ISSN 0362-1197, Human Physiology, 2009, Vol. 35, No. 6, pp. 755764. Pleiades Publishing, Inc., 2009.

Original Russian Text I.A. Krivolapchuk, 2009, published in Fiziologiya Cheloveka, 2009, Vol. 35, No. 6, pp. 111121.

The Functional State of Children from 9 to 10 Years of Age

under the Conditions of Intense Informational Load
and Physical Working Capacity
I. A. Krivolapchuk
Institute of Developmental Physiology, Russian Academy of Education, Moscow, 119869 Russia
Received March 2, 2009

AbstractThree-way ANOVA has shown that the functional state (FS) of children from 9 to 10 years of age
(n = 91) under intense informational load is significantly influenced by the aerobic and anaerobic components
of physical working capacity and their interaction. It has been found that 4 to 21% of the total variation of the
studied FS indices are related to the bioenergetic resources of the body. It has been shown that the high levels
of development of the aerobic and anaerobic glycolytic capacities are associated with the optimal changes in
the FS under the conditions of intense informational load. At the same time, the interaction of the aerobic and
anaerobic glycolytic components of physical working capacity exerts the most significant influence on the pro-
ductivity and psychophysiological cost of intellectual activity. The high anaerobic glycolytic and anaerobic
alactate capacities proved to have opposite functional effects. The former contribute to a decrease in excessive
autonomic reactivity under the conditions of intense work and diminution of trait anxiety; the latter, on the con-
trary, determine hypermobilization of the system of autonomic support of activity. The results suggest that a
combined use of rational proportions of physical loads of the aerobic, anaerobic glycolytic, and anaerobic alac-
tate types will provide efficient control of childrens FS under the conditions of intense intellectual activity.
DOI: 10.1134/S0362119709060139

INTRODUCTION on the FS of children from 9 to 10 years of age under

It is known that differences in physical working
capacity determine in many respects the success of a
persons adaptation to various unfavorable natural and
social factors. Studies of recent years demonstrate that
the evidence of physiological changes of the human
functional state (FS) under an intense information load
also depends on the level of physical working capacity
[15]. Some of the works show the positive effects of
the aerobic [613] and anaerobic [1317] components
of physical working capacity on the physiological, psy-
chological and behavioral aspects of FS in psychologi-
cal stress.
Data of developmental physiology demonstrate the
heterochronous and nonlinear development of the aero-
bic, anaerobic glycolytic, and anaerobic alactate
sources, which creates the qualitative specificity of the
energy supply for muscle activity at different stages of
ontogeny [1821]. Therefore, it may be supposed that
in certain periods of individual development the indices
of aerobic and anaerobic capacities of the childs body
differently determine the specificity of physiological
changes in the FS under psychological stress condi-
tions. At the same time, the absence of papers on the
influence of bioenergetics components of physical
working capacity on FS changes in children under
intense information load is noticeable.
The goal of this study was to reveal the effect of the
bioenergetic components of physical working capacity
the conditions of information load with different
degrees of complexity.
METHODS
The study was carried out in healthy children from
9 to 10 years of age (n = 91). A test using Anfimovs
alphabetic correction tables served as a model of
intense information load. Examination was performed
in two modes of working: (1) the auto-pace and (2)
the maximum pace in the presence of a punishment
threat. Before the first task, the subjects were
instructed to work at a convenient pace; before the sec-
ond task, they were instructed to work without mistakes
at the maximum possible speed. In the latter case, a
standard set of reproving remarks and a loud sound
were used as punishment. The amount of work ()
and productivity factor (Q) were calculated from the
results of the correction test. Mental working capacity
was monitored during the school week before and after
the classes.
The omega potential (OP) characterizing the FS of
the CNS [22] was recorded on the head skin surface
using a portable device for the study of ultraslow elec-
tric processes of the brain and weakly polarized silver
chloride electrodes. The active electrode was placed in
the middle of a subjects forehead, and the indifferent
one contacted the left hand tenor. The OP decreased

755
756 KRIVOLAPCHUK
Combination Combination Combination Combination
of factors of factors of factors of factors
AB AC BC ABC
Aerobic Index of functional Glycolytic
component of state anaerobic
(resultant character) component of
FS (A factor) FS (C factor)
Alactate
anaerobic
component of
FS (C factor)
Fig. 1. The effect of the anaerobic alactate (C factor), anaer-
obic glycolytic (B factor), and aerobic (A factor) compo-
nents of physical working capacity (PWC) on the resultant
character.
during 25 min after the application of the electrodes
and then stabilized at a certain level. The stabilized OP
values were considered to be characteristic of the state
of quiet wakefulness. The OP was recorded at rest and
during the test loads.
The degree of the tension of the regulatory systems
was assessed using mathematical analysis of the car-
diac rhythm, with determination of the average R-R
interval (M), mode (Mo), mode amplitude (AMo), vari-
ation range (), root-mean-square deviation of the RR
interval (RR), and time-tension index (TTI) [23]. The
method was implemented using a PC-based automated
complex. Heart rate (HR), systolic (BPs) and diastolic
(BPd) blood pressure were recorded; pulse (PP) and
mean (MP) pressure, double product (DP), Krds
autonomic index (KAI), circulation efficiency
(BPs/HR) and adaptive potential (AP) values were cal-
culated.
The level of state anxiety (SA) and autonomic tone
coefficient (ATC) in subjects were determined before
each task by a variant of Luschers eight-color test
(modified by L.N. Sobchik) [24]. State anxiety was also
assessed using the visual analogue scale (VAS), which
was a variant of the DemboRubinshtein self-estima-
tion scale used in the work with children of junior
school age [25].
The physiological cost of the activity was deter-
mined from the correlation of work efficiency with the
values of autonomic shifts during the performance of
this work. For this purpose, the efficiency indices
Q/HR, Q/TTI, Q/DP, A/HR, A/TTI, and A/DP were
found.
Individual psychological characters were studied on
the basis of a modified Kondashs anxiety scale (inter-
personal, self-appraisal, school, and total anxieties)
[26] and Tammls projective test for estimation of trait
anxiety (negative and positive choices and the anxiety
index) [27].
A battery of functional and ergometric indices used
in the study provided an estimation of the anaerobic
alactate, anaerobic glycolytic, and aerobic capacities of
the body. The load intensity at a pulse rate of
170 beats/min (PWC170), Watt pulse (WtP), pulse debt
accumulation intensity (PDAI), maximum oxygen con-
sumption (VO2max), maximum strength (MS), and
critical time of work (t1, t2) at the until failure load of
2 and 4 Wt/kg, respectively, were determined. Mullers
equation was used to find the intensity of loads with
maximum performance times of 1 (W1), 40 (W40),
240 (W240), and 900 s (W900), the coefficients of aero-
bic source capacity (b) and degree of heterogene-
ity/homogeneity of musculoskeletal tissue (a) [19, 21].
The results of motor tests, including running
(6 min), standing broad jump, shuttle running (4 9 m),
20-m running, and torso lift from the lying supine posi-
tion were analyzed, and the total score of physical fit-
ness was calculated.
Preliminarily, the factor analysis of the interrela-
tions of the above variables was used to determine the
groups of indices characterizing these components of
working capacity as relatively independent factors. The
level of working capacity was determined by four or
five indices with the highest weight coefficients in the
factors under consideration. The level of working
capacity was determined using a percentile scale for
each of the variables. The scores of 3, 2, and 1 corre-
sponded to the high, medium, and low levels, respec-
tively. The anaerobic alactate, anaerobic glycolytic and
aerobic components of working capacity were gener-
ally estimated by the sum of the scores. As a result, two
or three gradations of the estimates were distinguished
for each of the factors under consideration.
ANOVA of three-factor orthogonal sets was used to
asses not only the effect of each factor separately, but
also their interaction (Fig. 1).
The strength of the effect of factors on the resultant
character was assessed by the method of Plokhinsky
[28]. The anaerobic alactate capacity (factor ) was
assessed by the maximum load force and intensity with
a critical execution time of 1 s (W1), by the results of
20-m running and broad jump, and by PDAI after the
running load of the maximum intensity; the anaerobic
glycolytic capacity (factor B) was assessed by the until
failure retention time of the 4-Wt/kg load (t2), the
intensity of the load with a maximum duration of 40 s
(W40), by the PDAI after the standard load of submax-
imum intensity and by the results of a control exercise
torso lift for 1 min; the aerobic capacity (factor )
was assessed by the VO2max, PWC1700, until failure
retention time for the 2-Wt/kg load (t1), and the results
of running for 6 min.
RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
Three-way ANOVA provided evidence that the aer-
obic, anaerobic glycolytic and anaerobic alactate com-
ponents of physical working capacity had a significant
(p < 0.050.001) effect on FS under intense information
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY Vol. 35 No. 6 2009
