Mr Sebastian Mora Hernandez

Associate Fellow
FHEA

Status Current

Years 2024

Status	Current
Years	2024

MRes Sports Science
MRes

Status Complete

Part Time No

Years 2021 - 2022

Project Title Influence of BMI on dyspnoea perceptions

Project Description Background: Dyspnoea is multidimensional and can force individuals to modify behaviour to avoid its symptoms.; air hunger (AH) is its most uncomfortable dimension. Obese subjects are up to 2.4x more likely to experience dyspnoea but there is scarce research investigating an overweight population and how BMI can impact AH perceptions. Thus, we aimed to explore the effect of BMI on AH perception.

Methods: 19 participants divided into overweight (OV) (26.6±1.2 BMI, 26±6.3 yrs) or healthy (HE) (22.4±1.2 BMI, 25.2±3.4 yrs) BMI groups completed a CO2 rebreathing protocol. They rated AH unpleasantness and intensity every 30s and PETCO2 and VE were measured throughout. A multidimensional dyspnoea profile (MDP) was administered. Preliminary group differences were analysed via independent t-tests.

Results: Ratings of intensity (0.38±0.18 OV vs 0.31±0.11 HE) and unpleasantness (0.39±0.16 OV vs 0.31±0.12 HE) vs PETCO2 were not different (p=0.336 & 0.311, respectively). There were no differences among PETCO2 neither VE over time nor MDP scores (p≥0.268). OV trial tolerance was 20% lower than HE (p=0.36).

Conclusion: Premiliminary results showed that BMI does not affect the perception of air hunger or dyspnoea in healthy or overweight populations. Future research is needed to explain the difference in trial tolerance between groups.
This work was supervised by Dr. Michael Johnson

Awarding Institution Nottingham Trent University

Status	Complete
Part Time	No
Years	2021 - 2022
Project Title	Influence of BMI on dyspnoea perceptions
Project Description	Background: Dyspnoea is multidimensional and can force individuals to modify behaviour to avoid its symptoms.; air hunger (AH) is its most uncomfortable dimension. Obese subjects are up to 2.4x more likely to experience dyspnoea but there is scarce research investigating an overweight population and how BMI can impact AH perceptions. Thus, we aimed to explore the effect of BMI on AH perception. Methods: 19 participants divided into overweight (OV) (26.6±1.2 BMI, 26±6.3 yrs) or healthy (HE) (22.4±1.2 BMI, 25.2±3.4 yrs) BMI groups completed a CO2 rebreathing protocol. They rated AH unpleasantness and intensity every 30s and PETCO2 and VE were measured throughout. A multidimensional dyspnoea profile (MDP) was administered. Preliminary group differences were analysed via independent t-tests. Results: Ratings of intensity (0.38±0.18 OV vs 0.31±0.11 HE) and unpleasantness (0.39±0.16 OV vs 0.31±0.12 HE) vs PETCO2 were not different (p=0.336 & 0.311, respectively). There were no differences among PETCO2 neither VE over time nor MDP scores (p≥0.268). OV trial tolerance was 20% lower than HE (p=0.36). Conclusion: Premiliminary results showed that BMI does not affect the perception of air hunger or dyspnoea in healthy or overweight populations. Future research is needed to explain the difference in trial tolerance between groups. This work was supervised by Dr. Michael Johnson
Awarding Institution	Nottingham Trent University

Sports and Exercise Science (Hons)
BSc

Status Complete

Part Time No

Years 2016 - 2020

Project Title Effect of oral contraceptives on muscle recovery and sporting performance

Project Description There is a lack of high quality research when it comes to female research that involves the menstrual cycle (MC). It remains unclear if the different MC phases affect muscle recovery and performance (Follicular, Ovulation, Luteal). Thus, this research compared the muscle recovery ad sprinting performance during three phases of the MC vs that of combined oral contraceptive (OC) users. No difference between MC phases was found. Additionally, MC vs OC users were not different in muscle recovery or performance. This study was supervised by Dr. Jessica Piasceki.

Awarding Institution Nottingham Trent University

Mr Sebastian Mora Hernandez's Qualifications (3)