Cardiovascular responses to water immersion in humans: Impact on cerebral perfusion

Episodic increases in cerebrovascular perfusion and shear stress may have beneficial impacts on endothelial function that improve brain health. We hypothesized that water immersion to the level of the right atrium in humans would increase cerebral perfusion. We continuously measured, in 9 young (mea...

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Main Authors: Carter, H., Spence, Angela, Pugh, C., Ainslie, P., Naylor, L., Green, D.
Format: Journal Article
Published: American Physiological Society 2014
Online Access:http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/22054
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author Carter, H.
Spence, Angela
Pugh, C.
Ainslie, P.
Naylor, L.
Green, D.
author_facet Carter, H.
Spence, Angela
Pugh, C.
Ainslie, P.
Naylor, L.
Green, D.
author_sort Carter, H.
building Curtin Institutional Repository
collection Online Access
description Episodic increases in cerebrovascular perfusion and shear stress may have beneficial impacts on endothelial function that improve brain health. We hypothesized that water immersion to the level of the right atrium in humans would increase cerebral perfusion. We continuously measured, in 9 young (means ± SD, 24.6 ± 2.0 yr) healthy men, systemic hemodynamic variables along with blood flows in the common carotid and middle and posterior cerebral arteries during controlled filling and emptying of a water tank to the level of the right atrium. Mean arterial pressure (80 ± 9 vs. 91 ± 12 mmHg, P < 0.05), cardiac output (4.8 ± 0.7 vs. 5.1 ± 0.6 l/min, P < 0.05) and end-tidal carbon dioxide (PetCO2, 39.5 ± 2.0 vs. 44.4 ± 3.5 mmHg, P < 0.05) increased with water immersion, along with middle (59 ± 6 vs. 64 ± 6 cm/s, P < 0.05) and posterior cerebral artery blood flow velocities (41 ± 9 vs. 44 ± 10 cm/s, P < 0.05). These changes were reversed when the tank was emptied. Water immersion is associated with hemodynamic and PetCO2 changes, which increase cerebral blood velocities in humans. This study provides an evidence base for future studies to examine the potential additive effect of exercise in water on improving cerebrovascular health.
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spelling curtin-20.500.11937-220542023-02-22T06:24:15Z Cardiovascular responses to water immersion in humans: Impact on cerebral perfusion Carter, H. Spence, Angela Pugh, C. Ainslie, P. Naylor, L. Green, D. Episodic increases in cerebrovascular perfusion and shear stress may have beneficial impacts on endothelial function that improve brain health. We hypothesized that water immersion to the level of the right atrium in humans would increase cerebral perfusion. We continuously measured, in 9 young (means ± SD, 24.6 ± 2.0 yr) healthy men, systemic hemodynamic variables along with blood flows in the common carotid and middle and posterior cerebral arteries during controlled filling and emptying of a water tank to the level of the right atrium. Mean arterial pressure (80 ± 9 vs. 91 ± 12 mmHg, P < 0.05), cardiac output (4.8 ± 0.7 vs. 5.1 ± 0.6 l/min, P < 0.05) and end-tidal carbon dioxide (PetCO2, 39.5 ± 2.0 vs. 44.4 ± 3.5 mmHg, P < 0.05) increased with water immersion, along with middle (59 ± 6 vs. 64 ± 6 cm/s, P < 0.05) and posterior cerebral artery blood flow velocities (41 ± 9 vs. 44 ± 10 cm/s, P < 0.05). These changes were reversed when the tank was emptied. Water immersion is associated with hemodynamic and PetCO2 changes, which increase cerebral blood velocities in humans. This study provides an evidence base for future studies to examine the potential additive effect of exercise in water on improving cerebrovascular health. 2014 Journal Article http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/22054 10.1152/ajpregu.00516.2013 American Physiological Society unknown
spellingShingle Carter, H.
Spence, Angela
Pugh, C.
Ainslie, P.
Naylor, L.
Green, D.
Cardiovascular responses to water immersion in humans: Impact on cerebral perfusion
title Cardiovascular responses to water immersion in humans: Impact on cerebral perfusion
title_full Cardiovascular responses to water immersion in humans: Impact on cerebral perfusion
title_fullStr Cardiovascular responses to water immersion in humans: Impact on cerebral perfusion
title_full_unstemmed Cardiovascular responses to water immersion in humans: Impact on cerebral perfusion
title_short Cardiovascular responses to water immersion in humans: Impact on cerebral perfusion
title_sort cardiovascular responses to water immersion in humans: impact on cerebral perfusion
url http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/22054