 THE FUNCTIONAL STATE OF CHILDREN FROM 9 TO 10 YEARS OF AGE
load (Fig. 2). Research materials demonstrate that, as
applied to 55 FS-characterizing variables, the null
hypothesis is disproved at a high level of significance
(p < 0.050.001) with respect to both separate compo-
nents of working capacity and their interactions. One
can assert with a probability of more than 9599% that
the differences between group mean values of the set of
these variables are not random; they are largely deter-
mined by the capacities of the system of the energy sup-
ply of the muscle activity.
The aerobic capacities (factor ) significantly affect
12 FS indices; the anaerobic glycolytic capacities (fac-
tor ) affect 22 indices; and the anaerobic alactate
capacities (factor ) affect 6 indices. It is obvious that,
at an age of 910 years, the anaerobic glycolytic com-
ponent of physical working capacity influences the
largest number of FS parameters under study (Fig. 2).
The interaction proved to be statistically significant
with respect to six physiological variables for aerobic
and anaerobic glycolytic capacities (AB factors), four
variables for anaerobic glycolytic and anaerobic alac-
tate capacities (BC factors), three variables for aerobic
and anaerobic alactate capacities (AC factors), and two
variables for anaerobic glycolytic and anaerobic alac-
tate capacities (ABC factors).
The strength of the effects of the factors and their
combinations for different FS indices ranged from 4 to
15% (table). In some cases, taking into account the total
effect of the factors and their combinations on the
resultant character, the strength of the effect reached
21%. This means that 4 to 21% of the total variation of
the studied variables is determined by the aerobic and
anaerobic capacities of the body in children from 9 to
10 years of age.
The combined effect of the different components of
physical working capacity on the FS parameters of sub-
jects confirms the integrated character of functioning of
the system of muscle activity energy supply in the
course of development and reflects the structure of
energy metabolism existing at this stage of ontogeny. It
is known that, on the one hand, the age of 910 is a
stage when aerobic capacities develop, and, on the
other hand, the progressive development of both anaer-
obic mechanisms of energy supply begins at the end of
this period [18, 19].
The results of our study demonstrate that the effect
of the bioenergetic components of working capacity on
FS of the childs body is not always unidirectional.
These factors act in the same direction in some cases
and oppositely in other cases, correspondingly intensi-
fying and weakening the physiological effect on the
character under study. It is necessary to emphasize that
children with a high level of development of aerobic
and anaerobic glycolytic sources are characterized by a
high rate and quality of mental work, low activation in
the state of rest, and smaller physiological changes in
FS under information load.
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY Vol. 35 No. 6 2009
757
Factors 910 years of age
B 22
A 12
C 6
AB 5
BC 4
AC 3
ABC 2
0 5 10 15 20 25
Number of FS indices
Fig. 2. Significant effect of the anaerobic alactate (C factor),
anaerobic glycolytic (B factor), and aerobic (A factor) com-
ponents of physical working capacity on the functional state
of children from 9 to 10 years of age.
The interaction of the aerobic and anaerobic glyco-
lytic components of physical working capacity has a
positive effect on the changes in mental working capac-
ity during the school week and on the physiological
cost of the intellectual activity under the conditions of
functional comfort.
As an example, Figure 3 presents the data on the FSs
of children from 9 to 10 years of age with different aer-
obic and anaerobic working capacities. One can see that
the subjects with marked development of the oxygen
energy system differ from their coevals with a low
working capacity in higher (p < 0.050.01) M and Mo
values at both modes of information load and in lower
BPs and DP values at the maximum rate of intellectual
activity (Fig. 3). Differences were also observed in the
indices of mental working capacity. Schoolchildren
with a prevalent development of the aerobic source
showed higher (p < 0.05) rate () and efficiency (Q) of
intense mental work during a school week (p < 0.05
0.01).
Very similar but more numerous differences have
been revealed in children from 9 to 10 years of age with
to the anaerobic glycolytic source. The presented data
(Fig. 3) show that children with glycolytic processes
dominating in their total energy production differ from
their coevals in higher (p < 0.050.01) values of ,
RR, BPs, PP, DP, and Q and lower values of AMo,
HR, TTI, and KAI. The differences were revealed also
with respect to trait anxiety: the children showing a
high anaerobic glycolytic working capacity were char-
acterized by relatively low values (p < 0.05) of self-
appraisal, school, interpersonal, and total anxieties and
the anxiety index (p < 0.05).
The data showing that subjects with a low level of
anxiety occur much more frequently among children
with a high physical working capacity than among sub-
jects with insufficient physical fitness are in agreement
with the results reported by other researchers. It has
758 KRIVOLAPCHUK

