NNEK24003U Central and Peripheral Cardiovascular Adaptations to Exercise Training

Volume 2024/2025
Education

MSc Programme in Human Physiology

Content

The aim of this course is to provide an in-depth understanding of the adaptations of the cardiovascular and oxygen transport system with aerobic and anaerobic training. The first part deals with the structural and functional adaptations of the heart to aerobic and anaerobic training and how blood and its constituents are affected. This first part also covers mechanisms underlying the regulation of blood flow, and how lifestyle diseases, training and sex hormones affect arteries and arterioles. The second part of the course, addresses the effect of aerobic and anaerobic training on oxygen transport and oxygen kinetics as well as maximum oxygen uptake. The final part concerns the regulation of capillary growth in skeletal muscle with focus on the effect of aerobic and anaerobic training. The course includes student presentations of scientific articles and group work with relevant cases, which are presented orally. The course also aims at giving the students an understanding of how to critically read and present scientific articles.

 

Learning Outcome

Course outcomes

During the course, the student will achieve knowledge regarding:

  • the adaptations that occur in the heart, blood and blood vessels with aerobic and anaerobic training as well as the physiological significance of these adaptations
  • the importance of gender differences as well as training intensity and volume for adaptations in the cardiovascular and oxygen transport system
  • the impact of inactivity and lifestyle related disease on the cardiovascular system, and the influence of aerobic and anaerobic training on cardiovascular health
  • hemodynamic and molecular mechanisms underlying adaptations in the cardiovascular and oxygen transport system with aerobic and anaerobic training
  • how various experimental models can be used to study the cardiovascular and oxygen transport system.

 

Skills

The students will obtain skills in oral presentation of scientific articles and in how to critically evaluate physiological relevance, study design, results and conclusions. The students will also gain skills in how to design research founded training programs.

 

Competencies

The student will gain competencies in the area of cardiovascular adaptations to aerobic and anaerobic training. The students will acquire competencies on how to construct research based training programs for cardiovascular adaptations,  both for the promotion of health and for performance.  The student will also acquire competences in how to critically analyze and discuss scientific articles, as well as in how to communicate science.

Scientific articles. Will be available on Absalon before the start of the course.

 

Thorough knowledge of human physiology and exercise physiology, e.g. the human physiology courses at the level of the Master's program in Human Physiology. Without an equivalent background, the course will be difficult to follow.
Lectures, project-based work, student presentation, supervision, feedback and demonstration exercise
  • Category
  • Hours
  • Lectures
  • 42
  • Preparation
  • 140
  • Exam
  • 24
  • Total
  • 206
Oral
Continuous feedback during the course of the semester
Peer feedback (Students give each other feedback)
Credit
7,5 ECTS
Type of assessment
Oral examination, 30 min., including voting
Type of assessment details
The exam consists of a 10 min presentation with subsequent questions based on a scientific article, received approximately 24 hours before the examination.
Aid
Only certain aids allowed

For the preparation of the oral presentation all assistive devices are allowed however for the actual examination only a Power Point presentation is allowed.

Marking scale
7-point grading scale
Censorship form
No external censorship
Internal grading. More assessors.
Re-exam

same form as original exam

Criteria for exam assesment

See Learning Outcome.