Journal of applied physiology最新文献

{"title":"Vasoactive response of the thoracic aorta to phenylephrine infusion during cardiac surgery.","authors":"Stan M R L Toonen, Frederique M de Raat, Cindy van Loo, Luuk van Knippenberg, Joris van Houte, Tammo Delhaas, Leon J Schurgers, Ana Jerončić, Massimo Mischi, R Arthur Bouwman, Leon J Montenij, Bart Spronck","doi":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00996.2025","DOIUrl":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00996.2025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The human aorta is commonly viewed as a passive conduit, but its potential vasoactive behavior could affect its Windkessel function and thereby its response to hypertension treatment involving vasoactive drugs. This study aims to investigate the in vivo vasoactive response of the thoracic aorta to phenylephrine during cardiac surgery. Patients undergoing elective cardiac surgery receiving phenylephrine for intraoperative hypotension were included. Transesophageal echocardiography was used to record the descending thoracic aorta before and after phenylephrine administration, while simultaneously recording pressure. The following parameters were calculated while correcting for pressure by exponential curve fitting: luminal area, distensibility, local pulse wave velocity (PWV), and the pressure-independent stiffness index (γ). Autonomic nervous system activity was assessed via heart rate variability analysis. Of the 70 recruited patients, 29 patients with 60 paired measurements were included. Phenylephrine administration significantly increased blood pressure (+22.3 ± 13.3/+11.1 ± 8.3 mmHg, mean ± SD; <i>P</i> < 0.001), thereby increasing uncorrected luminal area (systolic: +0.21 ± 0.21 cm², <i>P</i> < 0.001) and PWV (+1.4 ± 1.3 m/s, <i>P</i> < 0.001) and decreasing distensibility. Interestingly, these effects persisted after correcting for blood pressure, although smaller in mean magnitude (isobaric luminal area: +0.06 ± 0.16 cm², <i>P</i> = 0.007; PWV: +0.4 ± 1.1 m/s, <i>P</i> = 0.004; γ: +0.90 ± 2.26, <i>P</i> = 0.003). A decrease in sympathetic tone is suggested by elevated R-R interval variability (+0.24 ± 0.69 ms, <i>P</i> = 0.019) and decreased heart rate (-3 ± 3 min^-1, <i>P</i> < 0.001). The thoracic aorta showed a pressure-independent vasodilative response to phenylephrine, thereby challenging its traditional role as a passive conduit. This paradoxical response may be explained by the observed decrease in sympathetic tone. Responses showed strong patient-to-patient variability, highlighting the need to measure effects patient specifically.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> This original work challenges the traditional view of the aorta as a passive conduit by investigating its vasoactive response to phenylephrine during cardiac surgery. Luminal area was measured by transesophageal echocardiography while simultaneously recording blood pressure. A mean pressure-independent increase in luminal area and stiffness was observed, suggesting a paradoxical vasodilative response. However, strong patient-to-patient variability in the response to phenylephrine highlights the need to measure effects patient specifically.</p>","PeriodicalId":15160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of applied physiology","volume":" ","pages":"863-872"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148470443","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Natural experiments in marathon running.","authors":"Daniel Muniz-Pumares, Ed Maunder, Barry Smyth, Ben Hunter","doi":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00792.2025","DOIUrl":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00792.2025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Natural experiments are a form of passive experiments that analyze populations exposed to environmental or behavioral stimuli. Here, we review natural experiments using marathon running as an example of an unusual physiological stressor to illustrate how such approaches can generate new hypotheses or test competing ones using large datasets of training and performance data. Natural experiments have been able to demonstrate that marathons are completed close to, but below, critical speed and that faster athletes complete marathons at a higher fraction of critical speed compared with slower runners. Environmental conditions, such as heat and altitude, as well as training and racing behaviors, including the characteristics of training programs and pacing strategies, have also been demonstrated to impact marathon performance. Findings from the natural experiments discussed herein often align with results from smaller, laboratory-controlled studies. However, the scale of these datasets has allowed for the detection of subtle trends and interactions that otherwise would remain undetected in smaller cohorts. In conclusion, natural experiments have helped advance our understanding of marathon physiology and can effectively complement traditional laboratory-based interventions. Future research may explore hybrid approaches in which researchers conducting well-controlled laboratory experiments collaborate with running platforms to design integrated research studies that combine large sample sizes with laboratory-controlled interventions.</p>","PeriodicalId":15160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of applied physiology","volume":" ","pages":"813-820"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148701240","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of albuterol on compliance and distensibility of the trachea and lungs.","authors":"Chamindu C Gunatilaka, Qiwei Xiao, Keith McConnell, Mark Sketch, Carolyn Doerning, Jasmine Hales, Angie Cummins, Ross Schierling, Ajay Kaul, Jason C Woods, Alister J Bates, Erik B Hysinger","doi":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00064.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00064.2026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Tracheomalacia (TM), the most common abnormality of the pediatric trachea, results in dynamic expiratory airway collapse due to weakened cartilage and reduced smooth muscle tone. Although bronchodilators such as albuterol are widely used in children with wheezing, their impact on TM remains unclear because prior studies have not simultaneously evaluated tracheal and lung mechanics in vivo. This study aimed to separately quantify the effects of albuterol on both tracheal distensibility and compliance, as well as lung compliance, using a controlled porcine model. Ten spontaneously breathing swine underwent high-resolution computed tomography (CT) imaging at multiple controlled tracheal lumen pressures (P_LUM) ranging from +10 to -10 cmH₂O, both before and after administration of 5 mg nebulized albuterol. Tracheal and pleural pressures were simultaneously recorded. Three-dimensional airways and lungs were segmented from CT images to calculate cross-sectional areas and volumes. Tracheal distensibility and compliance, as well as lung compliance, were determined by the slope of area or volume versus transmural pressure. Albuterol significantly increased tracheal distensibility (4.30 ± 1.0 to 4.78 ± 1.3 mm²/mmHg, <i>P</i> = 0.010) and tracheal compliance (327 ± 102 to 367 ± 117 mm³/mmHg, <i>P</i> = 0.018). Lung compliance also increased significantly in 9 evaluable swine [(2.9 ± 1) × 10⁴ to (3.8 ± 1.1) × 10⁴ mm³/mmHg, <i>P</i> = 0.010]. Albuterol increases both tracheal and lung compliance, supporting clinical concerns that bronchodilators may exacerbate airway collapse in TM. These findings demonstrate the complex and competing mechanical effects of bronchodilators in TM and stress the importance of accounting for both tracheal and lung responses in managing dynamic airway collapse.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> This study introduces an in vivo swine model to simultaneously assess how albuterol alters tracheal and lung compliance. Albuterol increased compliance in both regions, potentially exacerbating airway collapse in tracheomalacia. These findings clarify the paradoxical effects of bronchodilators and emphasize the importance of individualized respiratory management for pediatric patients with airway abnormalities often mistaken for asthma.</p>","PeriodicalId":15160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of applied physiology","volume":" ","pages":"795-801"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148653640","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Airway liquid modulates the level of supplemental oxygen required by preterm lambs at birth.","authors":"Janneke Dekker, Kelly J Crossley, Alison Thiel, Valerie A Zahra, Robert Galinsky, Ebony R Cannata, Graeme R Polglase, Douglas A Blank, Arjan B Te Pas, Stuart B Hooper","doi":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00126.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00126.2026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Although supplemental oxygen is necessary to support preterm infants at birth, it is unclear what fraction of inspired oxygen ([Formula: see text]) should be used. We hypothesized that the presence of liquid in the distal gas exchange regions of the lung will impede oxygen exchange and so the [Formula: see text] levels required during lung aeration will rapidly decrease. Using standardized ventilator settings, we examined the effects of high, mid, and low [Formula: see text] on oxygenation during and after lung aeration. Preterm lambs (126/147 days) were intubated and instrumented with catheters and oxygen probes in the carotid artery (CA), femoral artery (FA), and brain tissue and flow probes around the CA (CBF) and pulmonary artery (PBF). Ventilation commenced immediately following cord clamping, with an [Formula: see text] of either 0.3, 0.6, or 1.0. After lung aeration (10 min of ventilation), [Formula: see text] was reduced to 0.21 and subsequently increased to 1.0. During ventilation with an [Formula: see