Autonomic Nervous System ActivityANS Stress/PANCT07360821
Investigation of Autonomic Stress Response Patterns in College Students With Varying Physical Activity Levels
An observational study of Autonomic Nervous System Activity and Cardiovascular, run by Beijing Sport University.
Trial summary
This study aims to investigate the differences in cardiovascular stress response patterns among individuals with various physical activity levels (sedentary controls and different types of athletes). Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 30 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Autonomic Nervous System Activity, Cardiovascular, Physical Activity Level
- What is being tested?
- Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
- How many people
- 60 participants
- Where
- No sites listed yet
- Study dates
- 25 Feb 2026to 30 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Observational
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 30 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Study population: The study population consists of 60-80 healthy adult volunteers (college students). Participants are categorized into five distinct groups based on their habitual physical activity levels and training backgrounds: 1) Sedentary controls, 2) Endurance athletes, 3) Strength athletes, 4) Technical athletes, and 5) Traditional ethnic sports practitioners (e.g., Tai Chi). Gender balance is maintained across all groups.
Who may be able to join
- Healthy young adults aged 18-25 years
- Body Mass Index (BMI) within the range of 18.5-23.9 kg/m 2
- No history of systematic professional athletic training (for sedentary group) or confirmed training background (for athlete groups)
- No exercise contraindications or history of cardiovascular, respiratory, or metabolic diseases
- No family history of sudden cardiac death
- Ability to understand the study protocol and sign the informed consent form
Who cannot join
- History of limb sports injury within the past 6 months or unhealed fractures
- Habits of smoking or chronic alcohol consumption
- Presence of implanted electronic devices (e.g., pacemakers)
- Clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety or depression
- Recent use of medications affecting autonomic or cardiovascular function
- Regular practice of meditation or ongoing psychotherapy
- Irregular menstrual cycles (for female participants)
- Peripheral neuropathy or other autonomic nervous system disorders
About this study
This study aims to investigate the differences in cardiovascular stress response patterns among individuals with various physical activity levels (sedentary controls and different types of athletes). By synchronously monitoring ECG, heart rate, skin sympathetic nerve activity (SKNA), blood pressure, and cardiac output, the study will characterize physiological dynamics during resting, orthostatic challenge, cold pressor stress, and maximal exercise.
Read the detailed description
Participants will be categorized into five groups based on their training background: sedentary, endurance, strength, technical, and traditional ethnic sports. The experimental protocol includes baseline measurements in lying, standing, and sitting positions, followed by a series of acute stress tests: a lie-to-stand orthostatic test, a slow breathing test, and a cold pressor test. Finally, participants will perform a ramp incremental exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Synchronous physiological data including HRV and SKNA will be collected to evaluate the dynamic regulation of the autonomic nervous system.
- Being tested
- Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
- Keywords
- SKNA; HRV; Blood Pressure Variability; Athletes; Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Cardiopulmonary Exercise TestingDiagnostic test
Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) is a non-invasive, integrated assessment of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscular systems' responses to physical stress.
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary Control | Healthy adults with minimal physical activity, screened via SBQ and IPAQ-S questionnaires as baseline controls Receives: Diagnostic Test: Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing | |
| Endurance Athletes | Long-distance runners or triathletes with over 1 year of regular aerobic training (e.g., 800m+ running, swimming). Receives: Diagnostic Test: Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing | |
| Strength Athletes | Athletes specializing in anaerobic/power-based training, such as weightlifting, wrestling, or sprinting. Receives: Diagnostic Test: Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing | |
| Traditional Ethnic Sports | Practitioners of mind-body exercises like Tai Chi or Baduanjin, emphasizing respiratory control and mild intensity Receives: Diagnostic Test: Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Heart Rate Variability
Time-domain metrics (e.g., RMSSD, SDNN) derived from ECG recordings to evaluate cardiovagal modulation and cardiac autonomic balance.
Measured: Baseline (10-minute rest), during the 10-minute mental stress test, and during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (approx. 20 minutes)
Skin Sympathetic Nerve Activity
Integrated average SKNA (aSKNA) and burst metrics measured via surface electrodes to assess sympathetic nerve firing
Measured: Baseline (10-minute rest), during the 10-minute mental stress test, and during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (approx. 20 minutes)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted22 Jan 2026
- Study start25 Feb 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion30 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion30 Jul 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Autonomic Nervous System ActivityStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Observational
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Beijing Sport University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Sponsor
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07360821
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- 2025601H
- Other IDs
- 2025601H
- Acronym
- ANS Stress/PA
- Status last verified
- Jan 2026
- First submitted
- 12 Jan 2026
- Last updated
- 22 Jan 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- Yes
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Undecided
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 22 Jan 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- Investigation of Autonomic Stress Response Patterns in College Students With Varying Physical Activity Levels
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07360821
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- ANS Stress/PA / 2025601H
- Keywords
- SKNA; HRV; Blood Pressure Variability; Athletes; Cardiopulmonary Exercise Testing
- Study type
- Observational
- Recruitment status
- Not yet recruiting
- Enrolment
- 60 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Beijing Sport UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 25 Feb 2026 (estimated)
- Primary completion
- 30 Apr 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 30 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 22 Jan 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This study aims to investigate the differences in cardiovascular stress response patterns among individuals with various physical activity levels (sedentary controls and different types of athletes). By synchronously monitoring ECG, heart rate, skin sympathetic nerve activity (SKNA), blood pressure, and cardiac output, the study will characterize physiological dynamics during resting, orthostatic challenge, cold pressor stress, and maximal exercise.