Significant effects of the anaerobic alactate (C factor), anaerobic glycolytic (B factor), and aerobic (A factor) components of
working capacity on the FS of children from 9 to 10 years of age (three-way ANOVA)
Effect Effect
No. Index Factor 2 No. Index Factor 2
( h x ), % ( h x ), %
1 M0, s B 5.55 29 A1, digits AB 5.32
2 RR0, s B 5.42 30 Q2, relative units AC 4.85
3 RR0, s C 6.11 31 A (Tuesday, b.c.), digits A 5.32
4 AMo0, % B 4.86 32 A (Tuesday, a.c.), digits BC 4.85
5 AMo0, % C 5.85 33 Q (Tuesday, b.c.), relative units A 10.37
6 TTI0, relative units B 4.96 34 A (Tuesday, a.c.), digits A 4.58
7 HR0, beat/min B 4.79 35 Q (Tuesday, a.c.), relative units A 7.02
8 BPs0, mm Hg B 7.46 36 Q (Tuesday, a.c.), relative units B 4.45
9 PP0, mm Hg B 5.36 37 Q (Wednesday, b.c.), relative units A 5.03
10 DP0, relative units B 9.04 38 A (Wednesday, a.c.), digits AB 6.52
11 BPs/HR BC 7.06 39 A (Friday, b.c.), digits C 4.68
12 M1, s A 5.00 40 Q (Firday, b.c.) relative units B 4.02
13 M1, s C 4.46 41 A ((Friday, a.c.), digits C 8.21
14 Mo1, s A 4.93 42 Q (Friday, a.c.), relative units B 8.15
15 HR1 B 6.04 43 A/HR1, relative units AB 5.48
16 BPs1, mm Hg BC 6.28 44 A/DP1, relative units AB 8.22
17 DP2, relative units B 4.53 45 Q/HR1, relative units AB 6.09
18 DP2, relative units BC 5.59 46 Q/DP1, relative units AB 5.71
19 KAI1, relative units B 4.79 47 Interpersonal A, points B 5.98
20 BPs/HR1 ABC 4.25 48 Interpersonal A, points C 4.68
21 M2, s A 8.76 49 Self-appraisal A, points B 5.11
22 M2, s B 3.99 50 Total A, points B 6.67
23 Mo2, s A 10.58 51 School A, points B 4.83
24 BPs2, mm Hg A 5.15 52 Anxiety index, % B 5.13
25 DP2, relative units A 6.31 53 Negative choices, number B 5.13
26 PP2, mm Hg A 5.26 54 Positive choices, number B 5.13
27 ATC2, relative units AC 5.32 55 HATCH, mm AC 4.43
28 ATC2, relative units ABC 15.37
Notes: a.c., after classes; b.c., before classes; A, anxiety; 0, background state; 1, work in the auto-pace mode; 2, work in the maximum pace
mode. For abbreviations, see Methods.