text] of 1.0, the rate of increase in arterial partial pressure of oxygen ([Formula: see text]) levels in the CA was markedly lower during lung aeration (16.9 ± 1.8 mmHg/min) than following lung aeration (67.7 ± 6.7 mmHg/min). During lung aeration, [Formula: see text] in the CA, FA, and brain was greatest in 1.0 [Formula: see text] group and lowest in the 0.3 [Formula: see text] group, commencing from ∼2 min after ventilation onset. Although PBF and blood pressures were similar, CBF was substantially higher in [Formula: see text] 0.3 group (<i>P</i> < 0.001) and was inversely correlated with CA and brain tissue Po₂ as well as cerebral oxygen saturation. The degree of lung aeration determines how [Formula: see text] influences oxygenation in preterm lambs, with high [Formula: see text] having a greater effect on oxygenation following lung aeration.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> This study shows that circulating oxygen levels during the cardiopulmonary transition depend on both the level of inspired oxygen provided and the degree of lung aeration. Since aeration of the lung is hampered in preterm infants, which limits the surface area available for gas exchange, high inspired oxygen concentrations may be required to increase the partial pressure gradient for oxygen diffusion. Carotid blood flow is very sensitive to oxygenation levels in preterm lambs.</p>","PeriodicalId":15160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of applied physiology","volume":" ","pages":"958-971"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148828457","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Reply to Blawas and Fahlman.","authors":"Marcela S Araújo, Lauro C Vianna","doi":"10.1152/japplphysiol.90033.2026","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1152/japplphysiol.90033.2026","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of applied physiology","volume":"141 3","pages":"828-829"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148865125","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Respiratory muscle oxygen demand and cardiac output distribution during exercise: revisiting an underweighted mechanism of exercise intolerance in heart failure.","authors":"Carlo Vignati, Beatrice Pezzuto","doi":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00547.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00547.2026","url":null,"abstract":"","PeriodicalId":15160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of applied physiology","volume":" ","pages":"1006-1009"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148891702","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Exercise during pregnancy: increased oxygen uptake and metabolic demand.","authors":"Alex Claiborne, Ericka M Biagioni-Barton, Filip Jevtovic, Samantha McDonald, Kara Kern, Cody Strom, Vaskar Raychoudhury, Joseph A Houmard, Linda E May","doi":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00536.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00536.2026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Current guidelines for exercise during pregnancy are limited in their precision on exercise intensity, as the established compendium for exercise modes and intensities is based on estimates in nongravid adults. To address this gap, we used indirect calorimetry to measure prenatal exercise energy demand during standard aerobic exercises to compare intensity to published standards. Participants (<i>n</i> = 7; 30.7 ± 3.3 yr of age) completed 5 min each of exercise at low and moderate intensity for walking and cycling, on the same testing day, separated by <1 min. For the first 5-min bout, the participant performed an external work rate that elicited low-intensity exercise, i.e., 40%-59% peak aerobic capacity ([Formula: see text]). This was followed by 5 min of the same exercise mode at moderate intensity, i.e., 40%-59% [Formula: see text]. This process was repeated on a cycle ergometer. Measured [Formula: see text] was compared with The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM)-estimated [Formula: see text] at each trimester. Reported results were presented separately for low and high exercise intensities. Measured absolute and relative [Formula: see text] during walking and cycling exercises were significantly higher (<i>P</i> < 0.001) in all trimesters compared with predicted values, which corresponded with a 35% higher measured metabolic equivalent (MET) value. These findings highlight a critical underestimation in the quantification of effort during prenatal exercise, which is essential to address to safely prescribe exercise for this unique population. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifiers: NCT04805502; NCT06598098.