Abstract

It is generally accepted that visually impaired individuals generally have a low aerobic capacity, which may be partly attributed to a lack of physical activity, and it is hypothesized that their response to exercise may differ from that of normal-sighted people. In this study, we investigated the effect of exercise on local immunity in the oral cavity in 24 visually impaired males (n=8; totally blind group, n=16; partially sighted group) and 8 normal-sighted males. The subjects performed submaximal graded bicycle ergometer exercise to an intensity of 75% heart rate max for 12 min. Before and immediately after exercise, we collected timed saliva samples and measured secretory immunoglobulin A (sIgA). The totally blind group had lower levels of aerobic capacity and a lower sIgA secretion rate compared to the partially sighted and sighted groups. Immediately after exercise, the sIgA secretion rate tended to increase in the totally blind group. It is suggested that the exercise-induced response of local immunity in the totally blind group differed from that in the other groups. Verf.-Referat