title: Effect of mental stress on the tone of a medium-sized muscular artery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We studied the effects of mental stress on the tone of the radial artery, a medium-sized muscular artery.
  
  
  METHODS
  Using an A-mode echo-tracking device coupled to a photoplethysmograph, we took continuous measurements of the radial artery diameter, heart rate and finger arterial pressure in six healthy young volunteers.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Under mental stress, the heart rate increased from 63 +/- 4 to 74 +/- 4 beats/min (mean +/- SEM, P < 0.01) and systolic pressure from 123 +/- 5 to 140 +/- 6 mmHg (P < 0.05). No consistent modification in the arterial diameter was observed at this time.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The activation of sympathetic nerve activity induced by mental stress does not cause a significant contraction in the radial artery.
authors.affiliation: Hypertension Division, Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois, Lausanne, Switzerland.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hayoz
authors.forename: Y
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Tardy
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Rutschmann
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Waeber
authors.forename: J J
authors.initials: JJ
authors.lastname: Meister
authors.forename: H R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Brunner
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017156:Photoplethysmography; D017534:Radial Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013312:Stress, Physiological / Q000503:physiopathology*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology