods for measuring blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), heart rate variability (HRV), and skin conductance (SC) in the MRI scanner will be reviewed, as the autonomic nervous system is involved in both exercise and pain. Implementing these methods in the context of human neuroimaging experiments has important implications for the conduction, analysis, and interpretation of exercise studies.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Klinikum rechts der Isar, Technical University Munich, Ismaninger Str. 22, 81675, Munich, Germany

    Michael Valet

  2. Department of Neurology, Division of Neuroradiology, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, 4031, Basel, Switzerland

    Till Sprenger

  3. Functional Neuroimaging Group, Department of Radiology, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, D-53105, Bonn, Germany

    Lukas Scheef & Henning Boecker

Authors
  1. Michael Valet
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  2. Till Sprenger
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  3. Lukas Scheef
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  4. Henning Boecker
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Correspondence to Michael Valet .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. FE Klinische Funktionelle Neurobildgebun, Experimentelle Radiologie, Radiologische Universitätsklinik Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, Bonn, 53105, Germany

    Henning Boecker

  2. , Department of Kinesiology and Community, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champai, S. Goodwin Ave. 906, Urbana, 61801, USA

    Charles H. Hillman

  3. FE Klinische Funktionelle Neurobildgebun, Experimentelle Radiologie, Radiologische Universitätsklinik, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, Bonn, 53105, Germany

    Lukas Scheef

  4. Deutsche Sporthochschule Köln, Institut für Bewegungs- und Neurowissens, Am Sportpark Müngersdorf 6, Köln, 50933, Germany

    Heiko K. Strüder

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Valet, M., Sprenger, T., Scheef, L., Boecker, H. (2012). Assessing Somatosensory Profiles and Autonomic Nervous System Responses in Physical Exercise Studies. In: Boecker, H., Hillman, C., Scheef, L., Strüder, H. (eds) Functional Neuroimaging in Exercise and Sport Sciences. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-3293-7_7

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