G. Caramazza

Soccer practice as an add-on treatment in the management of individuals with a diagnosis of schizophrenia

Physical activity is an important aspect of good health for everyone; it is even more important for psychiatric patients who usually live an unhealthy lifestyle. In recent years, there has been growing focus on the use of soccer as a vehicle to improve the health of subjects with severe mental illness. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of soccer practice on the self-reported health quality of life (SRHQL) and sports performance (SP) in psychotic subjects. Eighteen male patients with diagnosis of schizophrenia were randomized into either a trained (TG) or a control group (CG). The TG was trained for 12 weeks using two soccer training sessions per week. The CG did not perform any regular sports activity during the experimental period. Anthropometric measurements, SRHQL, personal time records in a 30 meter sprint test and slalom test running with a ball were evaluated before and after the experimental period. SRHQL was assessed using Short Form-12 questionnaire measuring physical and mental component summary scores. After the training period, the TG showed a relevant decrease by 4.6% in bodyweight (BW) and body mass index compared to baseline. Conversely, the CG showed an increased BW and body mass index by 1.8% from baseline to posttest. Moreover, after 12 weeks we found that control patients increased their BW significantly when compared to trained patients (Δ = 5.4%; P < 0.05). After the training period, comparing the baseline TG’s Short Form-12-scores to posttest results, we found an improvement of 10.5% and 10.8% in physical component summary and mental component summary, respectively. In addition, performances on the 30 meter sprint test and slalom test running with a ball in the TG improved significantly (P < 0.01) from baseline to posttest when compared to CG. Soccer practice appears able to improve psychophysical health in individuals with diagnosis of schizophrenia. Indeed, our study demonstrated that programmed soccer physical activity could reduce antipsychotic medication-related weight gain and improve SRHQL and sports performance in psychotic subjects.

Changes in spinal range of motion after a flexibility training program in elderly women.

Background Aging-related reduced spinal mobility can interfere with the execution of important functional skills and activities in elderly women. Although several studies have shown positive outcomes in response to spinal flexibility training programs, little is known about the management of sets and repetitions in training protocols. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of an 8-week specific and standardized flexibility training program on the range of spinal motion in elderly women. Methods Participants were recruited in a senior center of Palermo and randomly assigned in two groups: trained group (TG) and control group (CG), which included 19 and 18 women, respectively. TG was trained for 8 weeks at two sessions/week. In particular, every session included three phases: warm up (~10 minutes), central period (~50 minutes), and cool down (~10 minutes). CG did not perform any physical activity during the experimental period. Spinal ranges of motion (ROM) were measured from neutral standing position to maximum bending position and from neutral standing position to maximum extension position before and after the experimental period, using a SpinalMouse® device (Idiag, Volkerswill, Switzerland). Results After the training period, TG showed an increase in spinal inclination by 16.4% (P<0.05), in sacral/hip ROM by 29.2% (P<0.05), and in thoracic ROM by 22.5% (P>0.05) compared with CG from maximum extension position to maximum bending position. We did not observe any significant difference in TG’s lumbar ROM compared with CG after the training period (P>0.05). Conclusion We found that an 8-week flexibility training program improved ROMs of the spine in elderly women. The training protocol appeared to be practicable for active elderly people with autonomy and the capability for self-care.

PPARα gene variants as predicted performance-enhancing polymorphisms in professional Italian soccer players

Background The PPARα gene encodes the peroxisome proliferator-activator receptor alpha, a central regulator of expression of other genes involved in fatty acid metabolism. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of G allele of the PPARα intron 7 G/C polymorphism (rs4253778) in professional Italian soccer players. Methods Sixty professional soccer players and 30 sedentary volunteers were enrolled in the study. Samples of venous blood were obtained at rest, in the morning, by conventional clinical procedures; blood serum was collected and total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglycerides were measured. An aliquot of anticoagulant-treated blood was used to prepare genomic DNA from whole blood. The G/C polymorphic site in PPARα intron 7 was scanned by using the PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism) protocol with TaqI enzyme. Results We found variations in genotype distribution of PPARα polymorphism between professional soccer players and sedentary volunteers. Particularly, G alleles and the GG genotype were significantly more frequent in soccer players compared with healthy controls (64% versus 48%). No significant correlations were found between lipid profile and genotype background. Conclusion Previous results demonstrated an association of intron 7 G allele as well as the GG genotype in endurance athletes. Our result suggests that this is the case also in professional soccer players.

