Arfuso Francesca, Giannetto Claudia, Giudice Elisabetta, Fazio Francesco, Panzera Michele, Piccione Giuseppe
Department of Veterinary Sciences, University of Messina, Polo Universitario dell'Annunziata, 98168 Messina, Italy.
Animals (Basel). 2021 Mar 8;11(3):743. doi: 10.3390/ani11030743.
The current study aimed to investigate whether peripheral modulators of serotoninergic function and neurohumoral factors' changes in athletic horses during an official jumping competition, and to evaluate their relationship with the physical performance of competing horses. From 7 Italian Saddle mares (6-9 years; mean body weight 440 ± 15 kg), performing the same standardized warm-up and jumping course during an official class, heart rate (HR) was monitored throughout the competition. Rectal temperature (RT) measurement, blood lactate and glucose concentration, serum tryptophan, leucine, valine, the tryptophan/branched-chain amino-acids ratio (Try/BCAAs), dopamine, prolactin, and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFAs) were assessed before the exercise event (T0), at the end of the competition stage (5 min ± 10 s following the cessation of the exercise, T), and 30 min after the end of competition (T). Highest HR values were recorded during the course and at the outbound ( < 0.0001); blood lactate concentration and RT increased after exercise with respect to the rest condition ( < 0.0001). Lower leucine and valine levels ( < 0.01), and higher tryptophan, Try/BCAAs ratio, and NEFAs values were found at T and T with respect to T0 ( < 0.0001). A higher prolactin concentration was found at T and T compared to T0 ( < 0.0001), whereas dopamine showed decreased values after exercise compared to rest ( < 0.0001). Statistically significant correlations among the peripheral indices of serotoninergic function, neurohumoral factors, and athletic performance parameters were found throughout the monitoring period. The findings provide indirect evidence that the serotoninergic system may be involved in fatigue during jumper exercise under a stressful situation, such as competition, in which, in addition to physical effort, athletic horses exhibit more passive behavior.
本研究旨在调查在正式的跳跃比赛中，运动马血清素能功能的外周调节因子和神经体液因子的变化情况，并评估它们与参赛马匹体能表现的关系。选取7匹意大利鞍马母马（6 - 9岁；平均体重440 ± 15千克），在正式比赛中进行相同的标准化热身和跳跃课程，在整个比赛过程中监测心率（HR）。在运动事件前（T0）、比赛阶段结束时（运动停止后5分钟±10秒，T）以及比赛结束后30分钟（T），评估直肠温度（RT）、血乳酸和葡萄糖浓度、血清色氨酸、亮氨酸、缬氨酸、色氨酸/支链氨基酸比值（Try/BCAAs）、多巴胺、催乳素和非酯化脂肪酸（NEFAs）。在比赛过程中和出赛时记录到最高心率值（< 0.0001）；运动后血乳酸浓度和RT相对于休息状态有所升高（< 0.0001）。与T0相比，在T和T时发现亮氨酸和缬氨酸水平较低（< 0.01），而色氨酸、Try/BCAAs比值和NEFAs值较高（< 0.0001）。与T0相比，在T和T时发现催乳素浓度较高（< 0.0001），而与休息相比，运动后多巴胺值降低（< 0.0001）。在整个监测期内，发现血清素能功能、神经体液因子的外周指标与运动表现参数之间存在统计学显著相关性。这些发现提供了间接证据，表明血清素能系统可能参与了在压力情境（如比赛）下跳跃运动时的疲劳过程，在这种情况下，运动马除了体力消耗外，还表现出更多的被动行为。
