title: Effect of exercise on heart-rate response to mental stress in teenagers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to determine if an exercise programme of moderate aerobic intensity would decrease the heart-rate response to mental stress in teenagers with normal hearts.
  
  
  METHODS
  Mental stress testing (50 arithmetic problems) was performed in student volunteers before and after a 5-week period of rigorous aerobic exercise training of 2.5 h for 5 days/week.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the baseline state, the mental stress test increased the heart rate by an average of 20 ± 12 bpm to its observed peak at 30 s of testing (p < 0.001). Exercise training had a significant effect on the maximum heart rate (106 ± 19 vs. 89 ± 13 bpm, p < 0.001) and on the maximum increase in heart rate with mental stress (20 ± 12 pre vs. 9 ± 15 bpm post training, p < 0.001).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Mental stress results in a marked heart response consistent with a marked neurohormonal effect. This response is effectively blunted by a 5-week moderately intensive exercise programme. These results should encourage endorsement of a regular exercise programme as an important lifestyle modification for improving maladaptive responses to stress.
authors.affiliation: Princeton High School Biology Program, Princeton, New Jersey, USA.
authors.forename: Alex
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Costin
authors.forename: Nathaniel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Costin
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Cohen
authors.forename: Carson
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eisenach
authors.forename: Francis
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Marchlinski
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000367:Age Factors; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009515:New Jersey; D013315:Stress, Psychological / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome