The process by which the body responds to stressors to maintain homeostasis is called allostasis and is dependent on the integrated function of the nervous, endocrine, and immune systems. ACEs adversely affect these system, cause allostatic load, and can modify development of allostatic systems. However, the central hypothesis is that exercise can reduce allostatic load by positively augmenting function of each of these three systems. No previous studies have examined the effects of structured exercise interventions in individuals with ACEs. The investigators are studying the effects of 8-weeks of structured resistance and aerobic exercise on biomarkers related to nervous, endocrine, immune, and metabolic function and several clinical outcomes in young adult women with ACEs. The specific aims will test several hypotheses, and are as follows: SPECIFIC AIM 1: Conduct a feasibility study to explore whether progressive, structured exercise can help mitigate the adverse physiological effects of stress and trauma early in life. SPECIFIC AIM 2: Determine whether progressive, structured exercise can help improve health-related quality of life, anxiety, and traits like hope, self-efficacy, or self-control, resilience. SPECIFIC AIM 3: Determine whether the type and timing of exposure to ACEs has a significant influence on the severity of psychopathology and long-term physiological response to ACEs.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
TREATMENT
Masking
NONE
Enrollment
64
Participants assigned to the exercise group will undergo structured, progressive resistance and aerobic exercise for 8 weeks. Resistance training and aerobic training will each be completed twice weekly for a total of 16 resistance and 16 aerobic exercise training sessions.
192 Colvin Recreation Center
Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States
C-reactive protein
C-reactive protein concentrations (mg/L) will be examined from blood samples taken before- and after- the 8-week training or control period.
Time frame: 8-weeks
Brain-Derived Neurotrophic Factor
Plasma concentrations of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF; pg/mL), a biomarker of neurogenesis, will be examined from blood samples taken before- and after- the 8-week training or control period.
Time frame: 8-weeks
Skeletal muscle size
Ultrasound based assessments of skeletal muscle size (cm\^2) will be obtained before- and after- the 8-week training or control period.
Time frame: 8-weeks
Skeletal muscle strength
Skeletal muscle strength (Newton meters \[Nm\]) will be determined before- and after- the 8-week training or control period.
Time frame: 8-weeks
TNF-alpha
TNF-alpha concentrations (pg/mL) will be examined from blood samples taken before- and after- the 8-week training or control period. TNF-alpha is a cytokine involved in systemic inflammation.
Time frame: 8-weeks
Interleukin-1 receptor agonist
Interleukin-1 receptor agonist concentrations (pg/mL) will be examined from blood samples taken before- and after- the 8-week training or control period.
Time frame: 8-weeks
Skeletal muscle function
Motor unit behavior will be assessed utilizing surface electromyographic signal decomposition, which will be collected while participants perform submaximal isometric (i.e., static) muscle actions. These signals will be collected before- and after- the 8-week training or control period. To examine motor unit behavior, the relationship between motor unit recruitment threshold versus firing rate will be determined for all detected motor units for an individual subject.
Time frame: 8-weeks
Cortisol
Concentrations of salivary cortisol (µg/dL), a stress hormone, will be obtained twice in one day (8 h between samples) before- and after- the 8-week training or control period.
Time frame: 8-weeks
Health-related quality of life
Health-Related Quality of Life: The RAND 36-item short form survey instrument (SF-36) will be used to assess health-related quality of life (HQROL) before- and after- the 8-week training or control period. This will serve as an overall assessment of each individuals' perception of their health.
Time frame: 8-weeks
Anxiety
Participants' levels of anxiety will be assessed using the Zung Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) before- and after- the 8-week training or control period.
Time frame: 8-weeks
Depression
Participants' levels of depression will be measured utilizing the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale Revised (CESD-R) before- and after- the 8-week training or control period.
Time frame: 8-weeks
Resiliency
Participants' resiliency will be measured using the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale before- and after- the 8-week training or control period.
Time frame: 8-weeks
Hope
Participants' levels of hope will be assessed with the 12-item adult hope scale before- and after- the 8-week training or control period.
Time frame: 8-weeks
Monocyte Heterogeneity
The heterogeneity of monocyte populations will be determined from the white blood cells in blood plasma using flow cytometry. The relative number (%) of CD14++CD16- vs. CD14+CD16++ vs. CD14++CD16+ monocytes will be determined for each participant before- and after- the 8-week training or control period.
Time frame: 8-weeks
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