Arja Uusitalo,

M.D., Ph.D., Adjunct Professor, Specialist in Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, and

Sports and Exercise Medicine

LIST OF PUBLICATIONS

A. Doctoral Dissertation (Article)

Uusitalo A.L.T.: Ability of non-invasive and invasive methods of autonomic function measurements to indicate endurance training-induced stress. Academic dissertation, University of Tampere, 1998.


  1. Uusitalo ALT, Tahvanainen K, Uusitalo A, Rusko H:Noninvasive evaluation of sympathovagal balance in athletes by time andfrequency domain analyses of heart and blood pressure variability. ClinPhysiol 1996; 16: 575-588. IF 1.19, Rank 62, citations 22 times.
  2. Uusitalo ALT, Huttunen P, Hanin Y, Uusitalo A,Rusko H.: Hormonal responses to endurance training and overtraining infemale athletes. Clin J Sport Med 1998; 8: 178-186. IF 1.60, Rank 31, citations31 times.
  3. Uusitalo ALT, Uusitalo A, Rusko H: Exhaustiveendurance training for 6-9 weeks did not induce changes in intrinsic heartrate and cardiac autonomic modulation in female athletes. Int J Sports Med1998; 19: 532-540. IF 2.27, Rank 18, citations 39 times.
  4. Uusitalo ALT., Uusitalo A, Rusko H: Endurancetraining, overtraining and baroreflex sensitivity in female athletes. ClinPhysiol 1998;18: 510-520. IF 1.19, Rank 62, citations 20 times.
  5. Uusitalo ALT, Uusitalo A, Rusko H: Heart rate andblood pressure variability during heavy endurance training andovertraining in female athlete. Int J Sports Med 2000; 21: 45-53. IF 2.27,Rank 18, citations 48 times.

