Influence of muscle mass on sympathetic neural activation during isometric exercise

1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (5) ◽  
pp. 1801-1806 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Seals
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Isometric Exercise ◽  
Systolic Pressure ◽  
Exercise Heart Rate ◽  
Neural Activation ◽  
Isometric Handgrip ◽  
Inhibitory Interaction ◽  
Arterial Blood

The primary purpose of this study was to determine whether the sympathetic neural activation induced by isometric exercise is influenced by the size of the contracting muscle mass. To address this, in nine healthy subjects (aged 19-27 yr) we measured heart rate, systolic arterial blood pressure, and muscle sympathetic nerve activity in the leg (MSNA; peroneal nerve) before (control) and during 2.5 min of isometric handgrip exercise (30% of maximal voluntary force). Exercise was performed with the right and left arms separately and with both arms simultaneously (random order). During exercise, heart rate, systolic pressure, and MSNA increased above control under all conditions (P less than 0.05). For each variable, the magnitudes of the increases from control to the end of exercise were significantly greater when exercise was performed with two arms compared with either arm alone (P less than 0.05). In general, the increases in heart rate, systolic pressure, and MSNA elicited during two-arm exercise were significantly less than the simple sums of the responses evoked during exercise of each arm separately. These findings indicate that the magnitude of the sympathetic neural activation evoked during isometric exercise in humans is determined in part by the size of the active muscle mass. In addition, our results suggest that the sympathetic cardiovascular adjustments elicited during exercise of separate limbs are not simply additive but instead exhibit an inhibitory interaction (i.e., neural occlusion).

Sympathetic activation is associated with increases in EMG during fatiguing exercise

1989 ◽  
Vol 66 (1) ◽  
pp. 88-95 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Seals ◽  
R. M. Enoka
Keyword(s):  
Skeletal Muscle ◽  
Muscle Fatigue ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Isometric Exercise ◽  
Voluntary Exercise ◽  
Emg Activity ◽  
Sympathetic Activation ◽  
Isometric Handgrip ◽  
Arterial Blood ◽  
Exercise In Humans

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that efferent sympathetic neural discharge is coupled with the development of muscle fatigue during voluntary exercise in humans. In 12 healthy subjects (aged 20–34 yr) we measured heart rate (HR), arterial blood pressure (AP), and noncontracting, skeletal muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in the leg (peroneal nerve) before (control) and during each of three trials of submaximal (30% of maximum) isometric handgrip exercise performed to exhaustion. In six of the subjects of eletromyographic (EMG) activity of the exercising forearm was also measured. HR and AP increased significantly (P less than 0.05) in the 1st min of exercise in all trials. In contrast, neither MSNA nor EMG activity increased significantly above control during the 1st min of exercise, but both parameters subsequently increased in a progressive and parallel manner (P less than 0.05). The overall correlation coefficient between MSNA and EMG activity (144 observations) was 0.85 (P less than 0.001). With successive trials the magnitudes of the increases in HR, AP, MSNA, and EMG activity were greater at any absolute point in time during exercise. These results indicate that sympathetic activation to noncontracting skeletal muscle is directly related to the development of muscle fatigue (as assessed by the change in EMG) during prolonged isometric exercise in humans. Furthermore, our findings demonstrate that previous fatiguing contractions alter the time course of the sympathetic neural adjustments to exercise.

Baroreflex modulation of muscle sympathetic nerve activity during posthandgrip muscle ischemia in humans

2001 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 1679-1686 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jian Cui ◽  
Thad E. Wilson ◽  
Manabu Shibasaki ◽  
Nicole A. Hodges ◽  
Craig G. Crandall
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Isometric Handgrip ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Arterial Blood ◽  
Muscle Ischemia ◽  
The Relationship

