title: Decreased cutaneous vasodilatation to isometric handgrip exercise in Alzheimer's disease.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Cutaneous active vasodilatation is a cholinergic nerve mediated function of the sympathetic nervous system and the disturbed function of cholinergic neurotransmission is known as a prominent feature of Alzheimer's disease (AD).
  
  
  METHODS
  To assess this relationship, skin blood flow (SkBF) and other haemodynamic parameters were determined by a simple vasodilatory test, isometric handgrip exercise (IHG), in 22 late-onset sporadic type AD and 20 aged control persons (AC).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Significantly higher cutaneous vascular resistance and decreased SkBF were found after the stimulus in the AD group. A smaller reduction (p < 0.03) of R wave intervals on the electrocardiogram was observed in the AD group compared to the AC one. After IHG, change in systolic blood pressure was less in the AD (p < 0.01) than in the AC group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results suggest that autonomic dysfunction affecting active vasodilator sympathetic, as well as parasympathetic functions is present in AD.
authors: Department of Psychiatry, University of Szeged, Hungary. jkalman@nepsy.szote.u-szeged.hu
authors: János
authors: J
authors: Kálmán
authors: Réka
authors: R
authors: Szakács
authors: Tamás
authors: T
authors: Török
authors: Zsuzsa
authors: Z
authors: Rózsa
authors: Pál
authors: P
authors: Barzó
authors: László
authors: L
authors: Rudas
authors: J Gy
authors: JG
authors: Papp
authors: Zoltán
authors: Z
authors: Janka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000503:physiopathology*; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005080:Exercise Test; D005260:Female; D006225:Hand; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply*; D018709:Statistics, Nonparametric; D014664:Vasodilation