title: The distribution of blood flow in the carotid and vertebral arteries during dynamic exercise in humans.
abstract: The mechanism underlying the plateau or relative decrease in cerebral blood flow (CBF) during maximal incremental dynamic exercise remains unclear. We hypothesized that cerebral perfusion is limited during high-intensity dynamic exercise due to a redistribution of carotid artery blood flow. To identify the distribution of blood flow among the arteries supplying the head and brain, we evaluated common carotid artery (CCA), internal carotid artery (ICA), external carotid artery (ECA) and vertebral artery (VA) blood flow during dynamic exercise using Doppler ultrasound. Ten subjects performed graded cycling exercise in a semi-supine position at 40, 60 and 80% of peak oxygen uptake (VO2 peak) for 5 min at each workload. The ICA blood flow increased by 23.0 ± 4.6% (mean ± SE) from rest to exercise at 60% (VO2 peak). However, at 80% (VO2 peak), ICA blood flow returned towards near resting levels (9.6 ± 4.7% vs. rest). In contrast, ECA, CCA and VA blood flow increased proportionally with workload. The change in ICA blood flow during graded exercise was correlated with end-tidal partial pressure of CO2 (r = 0.72). The change in ICA blood flow from 60% (VO2 peak) to 80% (VO2 peak) was negatively correlated with the change in ECA blood flow (r = −0.77). Moreover, there was a significant correlation between forehead cutaneous vascular conductance and ECA blood flow during exercise (r = 0.79). These results suggest that during high-intensity dynamic exercise the plateau or decrease in ICA blood flow is partly due to a large increase in ECA blood flow, which is selectively increased to prioritize thermoregulation.
authors.affiliation: Research Institute of Physical Fitness, Japan Women's College of Physical Education, Kita-Karasuyama, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 157-8565, Japan. ksato@jwcpe.ac.jp
authors.forename: Kohei
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Sato
authors.forename: Shigehiko
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ogoh
authors.forename: Ai
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hirasawa
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oue
authors.forename: Tomoko
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Sadamoto
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001833:Body Temperature Regulation / Q000502:physiology; D002245:Carbon Dioxide / Q000097:blood; D002302:Cardiac Output / Q000502:physiology; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000502:physiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005546:Forehead; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D020768:Middle Cerebral Artery / Q000502:physiology; D010101:Oxygen Consumption / Q000502:physiology; D010313:Partial Pressure; D012039:Regional Blood Flow / Q000502:physiology*; D012867:Skin / Q000098:blood supply; D013318:Stroke Volume / Q000502:physiology; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology; D014711:Vertebral Artery / Q000502:physiology*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002245:Carbon Dioxide