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> We measured metabolic equivalents (METs) of prenatal aerobic exercise with indirect calorimetry at light and moderate intensities, then compared with estimates from common equations. Our findings indicate higher oxygen uptake and METs across all trimesters of pregnancy during walk and cycle exercise. We further show an increase in RPE at the same work rate in the second and third trimesters. We conclude that higher metabolic demand must be accounted for in prenatal exercise prescriptions.</p>","PeriodicalId":15160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of applied physiology","volume":" ","pages":"920-926"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13588262/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148813109","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Sex comparison of cerebrovascular reactivity to CO₂ at global, lobe, and regional levels in healthy young adults.","authors":"Kaylin D Didier, Logan J Heenan, Hedyeh Khademi Motlagh, Travis L Haley, Andrés R Ortiz, Jessica D Muer, Emily M Rogers, Brett M Wannebo, Marlowe W Eldridge, Oliver Wieben, William G Schrage","doi":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00824.2025","DOIUrl":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00824.2025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cerebrovascular and neurological diseases show sex-specific risks and regional variation, both of which are linked to changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF), suggesting that sex or sex hormones may influence cerebrovascular function. Cerebrovascular reactivity (CVR) to hypercapnia may help predict these outcomes, but the identification of fundamental sex differences in CVR remains equivocal. Most CVR studies use methods that cannot identify regional variation, which may be clinically relevant. This study examined whether sex differences exist in CVR at the whole brain, lobular, and regional levels while controlling for confounding factors like menstrual cycle and hormonal contraception. Eighty-seven young, healthy adults (38 F, 49 M; F: 22 ± 4 yr, M: 23 ± 4 yr, 18-37 yr) from two similar cohorts were studied using pseudocontinuous arterial spin labeling (pcASL) in a 3 T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scanner to derive microvascular CBF at room air and during hypercapnia (∼+8 mmHg end-tidal CO₂). The cohorts had identical inclusion criteria but used different hypercapnia methods. In a subset (<i>n</i> = 37), CVR was measured using four-dimensional (4-D) flow MRI of 11 cerebral arteries. Although females displayed greater resting CBF, no sex differences in CVR using pcASL were observed in whole brain (females = 4.1 ± 1.9, males = 4.9 ± 3.0%/mmHg), grey matter, white matter, or regions of interest forming the grey matter (all <i>P</i> > 0.05). Similarly, 4-D flow-derived CVR was not different between sexes at a whole brain (females = 3.5 ± 0.9, males = 3.4 ± 1.8%/mmHg) or individual artery level (all <i>P</i> > 0.05). These results indicate that when controlling for the confounders of age, menstrual cycle, hormonal contraception, and comorbidities, no sex differences in CVR are detected at global, lobular, arterial, or regional levels.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> There were no significant sex differences in cerebrovascular reactivity to CO₂ detected at global, lobular, arterial, or regional levels in young healthy adults. This study rigorously controlled for confounders of age, menstrual cycle, hormonal contraception, and comorbidities.</p>","PeriodicalId":15160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of applied physiology","volume":" ","pages":"906-919"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC13600600/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148793551","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Downhill running differentially reduces stimulated contraction torque in human quadriceps muscles.","authors":"Christopher Rawdon, Christopher P Ingalls, Feng Yang, Jeffrey S Otis, Kyle J Brandenberger, Mekensie H Jackson, Ryan Middleton","doi":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00765.2025","DOIUrl":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00765.2025","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Unaccustomed exercise can lead to focal myofiber damage and substantial reductions in maximal joint torque, ranging from 20% to 50%. However, the uniformity of strength loss across individual muscles within agonist muscle groups remains unclear. The primary aim of this study was to test the hypothesis that individual quadriceps muscles (QMs) experience differential strength loss and soreness following downhill running (DHR). Fifteen healthy, sedentary, or recreationally active male subjects aged 18-35 engaged in either DHR on a treadmill for 60 min (<i>n</i> = 8) or level treadmill walking for 30 min as a control (<i>n</i> = 7). Measurements were taken before, immediately following, and 2 days after exercise, assessing maximal voluntary contraction (MVC) torque of QMs, torque produced by individual muscles through electrical stimulation, soreness of individual QMs, QMs electromyography root mean square (RMS) during level