title: Parachute Jumping Induces More Sympathetic Activation Than Cortisol Secretion in First-Time Parachutists.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The word "stress" describes the status of the body affected by external or internal forces, or "stressors", threatening to alter its dynamic balance or homeostasis. The adaptive changes which occur in reply to stressors are either behavioral or physical. Once a given threshold is surpassed, a systemic reaction takes place involving the "stress system" in the brain together with its peripheral components, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis and autonomic sympathetic.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  Stress induces an activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the SNS and the HPA axis would show parallel or divergent stress response patterns in a session of first parachute jump.
  
  
  METHODS
  Activation of the SNS was evaluated by dosage of salivary alpha-amylase, galvanic skin responses, and heart rate in seven male novice parachutists. Activation of HPA axis was tested by dosage of cortisol. These variables were measured before and 1 minute and 90 minute after the jump.
  
  
  RESULTS
  All variables reached a peak at 1 minute post-jump. Salivary alpha-amylase, galvanic skin responses and heart rate did not return to basal value at 90 minutes post-jump, while cortisol returned to basal value at 90 minutes post-jump.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This evidence indicates that parachute jumping is accompanied by a dissociation of SNS and HPA response patterns in novice parachutists, showing a slower recovery in sympathetic activity than in cortisol secretion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, Second University Of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Giovanni
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, Second University Of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Sergio
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chieffi
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Surgery, Faculty of Medicine, University of Salerno, Salerno, Italy.
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Viggiano
authors.affiliation: Department of Motor Sciences and Wellness, University of Naples Parthenope, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Tafuri
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University Of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Cibelli
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University Of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Valenzano
authors.affiliation: Department of Biomedical Sciences, University Of Foggia, Foggia, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio Ivano
authors.initials: AI
authors.lastname: Triggiani
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, Second University Of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonietta
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Messina
authors.affiliation: Department of Psychiatry, University Of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: De Luca
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medicine, Section of Human Physiology, Second University Of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Marcellino
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Monda
keywords: Autonomic Nervous System; Emotional Stress; Glucocorticoids