been shown that athletes have lower levels of neurotism the number of subjects with moderate and high neuro-
and anxiety as compared to untrained persons [29]. An tism is the lowest [32].
examination of adult subjects not playing for sports has
Some of the published papers on the problem of
shown that a high level of physical capabilities is posi-
influence of physical exercise on human mental health
tively correlated with changes in mental health, mood,
present quite a lot of evidence that persons with a high
and physical well-being changes and is negatively cor-
level of physical state generally demonstrate lower lev-
related with the level of reactive anxiety [16, 30]. An
els of anxiety [13, 15, 16, 31] and depression [1517],
inverse dependence has been revealed between the level
a higher self-esteem [16, 17, 33], a high self-appraisal,
of working capacity in the zone of mixed aerobic
positive self-esteem, and good cognitive functioning
anaerobic supply and trait anxiety. It has been shown
[16, 17, 34]. The main mechanism determining the
that the level of trait anxiety is more strongly correlated
optimizing effect of physical loads on the mental status
with self-perception of the physical state than with the
of children is probably an increase in functional capac-
actual working capacity [31].
ities and a change in the pattern of interaction of the
In this context, it is very interesting that the percent- main neurotransmitter systems involved in the forma-
age of subjects with low neurotism among schoolchil- tion of emotional states and limitation of excessive
dren with optimal motor activity is the highest, while stress response.

