| Objective: Visual evoked potential (VEP) is a family of signals representing the responses of the visual occipital cortex to visual stimuli including flash and pattern stimuli. VEP is an important neuro-physiological parameter used in the assessment of the functions of visual organs, visual pathways and the optical central nervous system. Previous studies have shown that exercise is an important factor that affects the latencies of VEP independently of body temperature and other physiological parameters. VEP is related to different physical activities. But there are some problems and shortcomings in the studies about the effects of exercise on visual evoked potentials. Aerobics are more and more popular for its unique characteristics and gradually formed a world-wide"hot aerobics". So we selected Aerobics as an exercise and investigated its effects on visual evoked potentials with both transversal and longitudinal studies. Our results provided more experimental evidence for visual evoked potential in assessing the effects of exercise in the fitness field. Therefore, we conclude that visual evoked potential can be used more widely in the future. Additionally, many other indexes were recorded in order to make a comprehensive assessment of the beneficial effects of Aerobics on human health, especially with the neurofunctional index. And the results of our study provided more comprehensive theoretical and experimental support for the further application of Aerobics in improving human health.Experimental design: Comparison of visual evoked potential between Aerobics and non- professional students: We investigated the effects of spending more than one year undergoing Aerobics on the visual evoked potential by comparing the VEP among Aerobics group [n =30; mean sports life, (3±1) years], Dance sport group [n =27; mean sports life, (2±1) years] and non-physical education students (n =34).②Changes in VEP during menstrual cycle: VEP changes during menstrual cycle were studied in healthy females [n =9, average age, (24±2) years]) having regular menstruation. VEP is recorded in six different phases of menstrual cycle, namely, the first day of menstrual, mid-menstrual, the first day of follicular, mid-follicular, ovulatory and mid-luteal.③Effects of Aerobics exercise for 8 weeks on VEP and other health indexes: All the subjects were conducted to take part in a regular Chinese National Aerobics 2 and 5 separately, 1h/day, 3 days/week, for 8 weeks. In order to investigate the effects of different intensity Aerobics exercise for 8 weeks, we measured the VEP of Aerobics 2 group,Aerobics 5 group and control group respectively, including pre-exercise, 2 weeks, 4 weeks, 6 weeks,8 weeks and 2 weeks after 8 weeks exercise(recovery period). At the same time, we also compared some health-related physical fitness indexes and psychological indexes (POMS) recorded pre-exercise with those of after Aerobics exercise for 8 weeks.Materials and Methods: In this paper we used literature, observation, questionnaire survey, mathematical statistics, and experimental research methods and so on. Measurement of VEP: The NDI-200 neural electricity tester (Shanghai Haishen) was used to measure VEP with a chessboard pattern reversal method in middle check (25×25) mm2. The VEP recordings were performed using bipolar electrodes on the head. The stimulation frequency was at a speed of 2 Hz, and lightness of 90 cd/m2, contrast of 80%, range of filters at 1-100 Hz, sensitivity of 10μV, and superimpose 100 times. The latencies, inter-peak latencies and peak to peak amplitudes of N75, P100 and N145 were tested separately. Measurement of health-related physical fitness indexes: Body composition was tested by Vivente Body Composition Analyzer which was made in Korea. 1 min sit-ups with bent knees 90°testing was used to evaluate muscle endurance of all subjects. Maximum oxygen uptake was tested indirectly by Monark Ergomedic 839E cycle ergometer Sweden made. Sit-and-Reach was used to test flexibility. POMS (Profile of Mood States) were used to monitor psychological changes of all the subjects during the Aerobics exercise for 8 weeks. Statistical analysis: Statistical analysis was conducted using SPSS for windows 15.0 with both descriptive and inferential statistics. Descriptive statistics include Independent-samples T Test, One-Way ANOVA, Paired-Sample T Test and Repeated measure ANOVA. All data are expressed as Mean±SD. P < 0.05 and P < 0.01 were accepted as being statistically significant respectively. RESULTS:①The latencies and inter-peak latencies of females were shorter than those of males. And N145 latencies and P100- N145 inter-peak latencies were highly significant shorter (P < 0.01), N75-P100 inter-peak latencies showed significant difference (P < 0.05). Additionally, peak to peak amplitudes of females were higher than those of males, and N75-P100 values showed highly statistical difference (P < 0.05).