B. Other peer-reviewed international scientific articles

B.1 Original research articles

  1. Uusitalo ALT, Laitinen T, Väisänen S, Länsimies E, Rauramaa R: Effects of endurance training on heart rate and blood pressure variability. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging 2002; 22: 173-179. IF1.19, Rank 62, citations 19 times
  2. Uusitalo AL, Laitinen T, Väisanen SB, Länsimies E, and Rauramaa R: Physical training and heart rate and blood pressure variability – a five-year randomized trial. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 2004; 286: H1821-H1826. IF 3.71, Rank 16, citations 25 times
  3. Hernelahti M, Levalahti E, Simonen RL, Kaprio J,Kujala UM, Uusitalo-Koskinen AL, Battie MC, Videman T: Relative roles ofheredity and physical activity in adolescence and adulthood on blood pressure. J Appl Physiol. 2004; 97:1046-1052. IF 3.48, Rank 7, citations 12 times
  4. Westerlund T, Smolander J , Uusitalo-Koskinen A, Mikkelsson M. The blood pressure responses to an acute and long-term whole-body cryotherapy (-110°C) in men and women. J Thermal Biology 2004; 29: 285-290. IF 1.38, Rank 45, citations 10 times
  5. Uusitalo A, Vanninen E, Valkonen-Korhonen M, Kuikka JT: Brain Serotonin Reuptake Did not Change During One Year in Overtrained Athletes. Int J Sports Med 2006;27:702-708. IF 2.27, Rank 18, citations 7 times
  6. Westerlund T, Uusitalo-Koskinen A, Mikkelsson M: Heart rate variability in women exposed to very cold air (-110°C) during whole-body cryotherapy. J Thermal Biology 2006; 31: 342-346. IF 1.38, Rank 45, citations 7 times
  7. Hynynen E, Uusitalo A., Konttinen N., Rusko H: Heart rate variability during night sleep and after awakening in overtrained athletes. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2006; 38: 313-317. IF 4.47, Rank4, citations 31 times.
  8. Smolander J, Westerlund T, Uusitalo A, Dugue B, Okasa J, Mikkelson M: Lung function after acute and repeated exposeures to extremely cold air(-110 °C) during whole-body cryothrapy. Clin Physiol Funct Imaging 2006; 26: 232-234. IF 1.19, Rank 62, citations 9 times.
  9. Uusitalo ALT, Vanninen E, Levälahti E, Battié MC, Videman T, Kaprio J: The role of genetic and environmental influences on heart rate variability in middle-aged men. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol. 2007; 293:H1013-22. IF 3.71, Rank 18, citations 15 times.
  10. Hynynen E, Uusitalo A, Konttinen N, Rusko H: Cardiac Autonomic Responses to Standing Up and Cognitive Task in Overtrained Athletes. Int J Sports Med. 2008; 29:552-558. IF 2.27, Rank 18, citations 13 times.
  11. Tanskanen MM, Uusitalo AL, Häkkinen K, Nissilä J, Santtila M, Westerterp K, Kyröläinen H: Aerobic fitness, energy balance and body mass index are associated with training load assessed by activity energy expenditure. Scand J Med Sci Sports 2009; 19:871-878. IF 3.21, Rank 8, citations 6 times.
  12. Tanskanen M, Atalay M., Uusitalo A: Altered oxidative stress in overtrained athletes. J Sports Sci 2010; 28:309-317. IF 2.08, Rank 22, citations 9 times.
  13. Tanskanen MM, Kyrölainen H, Uusitalo AL, Huovinen J, Nissilä J., Kinnunen H, Atalay M, Häkkinen K: Serum sex hormone-binding globulin and cortisol concentrations are associated with overreaching during strenuous military tarining. J Strength Cond Res 2011; 25:787-798. IF 1.79, Rank 31, citations 5 times.
  14. Uusitalo A, Mets T, Martinmäki K, Mauno S, Kinnunen U, Rusko H: Heart rate variability related to effort at work. Appl Ergon 2011; 42:830-838. IF 1.73, Rank 8, citations 3.
  15. Tanskanen MM, Uusitalo AL, Kinnunen H, Häkkinen K, Kyröläinen H, Atalay M: Association of military training with oxidative stress and overreaching. Med Sci Sports Exerc 2011 Jan [Epub ahead of print] IF 4.47, Rank 4, citations 3 times.
  16. Karinen HM, Uusitalo A, Vähä-Ypyä H, Kähönen M, Peltonen JE, Stein PK, Viik J, Tikkanen HO.Front Physiol. 2012;3:336. Heart rate variability changes at 2400 m altitude predictsacute mountain sickness on further ascent at 3000-4300 m altitudes.
  17. 22. Hägglund H, Uusitalo A,Peltonen JE, Koponen AS, Aho J, Tiinanen S, Seppänen T, Tulppo M, Tikkanen HO. Front Physiol. 2012;3:356. Cardiovascular autonomic nervous system function andaerobic capacity in type 1 diabetes.
  18. Tanskanen MM, WesterterpKR, Uusitalo AL, Atalay M, Häkkinen K, Kinnunen HO, Kyröläinen H. PLoS One.2012;7(10):e47771. Effects of easy-to-use protein-rich energy baron energy balance, physical activity and performance during 8 days ofsustained physical exertion. IF 3.73, Rank 7, citations 0 time.
  19. Koponen AS, Peltonen JE, Päivinen MK, Aho JM, Hägglund HJ, Uusitalo AL, Lindholm HJ, Tikkanen HO. Eur J Appl Physiol. 2013 May;113(5):1181-8. Low total haemoglobin mass, blood volume and aerobic capacity in men with type 1 diabetes. IF 2.66, Rank 12, citations 0 time.
  20. Kiviniemi AM, Tulppo MP, Hautala AJ, Vanninen E, Uusitalo AL. Scand J Med Sci Sports.2014 24(2):e77-85. Altered relationship between R-R interval and R-Rnterval variability in endurance athletes with overtraining syndrome. IF 3.21, Rank 8, citations 0 time.

B.2 Case reports


  1. Uusitalo AL, Valkonen-Korhonen M, Helenius P,Vanninen E, Bergstrom KA, Kuikka JT: Abnormal serotonin reuptake in anovertrained, insomnic and depressed team athlete. Int J Sports Med 2004;25:150-153. IF 2.27, Rank 18, citations 15 times.

B.3 Reviews


  1. Uusitalo ALT.: Overtraining. Making a difficult diagnosis and implementing targeted treatment. The physician and sportsmedicine 2001; 29;35-50. citations 30 times .

C. Commentaries and letters in International scientific papers


  1. Uusitalo A. Commentary. A Comment on: Prevention, diagnosis and treatment of the overtraining syndrome. Eur J Sport Sciences 2006; 6 (4), 261-262. IF 1.15, Rank 48, citations 3 times
  2. 2. Tuuminen T, Haggqvist C, Uusitalo A. Cognitive therapy in sick building syndrome: Myths, believes or evidence. Neurotoxicology. 2015 Dec 4;53:29-30. [Epub ahead of print]

