S. Victoria Jaque

A longitudinal assessment of change in VO2max and maximal heart rate in master athletes.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine the longitudinal change in VO2max and HRmax in male and female master endurance runners and to compare these changes based upon gender, age, and change in training volume. METHODS Eighty-six male (53.9 +/- 1.1 yr) and 49 female (49.1 +/- 1.2 yr) master endurance runners were tested an average of 8.5 yr apart. Subjects were grouped by age at first visit, change in VO2max, and change in training volume. Measurements included body composition by hydrostatic weighing, maximal exercise testing on a treadmill, and training history by questionnaire. Data were analyzed by ANOVA and multiple regression. RESULTS VO2max and HRmax declined significantly regardless of gender or age group (P < 0.05). The rate of change in VO2max by age group ranged from -1% to -4.6% per year for men and -0.5% to 2.4% per year for women. Men with the greatest loss in VO2max had the greatest loss in LBM (-2.8 +/- 0.7 kg), whereas women with the greatest loss in VO2max demonstrated the greatest change in training volume (-24.1 +/- 3.0 km.wk-1). Additionally, women with the greatest loss in VO2max (-9.6 +/- 2.6 mL.kg-1.min-1) did not replace estrogen after menopause independent of age. HRmax change did not differ by VO2max change or training volume change in either gender. CONCLUSIONS In conclusion, these data suggest that VO2max declines in male and female master athletes at a rate similar to or greater than that expected in sedentary older adults. Additionally, these data suggest that maintenance of LBM and VO2max were associated in men, whereas in women, estrogen replacement and maintenance of training volume were associated with maintained VO2max.

Extreme obesity reduces bone mineral density: complementary evidence from mice and women.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of body adiposity on bone mineral density in the presence and absence of ovarian hormones in female mice and postmenopausal women.

Musculoskeletal adaptations to 16 weeks of eccentric progressive resistance training in young women.

We investigated the musculoskeletal adaptations and efficacy of a whole-body eccentric progressive resistance-training (PRT) protocol in young women. Subjects (n = 37; mean age, 24.3) were randomly assigned to one of 3 groups: high-intensity eccentric PRT (HRT), low-intensity eccentric PRT (LRT), or control. Subjects performed 3 sets of 6 repetitions at 125% intensity or 3 sets of 10 repetitions at 75% intensity in the HRT and LRT groups, respectively, 2 times per week for 16 weeks. Strength was determined by the concentric 1-repetition maximum (1RM) standard. Bone mass and body composition were measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA). Blood and urine samples were obtained for deoxypyridinoline, osteocalcin, creatine kinase, and creatinine. Data were analyzed by repeated-measures analysis of variance with post hoc comparisons. Strength increased 20–40% in both training groups. Lean body mass increased in the LRT (0.7 ± 0.6 kg) and HRT (0.9 ± 0.9 kg) groups. Bone mineral content increased (0.855 ± 0.958 g) in the LRT group only. Deoxypyridinoline decreased and osteocalcin increased in the HRT and LRT groups, respectively. These findings suggest that submaximal eccentric training is optimal for musculoskeletal adaptations and that the intensity of eccentric training influences the early patterns of bone adaptation.

Exposing Shame in Dancers and Athletes: Shame, Trauma, and Dissociation in a Nonclinical Population

The relationship between shame, past traumatic events, and dissociation in a nonclinical university and community sample of pre-professional/professional dancers (n = 140) and recreational/competitive athletes (n = 99) was investigated in this cross-sectional study, which was approved by an institutional review board. Participants completed 3 self-report measures (i.e., the Dissociative Experiences Scale, Internalized Shame Scale, Traumatic Events Questionnaire), and the analyses included correlation, multivariate analysis of variance, and a series of regression analyses. The investigation indicated that dancers had increased shame and dissociation in comparison to athletes, and males had more traumatic experiences and increased dissociation relative to females. In the regression analyses, being a dancer, traumatic experiences, and shame predicted dissociation. Clinical recommendations include integrating shame treatment with dissociative-disordered patients and noting that dancers may need more psychological skill training to manage shame and dissociation.

Dissociation and the Adult Attachment Interview in artists and performing artists

Attachment patterns were investigated in a group of professional and pre-professional artists (n = 51). Given the high level of absorption/imagination required of artists, this study examined normative and pathological dissociation (PD) and considered links with Adult Attachment Interview responses, with particular attention to the AAI classification Unresolved (U) for past loss or trauma. Results indicated: (1) artists had elevated mean scores for absorption/imagination, (2) all but one artist had adverse trauma or loss experiences, (3) 17 (36%) met criteria for PD and 9 (53%) of those in the PD range had a classification of Unresolved (U) on the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI), (4) U was associated with PD, but not normative dissociation (absorption/imagination), (5) even with a primary U classification many individuals had an alternate secure/autonomous classification, and (6) 88% of the artists were classified as secure/autonomous in a three-way analysis on the AAI, but in a four-way analysis 27.5% were classified as U. Although 36% presented with PD, the majority of artists studied were stable, coherent and autonomous.