Detailed description
Participants will be categorized into five groups based on their training background: sedentary, endurance, strength, technical, and traditional ethnic sports. The experimental protocol includes baseline measurements in lying, standing, and sitting positions, followed by a series of acute stress tests: a lie-to-stand orthostatic test, a slow breathing test, and a cold pressor test. Finally, participants will perform a ramp incremental exercise test on a cycle ergometer. Synchronous physiological data including HRV and SKNA will be collected to evaluate the dynamic regulation of the autonomic nervous system.
Study design
- Observational model
- Cohort
- Time perspective
- Cross-sectional
- Number of arms
- 4
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Sedentary Control | – | Diagnostic Test: Cardiopulmonary Exercise TestingHealthy adults with minimal physical activity, screened via SBQ and IPAQ-S questionnaires as baseline controls |
| Endurance Athletes | – | Diagnostic Test: Cardiopulmonary Exercise TestingLong-distance runners or triathletes with over 1 year of regular aerobic training (e.g., 800m+ running, swimming). |
| Strength Athletes | – | Diagnostic Test: Cardiopulmonary Exercise TestingAthletes specializing in anaerobic/power-based training, such as weightlifting, wrestling, or sprinting. |
| Traditional Ethnic Sports | – | Diagnostic Test: Cardiopulmonary Exercise TestingPractitioners of mind-body exercises like Tai Chi or Baduanjin, emphasizing respiratory control and mild intensity |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 30 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
- Study population
- The study population consists of 60-80 healthy adult volunteers (college students). Participants are categorized into five distinct groups based on their habitual physical activity levels and training backgrounds: 1) Sedentary controls, 2) Endurance athletes, 3) Strength athletes, 4) Technical athletes, and 5) Traditional ethnic sports practitioners (e.g., Tai Chi). Gender balance is maintained across all groups.
Key inclusion criteria (6 listed)
- Healthy young adults aged 18-25 years
- Body Mass Index (BMI) within the range of 18.5-23.9 kg/m 2
- No history of systematic professional athletic training (for sedentary group) or confirmed training background (for athlete groups)
- No exercise contraindications or history of cardiovascular, respiratory, or metabolic diseases
- No family history of sudden cardiac death
Key exclusion criteria (8 listed)
- History of limb sports injury within the past 6 months or unhealed fractures
- Habits of smoking or chronic alcohol consumption
- Presence of implanted electronic devices (e.g., pacemakers)
- Clinical diagnosis of psychiatric disorders such as anxiety or depression
- Recent use of medications affecting autonomic or cardiovascular function
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Cardiopulmonary Exercise TestingCardiopulmonary Exercise Testing (CPET) is a non-invasive, integrated assessment of the cardiovascular, respiratory, and muscular systems' responses to physical stress. | Diagnostic test | Endurance Athletes, Sedentary Control, Strength Athletes, Traditional Ethnic Sports |
Primary outcome
Heart Rate Variability
Time frame: Baseline (10-minute rest), during the 10-minute mental stress test, and during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (approx. 20 minutes)
Time-domain metrics (e.g., RMSSD, SDNN) derived from ECG recordings to evaluate cardiovagal modulation and cardiac autonomic balance.
Skin Sympathetic Nerve Activity
Time frame: Baseline (10-minute rest), during the 10-minute mental stress test, and during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (approx. 20 minutes)
Integrated average SKNA (aSKNA) and burst metrics measured via surface electrodes to assess sympathetic nerve firing
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 22 Jan 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Undecided
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
The record lists no contact. Use the official record to reach the sponsor.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
An observational study of Autonomic Nervous System Activity and Cardiovascular, run by Beijing Sport University.
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 6 inclusion and 8 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: opening soon, as of the sponsor's last update on 22 Jan 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
The record lists no contact. The official record names the sponsor, who can be asked directly. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Heart Rate Variability (time frame: Baseline (10-minute rest), during the 10-minute mental stress test, and during the cardiopulmonary exercise test (approx. 20 minutes)). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 22 Jan 2026.