D. Congress proceedings publications


  1. Uusitalo A, Hanin Y, Rusko H: Effect of exhaustive training on mental state, autonomic regulation and hematological parameters. The Way to Win. Eds. J Viitasalo, U Kujala, pp. 191-194, 1994. Congress proceedings of International Congress on Applied Research in Sports, Helsinki.
  2. Smolander J, Westerlund T, Leppäluoto J, Uusitalo A, Oksa J, Huttunen P, Nieminen R, Moilanen E, Dugue B, Mikkelsson M. Physiological responses to extreme cold of short duration (whole-body cryotherapy and winter swimming). Congress proceedings of Environmental Ergonomics 2005, Ystadt, Ruotsi.
  3. Ikäheimonen J, Madsen K, Bagger M, Holthoer A, Uusitalo A: Characteristic symptoms of elite orienteers experiencing overtraining syndrome. Proceedings Book – science and profession – challenge for the future of 4th International Scientific Conference of Kinesiology, Croatia, pp.559-562, 2005.
  4. Rönkä T, Rusko H, Feldt T, Kinnunen U, Mauno S, Uusitalo A and Martinmäki K. The Associations between Physiological Recovery Indicators during Sleep and Self-Reported Work Stressors. Congress proceedings of NES2006 (Nordic Ergonomics Society), Hämeenlinna, Finland.
  5. Rusko H, Rönkä T, Uusitalo A, Kinnunen U, Mauno S, Feldt T, Kinnunen M-L, Martinmäki K, Hirvonen A, Hyttinen S, Lindholm H. Stress and relaxation during sleep and awake time, and their associations with free salivary cortisol after awakening. Congress proceedings of NES2006 (Nordic Ergonomics Society), Hämeenlinna, Finland.
  6. Uusitalo A, Hakulinen MA, Kuikka JT: Reproducibility of dopamine and serotonin transporter binding measured with single-photon emission computed tomography. World Congress on Medical Physics and Biomedical Engineering, Munich, Germany, 2009. IF MBE Proceedings, 2009; 25/2: 91-93.

E. Abstracts in International congresses

57 abstracts and presentations in International Congresses of which part have been published in Supplement numbers ofInternational papers. The first one was: Uusitalo, A., Väänänen, I., Härkönen, M., Pakarinen, A., Rusko, H.: Overtraining in young male skiers during an intensified training period. American College of Sports Medicine Annual Meeting, 1993, Seattle, USA. The last one has been: Uusitalo A, Tanskanen M, Atalay M, Häkkinen K, Kyröläinen H. Leptin and overloading. 17th Annual Congress of the European College of Sport Science. 4.-7.7.2012, Bruges, Belgium.

F. Peer-reviewed Finnish scientific articles


  1. Uusitalo ALT: Urheilijan ylikuormitustila diagnostisena ja hoidollisen ongelmana.Suomen Lääkärilehti 2000; 55: 4045-4050.
  2. Uusitalo ALT. Urheilijan ylikuormitustila. Duodecim 2015; 131: 2344-50.

G. Popularised articles

  • Uusitalo A: Ylikuormitus kilpaurheilijan haasteena. Henkreikä 2006; nro 3; 4-6.
  • Uusitalo A: Hengitys- ja verenkiertoelimistön maksimaalinen suorituskyky selville ennen liikunnan aloittamista - kenelle, miksi ja miten? Liikunta ja Tiede 2007; 44: 22-25.
  • Uusitalo A: Ylikunnon paradoksi. Juoksija-lehti 2008; 38: 12-13.
  • Uusitalo A: Ylikuormitus löytyy oireet kartoittamalla. Liikunta ja Tiede 2009; 46: 31-32.
  • Uusitalo A: Milloin liikunta on pakkomielle? Suomen Lääkärilehti 2010; 65: 3870-3871.
  • Koponen A, Peltonen J, Päivinen M, Aho J, Hägglund H, Uusitalo A,Lindholm H, Tikkanen H. Tyypin I diabeetikoilla pieni punasolumassa javeritilavuus sekä heikko hapenottokyky. Duodecim 2013; 129: 627-628.
  • Uusitalo A. Yksilöllinen ravitsemusohjelma työkaluksi harjoitteluun. Huippu-urheilu uutiset 3/ 2014, s. 46-51.

H. Books


  • Fyysiset kuormitusvasteet, harjoittelun vaikutukset ja niiden arviointi. Pages609-617. In Book: Kliininen fysiologia ja isotooppilääketiede Eds. Sovijärvi A. et al. 2003, Kustannus Oy Duodecim.
  • Ylikuormitustila ja palautumiseen vaikuttavat tekijät, sivut 183-193. In Book: Eds. Mero A. ym. 2012, VK-Kustannus.
  • Neuron oppikirjan kappale Suomalainen Urheiluvalmennus. …

I. Editor in Books


  • Naisten ja tyttöjen urheiluvalmennus, Eds: Mero A., Uusitalo A., Hiilloskorpi H., Nummela A.,Häkkinen K. 2012, VK-Kustannus.