Training session intensity affects plasma redox status in amateur rhythmic gymnasts

Purpose The aim of this study was to examine systemic responses of oxidant/antioxidant status following 2 training sessions of different intensity in amateur rhythmic gymnasts. Methods Before the experimental training, 10 female gymnasts performed a gradually increased exercise test to assess maximal heart rate, maximal oxygen consumption, and anaerobic threshold. They executed 2 intermittent training sessions separated by 48 h of recovery (48 h-post R): the first was performed at low-moderate intensity (LMI) and the second at high intensity (HI). Blood samples were collected immediately pre- and post-training and 48 h-post R. Hydroperoxide level (OxL) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were photometrically measured. Results OxL was significantly higher in post-training and 48 h-post R following HI than the same conditions after an LMI session (HI vs. LMI post-training: 381.10 ± 46.17 (mean ± SD) vs. 344.18 ± 27.94 Units Carratelli (U.CARR); 48 h-post R: 412.21 ± 26.61 vs. 373.80 ± 36.08 U.CARR). There was no change in TAC between the 2 training sessions investigated. In LMI training, OxL significantly decreased in post-training and increased to reach the baseline at 48 h-post R, whereas TAC increased only at 48 h-post R. In HI training, OxL significantly increased to reach a high oxidative stress 48 h-post R, whereas TAC was lower in post-training than pre-training. Conclusion The pattern of OxL and TAC levels implies different regulation mechanisms by HI and LMI training sessions. High oxidative stress induced by an HI protocol might be associated with both insufficient TAC and recovery time at 48 h necessary to restore redox balance.

Evaluation of thoracic ROM in elderly women after a specific flexibility-training program

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of a specific flexibility training program on thoracic spinal range of motion (T-ROM) in female older subjects. Thirty older women were randomized into either a trained group [TG] (n: 17; age: 68.35±6.04 years; height: 1.54±0.06 m; weight: 64.78±10.16, kg, BMI: 27.28±3.08) and a control group [CG] (n: 13; age: 69.69±7.94 years; height: 1.57±0.06 m; weight: 68.42±8.18 kg, BMI: 27.88±2.81). Trained subjects were trained for 8 weeks by two sessions/week. In particular, every trained session included: a warm up period (~15 min), a training period (~60 min) including specific exercises to train spinal flexibility, cool down period (~15 min). Control subjects did not perform any programmed physical activity during the experimental period. Data were obtained before and after the experimental phase. Spinal ranges of motion were measured using SpinalMouse® (Idiag, Volkerswill, Switzerland), which is an electronic computer-aided device that measures sagittal spinal ROM and inter-segmental angles non-invasively (Imagama et al. 2011). Each angle was measured three times in a neutral standing (nS) position, maximum extension (maxE) position and maximum bending (maxB) one, and average data were used. We found a significant increase in thoracic ROM from nS to maxB position (p 0.05). In conclusion, our findings indicate that used flexibility training protocol performed for eight weeks can improve the thoracic ROM from nS to maxB position in elderly people. In agreement with Imagama et al. (2011), we suggest that an increase in T-ROM could have positive consequences on quality of life and activities of daily living in older women.

Changes in plasmatic redox status following low-moderate interval exercise training in rhythmic gymnastics trainers

Different types and intensities of exercise may induce varying levels of reactive oxygen species and antioxidants affecting plasma redox state in a specific way (Bloomer et al., 2005). The aim of our study was to investigate whether the plasmatic production of H2O2 and antioxidant capacity changed in response to a low-moderate intensity interval training session and after 48 hours of recovery in rhythmic gymnastics trainers. Ten women (age: 23.8 ± 3.42 y; weight: 52.58 ± 4.57 kg; height: 158.42 ± 2.20 cm; body mass index: 20.88 ± 1.23) with 13.14 ± 5.40 years of experience in rhythmic gymnastics and trainers from at least 4 years at a competitive level voluntarily participated in this study. One week before the training session, trainers performed a laboratory graded exercise test on the treadmill in order to determine their maximal heart rate (HRmax) and maximal oxygen consumption (VO2max). Following, they executed a interval training session at an average intensity of 57% FCmax, mainly in aerobic condition and only 2% of total time in anaerobic condition. The session included exercises typical of rhythmic gymnastics and a competition simulation. Immediately before and after the training session, blood samples were taken from trainers and H2O2 levels and antioxidant capacity were measured by dROMs and BAP test, respectively. The same think was performed after 48 h of recovery. After training, H2O2 levels were significantly lower than baseline; however they increased until to reach the baseline following 48 h of recovery. Antioxidant capacity decreased after training and was significantly higher than baseline after 48h of recovery. These results show that a low-moderate intensity interval training session of rhythmic gymnastics has different effects on ROS production and antioxidant capacity, and a regular exercise can protect the trainers by oxidative stress.