About this Research Topic
Inspired by the new field of Network Physiology and Complex Systems Science, Network Physiology of Exercise emerges to transform the theoretical assumptions, the research program and the current practical issues of current Exercise Physiology. It focuses the research efforts on improving the knowledge of the nested dynamics of the vertical network interactions and, particularly, the horizontal integration of key organ and physiological systems. While vertical integration assumes the study of couplings between lower and upper level networks (e.g. genomics and metabolomics networks with tissue networks, organic networks, etc. and vice versa), horizontal integration focuses on the study of interactions among network components within the same level (e.g. between organs: brain, heart, lungs, muscles).
Uncovering basic laws of interactions and principles of coordination among diverse physiological systems, and how such interactions change in response to exercise, may enrich current knowledge on Basic Physiology, Exercise Physiology, Sports Medicine, Sports Rehabilitation and related fields. Therefore, developing new class of network-based exercise biomarkers is of key relevance to complement the commonly utilized assessment protocols and to improve the understanding about diverse exercise-related phenomena, such as sport performance, fatigue, overtraining, or sport injuries.
With the above context in mind, this Research Topic welcomes articles addressing fundamental questions such as, but not limited to:
• How muscle groups coordinate their activation during exercise and how this coordination is affected by fatigue?
• How distinct organ systems communicate and coordinate as a network to satisfy certain exercise demands?
• How training modifies physiological systems coordination at multiple spatio-temporal scales?
• Which are the coordination-related changes produced by exercise and what are the associated risk factors, the effects on health, and prevention and treatment of chronic diseases?
We aim for this Research Topic to initiate a platform to build a new theoretical framework for Exercise Physiology based on principles and approaches of Network Physiology and Complex Systems Science. Research focused on any biological level, ranging from molecular, cellular, tissue, and organs to clinical studies, will be welcomed.
Uncovering basic laws of interactions and principles of coordination among diverse physiological systems, and how such interactions change in response to exercise, may enrich current knowledge on Basic Physiology, Exercise Physiology, Sports Medicine, Sports Rehabilitation and related fields. Therefore, developing new class of network-based exercise biomarkers is of key relevance to complement the commonly utilized assessment protocols and to improve the understanding about diverse exercise-related phenomena, such as sport performance, fatigue, overtraining, or sport injuries.
With the above context in mind, this Research Topic welcomes articles addressing fundamental questions such as, but not limited to:
• How muscle groups coordinate their activation during exercise and how this coordination is affected by fatigue?
• How distinct organ systems communicate and coordinate as a network to satisfy certain exercise demands?
• How training modifies physiological systems coordination at multiple spatio-temporal scales?
• Which are the coordination-related changes produced by exercise and what are the associated risk factors, the effects on health, and prevention and treatment of chronic diseases?
We aim for this Research Topic to initiate a platform to build a new theoretical framework for Exercise Physiology based on principles and approaches of Network Physiology and Complex Systems Science. Research focused on any biological level, ranging from molecular, cellular, tissue, and organs to clinical studies, will be welcomed.
Keywords: Network physiology, exercise physiology, sport sciences, fitness, sports performance, sports medicine, exercise testing, dynamic networks, complex systems
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