running, and MVCs. Results revealed significant immediate (DHR Pre = 214.5 ± 19.2; DHR 0 D = 160.2 ± 17.4; <i>P</i> < 0.001) and 2-day (DHR 2 D = 177.1 ± 20.9; <i>P</i> = 0.002) reductions in MVC torque after DHR, with no change observed after level walking (<i>P</i> > 0.769). Compared with the vastus medialis (VM), evidence suggests that the vastus lateralis (VL) exhibited greater 10-Hz-stimulated torque deficits (<i>P</i> = 0.028) and soreness (<i>P</i> < 0.001) after DHR. Reduced muscle activation (R² = 0.444; <i>P</i> < 0.001) and stimulated (10 and 40 Hz) torque depression (R² = 0.253-0.278; <i>P</i> < 0.01) accounted for the greatest variability in MVC torque. The DHR group showed greater (<i>P</i> < 0.001) quadriceps muscle activation (RMS) during level running than the control group immediately postexercise. These findings suggest that novel eccentrically biased exercise induces unequal strength loss and soreness across the quadriceps muscles.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> Following 60 min of downhill running, the vastus lateralis exhibited greater low-frequency force deficits than the vastus medialis. The vastus lateralis had greater soreness compared to the other quadriceps muscles at two days postexercise. EMG RMS data revealed reduced muscle activation during maximal voluntary contractions and increased activation during running. These findings suggest both muscular and neural contributions to strength deficits following unaccustomed exercise. Evidence indicates differential muscle damage in agonist muscle groups following eccentrically-biased exercise.</p>","PeriodicalId":15160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of applied physiology","volume":" ","pages":"945-957"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148828643","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Cardiorespiratory fitness mediates the association between neighborhood deprivation and arterial stiffness in women.","authors":"McKenna A Tharpe-Carter, Silvienne C Sint Jago, Fitzgerald T Dodds, Michael J Hankes, Gareth Dutton, Adam R Wende, John D Lowman, Raymond Jones, Thomas W Buford","doi":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00307.2026","DOIUrl":"10.1152/japplphysiol.00307.2026","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Cardiovascular diseases remain the leading cause of death among women in the United States, and arterial stiffness is a strong predictor of cardiovascular events and mortality. Growing evidence suggests that neighborhood socioeconomic context contributes to cardiovascular risk, yet the physiological pathways linking neighborhood disadvantage to vascular health remain unclear. This study examined whether cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) mediates the association between neighborhood deprivation (ND) and arterial stiffness in postmenopausal women. Ninety-one Black and White postmenopausal women [47 and 44, respectively, age: 64(8) yr] completed maximal treadmill testing to determine peak oxygen uptake ([Formula: see text]), and arterial stiffness was assessed via carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV). ND was quantified using the area deprivation index averaged across residential addresses over the previous 25 yr. ND was associated with both lower [Formula: see text] (<i>r</i> = -0.45, <i>P</i> < 0.001) and higher cf-PWV (<i>r</i> = 0.28, <i>P</i> = 0.008). In hierarchical regression models adjusting for age, systolic blood pressure, and race, [Formula: see text] emerged as the strongest predictor of cf-PWV (B = -0.10, <i>P</i> = 0.003). Mediation analysis using bootstrapping revealed a significant indirect effect of ND on cf-PWV through [Formula: see text], whereas the direct effect of ND was not significant, consistent with indirect-only mediation. These findings suggest that lower CRF may partially explain the relationship between ND and vascular aging among postmenopausal women. Thus, efforts should be focused on improving access to physical activity opportunities for women facing high levels of social disadvantage.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> Neighborhood disadvantage is associated with increased cardiovascular risk, yet the physiological pathways linking social environments to vascular health remain unclear. In postmenopausal women, we found that cardiorespiratory fitness mediated the relationship between neighborhood deprivation and arterial stiffness. Higher neighborhood deprivation was associated with lower fitness, which in turn was associated with greater arterial stiffness. These findings highlight cardiorespiratory fitness as a potential physiological and modifiable pathway linking adverse social environments to vascular aging.</p>","PeriodicalId":15160,"journal":{"name":"Journal of applied physiology","volume":" ","pages":"821-827"},"PeriodicalIF":3.7,"publicationDate":"2026-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"148760413","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}