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY Vol. 35 No. 6 2009

 THE FUNCTIONAL STATE OF CHILDREN FROM 9 TO 10 YEARS OF AGE 759

Factor A
120
100
80
60
40
20
0

DP2, relative units

A (Tue b.c.), digits

(Tue a.c.), digits

M1, s

1, s

2, s

2, s

BPs, mm Hg

Q (Tue b.c.),
relative units

Q (Tue a.c.),
relative units

Q (Wed b.c.),
relative units
120 Factor B

100

80

60

40

20

School A, points
TTI0, relative units
HR0, beat/min

DP0 relative units

PP0, mm Hg

Q (Tue b.c.), relative

Q (Fri a.c.),
relative units
Q (Fri a.c.),
relative units
0, s
RR0, ms

BPs0, mm Hg

HR1, beat/min
DP1, relative units
KAI1 relative units
2, s

IPA, points
SAA, points
Total A, points

TTI, %
0, %

units

80 Factor C
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
(A-Fri b.c.),

A-(Fri a.c.),
RR0, ms

1, s

IPA, points
0, %

digits
digits

Fig. 3. FS indices of children from 9 to 10 years of age with high and low levels of development of the aerobic (A factor), anaerobic
glycolytic (B factor), and anaerobic alactate (C factor) components of working capacity: light bars, high; dark bars, low. The indices
in which statistically significant (p < 0.050.01) differences have been found are shown. 0, state of rest; 1, work in the auto-pace
mode; 2, work in the maximum pace mode; A, anxiety; SAA, self-appraisal anxiety; IPA, interpersonal anxiety; a.c., after classes;
b.c., before classes. M, Mo and RR values are magnified by two orders of magnitude; TTI and A are reduced by one order of mag-
nitude. For abbreviations, see Methods and the table.

HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY Vol. 35 No. 6 2009

760 KRIVOLAPCHUK
We noted that children with a well-developed anaer-
obic glycolytic mechanism of energy supply show
higher hemodynamic values. These differences are evi-
dently determined by the characteristics of physical
development of the subjects, because the occurrence of
tall and heavy children in the group of schoolchildren
with predominance of glycolytic processes in total
energy production [35] was much higher than among
subjects with predominant development of the oxygen
energy system. It is well-known that physical develop-
ment is the most important determinant of the BP level.
There is a positive correlation between BP and growth
of children. At the same calendar age, the BP is higher
in subjects with greater body length and weight [18].
This fact suggests that the higher values of systemic BP
in schoolchildren aged 910 years with predominant
development of anaerobic glycolytic processes reflect
differences determined by the body height and weight
rather than the activation level. This viewpoint is sup-
ported by the data on KAI and MP changes demonstrat-
ing the presence of an optimal autonomic balance and
high adaptive capacities in this group of subjects.
Children with a high level of development of the
anaerobic alactate component of working capacity have
low RR, , and and high AMo and interpersonal
anxiety values (Fig. 3). Analysis of individual data has
shown that the degree of trait anxiety tends to increase
with an increase in the alactate anaerobic capacities. It
seems that subjects with a well-developed capacity for
performing physical exercise of the maximum intensity
under the conditions of intense intellectual activity are
characterized by excessive mobilization of psycho-
physiological resources, which goes far beyond the
actual demands of the body.
The opposite effects on childrens FSs of aerobic
and anaerobic glycolytic capacities, on the one hand,
and anaerobic alactate capacities, on the other hand,
needs separate discussion. The peculiarities of FS in
children with a high level of anaerobic alactate working
capacity are probably determined by specific demands
that maximally intense work places on the higher ner-
vous activity, first of all, the excitability and reactivity
of the nervous system. It is well-known that short-term
intense muscle loads usually stimulate an increase in
the excitability of the cerebral cortex, whereas long-
term cyclic loads significantly decrease the CNS excit-
ability and intensify inhibitory processes [36]. These
data are in agreement with the assumption accepted in
differential psychophysiology that subjects with high
speed characteristics, preferring intense short-term
work, have certain typological peculiarities [37]. This
is, first of all, a weak nervous system, which provides
advantages in quickness.
The initial functional activation level is considered
to be a general factor that underlies the manifestations
of the strength of the nervous system [37]. Background
activation in subjects with a weak nervous system is
higher than in subjects with a strong nervous system.
They earlier reach the limiting activation level, when
the maximum and quickest responses are observed
[38]. Since information load under the conditions of
our study occurred against the background of the ten-
sion state, it may be supposed that the nonspecific CNS
activation level formed in children with prevalent
development of anaerobic alactate capacities is nonop-
timally high for the given kind of intellectual work and
thus determines its less effective performance. The pro-
nounced trait anxiety in the given category of school-
children is associated to a large extent with excessive
activation, a weak nervous system, and a high reactivity
[37, 39].
Children with different levels of development of
various mechanisms of muscle activity energy supply
may have not only the corresponding types of higher
nervous activity, but also the types of functional consti-
tution that predetermine the strategy of individual adap-
tation to extreme social and natural factors [40]. It
seems that children with high anaerobic alactate capac-
ities in most cases have marked features of type I func-
tional constitution (sprinter), including a higher back-
ground activation level and excessive autonomic sup-
port of activity. Individuals notable for their well-
developed ability to perform the work of aerobic and
mixed character show substantial similarity to type II
response (stayer), whereas schoolchildren with the pre-
dominant development of anaerobic glycolytic sources
may be referred to the intermediate constitutional type
(mixed).
The data that persons with a high level of physical
working capacity show less marked changes in FS
under mental stress are in agreement with the literature
data [1, 1315, 17, 41]. It should be noted that the data
were mainly obtained from examination of adults,
while the works on the study of this problem in the
ontogenetic aspect are rather rare [5, 9, 10, 12, 4244].
Literature data and our research results demonstrate
that the differences in FS of the body determined by
physical working capacity are expressed at different
structuralfunctional levels of living system organiza-
tion: the molecular, cellular, tissue, systemic, and
whole body levels. First of all, it should be noted that
systematic physical training influences the formation of
the general algorithms of development of adaptive reac-
tion programs used during both muscle and intense
intellectual activities, improvement of the schemes of
breakdown of previous adaptive response programs,
and the development of the capacity for the rapid resub-
ordination of autonomic and motor elements forming
the common terminal pathway of every adaptive reac-
tion [45].
Frontal brain regions play the primary role in the
higher mental functions. Owing to their wide connec-
tions with nonspecific structures of different levels,
they fulfill the function of regulating the activation nec-
essary for any mental act [46]. It has been established
that subjects with a high physical working capacity
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY Vol. 35 No. 6 2009
 THE FUNCTIONAL STATE OF CHILDREN FROM 9 TO 10 YEARS OF AGE
possess perfect mechanisms of voluntary regulation of
motor functions and are characterized by a high compe-
tence of the frontal regions of the brain (including the
prefrontal cortex) with respect to voluntary regulation
of intense intellectual activity [30]. In this category of
subjects, the adaptive reorganization of the central and
peripheral mechanisms of the neuroendocrine regula-
tion of functions determines a higher intensity and
economy of the functioning of the systems of the body
involved in both stress and stress control. This reorga-
nization leads to a greater capacity for the synthesis of
hormones and neurotransmitters and to variation of
sensitivity of the nervous centers and the tissues of tar-
get organs to their influence [1, 7, 17, 45, 47, 48]. In
particular, an increase in the level of physical working
capacity results in a decrease in the activity of the sym-
pathetic division of the autonomic nervous system and
a concurrent increase in the tone of the parasympathetic
division at rest. Because of this, autonomic homeostasis
is normalized and the individual resistance to informa-
tion and emotional stresses increases [6, 9, 29, 49].
There is evidence for close association of the reac-
tivities of the autonomic nervous system [5, 9, 15, 48,
50], sympathoadrenal [7, 2], hypothalamicpituitary
[51], and cardiovascular [3, 4, 12, 50, 52] systems
under the conditions of intellectual tension with the
value of their FS variations during physical work. The
observed interrelation between the changes in the FS
indices of these systems under intense information load
and the parameters of physical working capacity is
based on multilevel reorganizations in the regulation of
the body function determined by the mode of motor
activity and on common mechanisms underlying phys-
ical and nervousmental tensions.
A comparison of the physiological changes
observed under intense physical and mental loads in
subjects with different reactivities of the hypothalamic