②VEP latencies and inter-peak latencies of Aerobics group and Dance sport group were shorter significantly than those of non-physical education students more or less (P < 0.05 or P < 0.01), both men and women. No difference was found among peak to peak amplitudes of the three groups both men and women. N75, P100 and N145 latencies of Aerobics female students were significantly shorter than those of Dance sport group (P < 0.05); while no difference was found between the two groups males(P﹥0.05).③From the first day of menstrual, all latencies of VEP became shorter and shorter during menstrual cycle, and the values of mid-luteal were the shortest. Moreover, the P100 latencies had significant difference between mid-menstrual and the first day of follicular (P < 0.05),but no difference was found among both inter-peak latencies and peak to peak amplitudes (P﹥0.05).④After 8 weeks, all health-related physical fitness indexes of both Aerobics 2 and 5 group improved significantly than those of pre-exercise (P < 0.01), and exercise capacity also became much better. Resting heart rate values of both exercise groups declined gradually with the increase of Aerobics exercise, and Aerobics 5 group showed lower values.⑤No difference was found among all the VEP latencies, inter-peak latencies and peak to peak amplitudes values of the control group. N75, P100 and N145 latencies of Aerobics 2 group became shorter with Aerobics exercise and the values of 8 weeks after exercise were the shortest, but became longer in recovery period, and N75 and P100 latencies of recovery period even became longer significantly than those of after 8 weeks (P < 0.05).But there was no significant difference significant among both the inter-peak latencies and peak to peak amplitudes values (P﹥0.05). P100 latencies of Aerobics 5 group were becoming shorter significantly with Aerobics exercise compared with those of pre-exercise (P < 0.05), and recovery period values were still shorter statistically than those of pre-exercise. Although, there was no significant difference among both N75 and N145 latencies (P﹥0.05), they were becoming shorter with Aerobics exercise, and became longer in recovery period but with no statistical difference. And both the inter-peak latencies and peak to peak amplitudes values had no significant difference either (P﹥0.05).⑥The 8 weeks POMS energy sense and sum of positive emotions of Aerobics 2 group improved significantly than those of pre-exercise(P<0.05), while both Aerobics 5 and control group had no significant difference (P﹥0.05).Conclusions:①VEP has sensitivity and reversibility to exercise to a certain extent, and may well be used as neuro-physiological criteria in assessing the effects of training or physical activity. In addition, VEP could be used as important neuro-physiological indicator in defining the performances of the athletes.②VEP latencies changed during different phases of menstrual cycle.③VEP latencies and inter-peak latencies of both Aerobics group and Dance sport group were shorter significantly than those of non-physical students, and VEP latencies of Aerobics group females were shorter statistically than those of Dance sport group.④Both Aerobics 2 and 5 for 8 weeks can shorten VEP latencies, and the values became shorter and shorter with Aerobics exercise, and they all became longer in recovery period. But the effects of Aerobics 5 were more marked. On the one hand, this indicated that VEP has sensitivity to Aerobics and became shorter and shorter with Aerobics exercise, but these changes were reversible. On the other hand, the effects of Aerobics on VEP latencies were relevant to exercise intensity. That is to say, the greater is the exercise intensity, the shorter the latencies are, the longer duration is.⑤A period of 8 weeks Aerobics exercise could build up endurance, promote flexibility, increase the maximum oxygen uptake and develop physical strength, and the Aerobics 5 has better effects than that of Aerobics 2. But on the improvement of the overall POMS, the Aerobics 2 is more suitable for non-physical Education females. |
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