Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40371183›Full record

ArticleCureus2025

Waves of Endurance: A Pilot Study of Beta Brain Wave Signatures Linked to Immune Adaptation in Transatlantic Rowers.

Merin Chandanathil, Daniel P Longman, Tomasz Nowak, Jonathan C K Wells, Jay T Stock, Hannah Schneiders, Nicola L Kelly, Vasavi R Gorantla, Courtney C Lewis, Richard M Millis

Erratum issuedAbstract read
PubMed Full text at PMC Publisher
In one paragraph

Article in Cureus, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. An erratum has been issued. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

10 authors.

Merin ChandanathilPhysiology, American University of Antigua, St. Johns, ATG.
Daniel P LongmanSchool of Sport, Exercise and Health Sciences, Loughborough University, Loughborough, GBR.
Tomasz NowakAnthropology, Baylor University, Waco, USA.
Jonathan C K WellsChildhood Nutrition Research Centre, UCL (University College London) Institute of Child Health, London, GBR.
Jay T StockAnthropology, University of Western Ontario, London, CAN.
Hannah SchneidersAnesthesiology, Southeast Scotland School of Anaesthesia, Edinburgh, GBR.
Nicola L KellyMedicine, University of Exeter and Torbay and South Devon NHS Foundation Trust, Torquay, GBR.
Vasavi R GorantlaMedical Education, California University of Science and Medicine, Colton, USA.
Courtney C LewisClinical Medicine, American University of Antigua, St. Johns, ATG.
Richard M MillisPhysiology, American University of Antigua, St. Johns, ATG.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundUltra-endurance athletics, such as transoceanic rowing, imposes significant physiological stress, leading to muscle catabolism and alterations in immune function. A case series pilot study from our laboratory suggests that the central nervous system may mirror these changes through a pattern of disproportionately high beta brainwave voltage amplitude activity that promotes vigilance. This study investigates the relationship between quantitative electroencephalographic (qEEG) brainwave patterns and markers of innate immune responses in a group of transatlantic rowers post-competition.

methodsTwenty-four transatlantic rowers (18 male, 6 female; mean age 31 ± 11 years) were assessed immediately after completing a transatlantic rowing competition of 30 to 53 days duration. EEG recordings measured voltage amplitudes of slow delta (1-3 Hz), theta (4-7 Hz), alpha (8-12 Hz), and fast beta (13-30 Hz) brainwaves under eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions. Pre- and post-race plasma cortisol, testosterone, leptin, myoglobin, total antioxidant content (TAC), malondialdehyde (MDH), collagen oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), IL-6, bacterial killing activity (BKA), and hemolytic complement activity (HCA) assays were used to assess changes in stress responses and immune functions. Student's paired t-test and Pearson's product-moment coefficient were used to evaluate the significance of pre- versus post-race differences in oxidative stress- and immunologic-related biomarkers, as well as correlations between the post-race qEEG parameters and the pre- versus post-race biomarker differences.

resultsThe changes in body weight were significantly negatively correlated with the changes in cortisol and COMP (r = -0.40, p < 0.05) and significantly positively correlated with the changes in leptin (r = +0.6, p < 0.01). Voltage amplitudes of fast beta waves, under both eyes-open and eyes-closed conditions, positively correlated with the pre- versus post-race percent change in BKA (r = +0.42, +0.44, p < 0.05) and negatively correlated with the pre- versus post-race percent change in HCA (r = -0.65, -0.66, p < 0.01).

conclusionThese findings support the hypothesis that prolonged intense physical exertion may induce a pattern of intense cerebral cortical activation correlated with immune modulation. The increased fast beta activity positively correlated with enhanced bacterial killing and decreased HCA, suggesting a link between cortical arousal and immune adaptation. These findings underscore the interconnectedness of neurophysiological states and physiological stress responses in ultra-endurance athletes.

Indexed as

body weight losshemolytic complement activityimmunological associationleptin associationquantitative electroencephalographyultra-endurance sports

Identifiers

PMID40371183
PMCPMC12075013

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
LicenceCC BY
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.