Unresolved mourning, supernatural beliefs and dissociation: a mediation analysis

Unresolved mourning is marked by disorganized behavior and states of mind. In this study, we speculated that pathological dissociation would mediate the effects of unresolved mourning on supernatural beliefs. This hypothesis was determined based on findings that indicate an association between higher levels of dissociation, stronger beliefs in the supernatural and unresolved mourning. We examined two groups of participants, one classified as non-unresolved (non-U) (n = 56) and the other as unresolved (n = 26) (U) with respect to past loss/trauma as measured by the Adult Attachment Interview (AAI). Two self-report instruments were administered to measure supernatural beliefs and dissociation. As hypothesized, the multivariate analysis of variance indicated mean differences between the two groups. The unresolved group had greater belief in the supernatural and more pathological dissociative processes. The mediation analysis demonstrated that pathological dissociation fully mediated the effects of unresolved mourning on supernatural beliefs.

Dancing with the Muses: Dissociation and Flow

This study investigated dissociative psychological processes and flow (dispositional and state) in a group of professional and pre-professional dancers (n = 74). In this study, high scores for global (Mdn = 4.14) and autotelic (Mdn = 4.50) flow suggest that dancing was inherently integrating and rewarding, although 17.6% of the dancers were identified as possibly having clinical levels of dissociation (Dissociative Experiences Scale–Taxon cutoff score ≥20). The results of the multivariate analysis of variance indicated that subjects with high levels of dissociation had significantly lower levels of global flow (p < .05). Stepwise linear regression analyses demonstrated that dispositional flow negatively predicted the dissociative constructs of depersonalization and taxon (p < .05) but did not significantly predict the variance in absorption/imagination (p > .05). As hypothesized, dissociation and flow seem to operate as different mental processes.

High volumes of resistance exercise are not required for greater bone mineral density during growth.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to determine the minimum amount of resistance exercise that would stimulate bone formation, via an elevation in bone mineral density (BMD), during the growth period in male rats. METHODS Forty male rats were randomly divided into control group (Con, n = 8), one ladder climb resistance-trained group (1LC, n = 8), two ladder climb resistance-trained group (2LC, n = 8), three ladder climb resistance-trained group (3LC, n = 8), and four ladder climb resistance-trained group (4LC, n = 8). All exercised groups were conditioned to climb a vertical ladder with weights appended to their tail 3 d·wk(-1) for a total of 6 wk. RESULTS After 6 wk, left tibia BMD (mean ± SE) was significantly greater for 2LC, 3LC, and 4LC (0.233 ± 0.003 g·cm(-2)) when compared with Con (0.218 ± 0.003 g·cm). Left femur BMD was significantly greater for 2LC, 3LC, and 4LC (0.318 ± 0.003 g·cm(-2)) when compared with 1LC (0.299 ± 0.008 g·cm(-2)) and Con (0.289 ± 0.010 g·cm(-2)).There were no significant differences in BMD between 2LC, 3LC, and 4LC groups. CONCLUSION The results suggest that during growth, a low amount of resistance exercise was just as effective as high volumes of strength training for stimulating bone modeling.

Anxiety and the Influences of Flow, Trauma, and Fantasy Experiences on Dancers:

This study investigated the psychological effects of anxiety on professional and pre-professional dancers (n = 73), in particular the relationships between anxiety and flow, past traumatic events, and fantasy. Results demonstrated that anxiety was statistically related to increased age, total traumatic events, increased fantasy proneness, with no association to flow. All dancers experienced moderate-to-high global flow experiences, and 75.3% of the dancers endorsed high autotelic experiences (an ability to regularly transform potential threats into positive flow experiences). In a stepwise linear regression analysis, together past traumatic events and fantasy explained 19.4% of the variance for anxiety. Greater mean scores for total traumatic events and lower autotelic flow experiences were found in the dancers with pathological levels of anxiety. Since 23.3% of the dancers endorsed clinical levels of anxiety (panic), further understanding regarding panic and anxiety in a dancer population is recommended, specifically the predictive role fantasy proneness and past traumatic experiences may play in anxiety symptomatology.

Depersonalization, adversity, emotionality, and coping with stressful situations

ABSTRACT Depersonalization is defined as persistent or recurrent episodes of feeling detached or estranged from a sense of self and the world. This study addressed the primary question: Do nonclinical individuals who endorse high symptomatic depersonalization have inherently more intense emotional responses, along with more childhood adversity and past trauma? In this IRB approved study, participants who met clinical levels of depersonalization (n = 43, 16.3%) were compared to a group without clinical levels of depersonalization (n = 221, 83.7%). Adverse childhood experiences, adult traumatic events, emotional overexcitability, coping strategies under stress, and anxiety were examined in both groups. The variables to assess depersonalization severity included the Dissociative Experience Scale-II, Cambridge Depersonalization Scale, and Multiscale Dissociation Inventory. The results indicated that clinical levels of depersonalization were identified in 16.3% of the sample. The high depersonalization group had significantly more adverse childhood experiences, in particular, emotional abuse and neglect. They also experienced more adult traumatic events, higher levels of anxiety, more emotional overexcitability, and they employed a less adaptive emotion-oriented coping strategy under stress. It is recommended that treating depersonalization symptoms should include examining childhood adversity, especially emotional abuse and neglect. Based on study findings, emotion regulation skills should be promoted to help individuals with elevated depersonalization manage their emotion-oriented coping strategies, anxiety, and emotional overexcitability.