adrenocortical system showed that the specificity of the
responses of this psychophysiological axis of stress,
becoming apparent in physical work, is also observed
in the course of intense intellectual activity. At the same
time, both physical and mental loads increase the HR
and MP to a greater extent in subjects with a strong
response of the hypothalamicadrenocortical system
[51]. It has also been shown that subjects with a strong
response of the cardiovascular system differ from sub-
jects with its weak response in higher levels of adreno-
corticotropic hormone and cortisol under psychological
tension [53].
As mentioned above, intense muscular and intense
intellectual activities are accompanied by the activation
of the adrenergic system, forming a system of nonspe-
cific changes aimed at the formation of defensive
behavioral reactions and mobilization of energy
reserves of the body. A decrease in the level of activa-
tion at rest and physiological reactivity under intense
information load is directly associated with a decrease
in the degree of adrenergic system activation as a result
HUMAN PHYSIOLOGY Vol. 35 No. 6 2009
761
of systematic effective physical exercise. The necessary
adaptive effect is achieved due to a significant decrease
in the content of catecholamines in blood [2, 47, 54], an
increase in the density of adrenergic nervous fibers and
their terminals in target organs, an increase in the ade-
nylate cyclase and phosphodiesterase activities in tis-
sues, and a variation of the rate of cAMP formation [47]
and the number and sensitivity of - and -adrenergic
receptors [7, 55, 56].
These data demonstrate an increase in the power of
adrenergic mechanisms of regulation in subjects with a
high level of physical working capacity, which allows
weaker activation of the sympathoadrenal system and
lower quantity of catecholamines to yield a useful
adaptive result. All these adaptive changes increase the
economy of functioning and decrease mobilization of
the sympathoadrenal system, not only during normal
muscle activity, but also under the conditions of weak
psychological stress.
A number of works convincingly demonstrates that
trained subjects differ from healthy untrained subjects
in a more economical response of the circulatory sys-
tem to psychosocial stressors. At the same time, consid-
erable differences between the extreme typological
groups are often observed in cardiac rhythm parame-
ters, heart rate values, arterial blood pressure, myocar-
dial oxygen consumption, and cardiac output [6, 7, 9,
41, 52, 54, 57]. These differences are determined by
substantial changes in the extra- and intracardiac mech-
anisms for the regulation of the cardiovascular system,
aimed at increasing the intensity and economy of func-
tioning of the circulation apparatus.
The changes in metabolism, including energy
metabolism, observed in subjects with a high physical
working capacity, also enhance the resistance of the
human body to psychological stress [2, 45, 47, 58, 59].
In particular, the performance of dynamic physical
exercise has been shown to increase the levels of the
brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) regulating
cerebral metabolism [60, 61].
As a result of the formation of a set of multilevel
adaptive variations of FS of the body in children with a
high physical working capacity, the same peripheral
effect is provided due to the lower tension of the regu-
latory mechanisms due to a lower secretion of hor-
mones and neurotransmitters. Hereupon, the responses
to nonlimiting standard impacts diminish, and the func-
tions are mobilized to a greater extent in response to
maximum loads. At the same time, the range of external
actions to which the childs the body can response ade-
quately is extended. Under the conditions of intense
intellectual activity, this is reflected in a decrease in the
psychophysiological expenditures of the body and a
lower cost of adaptation to the educational process;
hence, the high efficiency of intense school work is
achieved at a lower degree of mobilization of physio-
logical functions and lesser expenditures of energy and
plastic resources.
762 KRIVOLAPCHUK
The obtained and analyzed data lead to the conclu-
sion that the structuralfunctional rearrangements that
take place in children with a high physical working
capacity determine the formation of universal adapta-
tions enhancing the resistance to the combined expo-
sure of natural and social factors. One of the basic
mechanisms of these positive cross-effects of adapta-
tion to physical loads is an improvement of the activity
of the functional system of antihypoxic protection and
maintenance of metabolism, adequate for the existing
conditions [45]. The structures and functions of the
body involved in this system do not depend on the spec-
ificity of the adaptogenic factor and form a common
component of adaptation. Probably, the nonspecific
system of antihypoxic protection functions more per-
fectly in children with a high physical working capac-
ity, which becomes apparent under the conditions of
intense information load.
In conclusion, it should be noted that the revealed
characteristics of the effects of different components of
physical working capacity on the FS of children from 9
to 10 years of age are largely related to the specificity
of the development of the main physiological systems
[18, 62, 63] and transformation of energy metabolism
[1921] in this age period.
CONCLUSIONS
All the data obtained leads to the conclusion that the
changes in the FS of children from 9 to 10 years of age
under the conditions of intense informational load are
substantially influenced by bioenergetic components of
physical working capacity. It has been established that
4 to 21% of the total variation of the characters under
study is related to the level of bioenergetic capacities of
the body. High aerobic and anaerobic glycolytic capac-
ities, on the one hand, and a high anaerobic alactate
capacity, on the other hand, yield opposite functional
effects. The former cause a decrease in excessive auto-
nomic reactivity during intense intellectual activity
and, probably, decrease in trait anxiety; the latter, on the
contrary, provide hypermobilization of the system of
the autonomic support of activity (as evidenced by the
number of indices). The interaction of the aerobic and
anaerobic glycolytic capacities has a positive effect on
the changes in the intellectual working capacity in the
course of the school week and the physiological cost
of intense intellectual activity.
Thus, our study has demonstrated that the FS of
children from 9 to 10 years of age under the conditions
of intense informational load is substantially influenced
by the level of development of the aerobic, anaerobic
glycolytic and anaerobic alactate components of physi-
cal working capacity. The revealed differences can be
not only the consequence of the effect of physical loads
of different metabolic orientation, but also a result of
the action of the genetic systems controlling the devel-
opment and determining the characteristics of the func-
tioning of energy sources for muscle activity and non-
specific adaptive mechanisms at different stages of
ontogeny.
It should be noted that these findings are of funda-
mental significance for resolving the problem of educa-
tional process optimization on the basis of a reduction
of the psychophysiological cost of schooling through
directed application of physical exercises of different
metabolic orientations. The results suggest that the aer-
obic and anaerobic glycolytic components of physical
working capacity have positive effects on the FS of
children under intense informational load. In this con-
text, we assume that optimization of the human FS
under informational stress requires an adequate com-
plex of physical training, including exercises falling
into different power ranges, with an emphasis on pre-
dominant development of the aerobic and anaerobic
glycolytic energy sources of muscle activity. The find-
ings suggest that an integrated use of physical loads
with different metabolic orientations will promote
effective control of childrens FS during intense intel-
lectual activity.
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