To identify whether muscle metaboreceptor stimulation alters baroreflex control of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), MSNA, beat-by-beat arterial blood pressure (Finapres), and electrocardiogram were recorded in 11 healthy subjects in the supine position. Subjects performed 2 min of isometric handgrip exercise at 40% of maximal voluntary contraction followed by 2.5 min of posthandgrip muscle ischemia. During muscle ischemia, blood pressure was lowered and then raised by intravenous bolus infusions of sodium nitroprusside and phenylephrine HCl, respectively. The slope of the relationship between MSNA and diastolic blood pressure was more negative ( P < 0.001) during posthandgrip muscle ischemia (−201.9 ± 20.4 units · beat−1 · mmHg−1) when compared with control conditions (−142.7 ± 17.3 units · beat−1 · mmHg−1). No significant change in the slope of the relationship between heart rate and systolic blood pressure was observed. However, both curves shifted during postexercise ischemia to accommodate the elevation in blood pressure and MSNA that occurs with this condition. These data suggest that the sensitivity of baroreflex modulation of MSNA is elevated by muscle metaboreceptor stimulation, whereas the sensitivity of baroreflex of modulate heart rate is unchanged during posthandgrip muscle ischemia.

Hypoxia potentiates exercise-induced sympathetic neural activation in humans

1991 ◽  
Vol 71 (3) ◽  
pp. 1032-1040 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Seals ◽  
D. G. Johnson ◽  
R. F. Fregosi
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Arterial Pressure ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Circulatory Arrest ◽  
Plasma Norepinephrine ◽  
Neural Activation ◽  
Arterial Blood ◽  
Systemic Hypoxia ◽  
Exercise Induced ◽  
Hypoxic Exercise

Our purpose was to test the hypothesis that hypoxia potentiates exercise-induced sympathetic neural activation in humans. In 15 young (20–30 yr) healthy subjects, lower leg muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA, peroneal nerve; microneurography), venous plasma norepinephrine (PNE) concentrations, heart rate, and arterial blood pressure were measured at rest and in response to rhythmic handgrip exercise performed during normoxia or isocapnic hypoxia (inspired O2 concn of 10%). Study I (n = 7): Brief (3–4 min) hypoxia at rest did not alter MSNA, PNE, or arterial pressure but did induce tachycardia [17 +/- 3 (SE) beats/min; P less than 0.05]. During exercise at 50% of maximum, the increases in MSNA (346 +/- 81 vs. 207 +/- 14% of control), PNE (175 +/- 25 vs. 120 +/- 11% of control), and heart rate (36 +/- 2 vs. 20 +/- 2 beats/min) were greater during hypoxia than during normoxia (P less than 0.05), whereas the arterial pressure response was not different (26 +/- 4 vs. 25 +/- 4 mmHg). The increase in MSNA during hypoxic exercise also was greater than the simple sum of the separate responses to hypoxia and normoxic exercise (P less than 0.05). Study II (n = 8): In contrast to study I, during 2 min of exercise (30% max) performed under conditions of circulatory arrest and 2 min of postexercise circulatory arrest (local ischemia), the MSNA and PNE responses were similar during systemic hypoxia and normoxia. Arm ischemia without exercise had no influence on any variable during hypoxia or normoxia.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Muscle cooling delays activation of the muscle metaboreflex in humans

1997 ◽  
Vol 273 (5) ◽  
pp. H2436-H2441 ◽  
Author(s):  
Chester A. Ray ◽  
Keith M. Hume ◽  
Kathryn H. Gracey ◽  
Edward T. Mahoney
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Isometric Exercise ◽  
Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Muscle Temperature ◽  
Isometric Handgrip ◽  
Local Cooling ◽  
Muscle Metaboreflex ◽  
Muscle Cooling ◽  
Exercise Induced

Elevation of muscle temperature has been shown to increase muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) during isometric exercise in humans. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the effect of muscle cooling on MSNA responses during exercise. Eight subjects performed ischemic isometric handgrip at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction to fatigue followed by 2 min of postexercise muscle ischemia (PEMI), with and without local cooling of the forearm. Local cooling of the forearm decreased forearm muscle temperature from 31.8 ± 0.4 to 23.1 ± 0.8°C ( P = 0.001). Time to fatigue was not different during the control and cold trials (156 ± 11 and 154 ± 5 s, respectively). Arterial pressures and heart rate were not significantly affected by muscle cooling during exercise, although heart rate tended to be higher during the second minute of exercise ( P = 0.053) during muscle cooling. Exercise-induced increases in MSNA were delayed during handgrip with local cooling compared with control. However, MSNA responses at fatigue and PEMI were not different between the two conditions. These findings suggest that muscle cooling delayed the activation of the muscle metaboreflex during ischemic isometric exercise but did not prevent its full expression during fatiguing contraction. These results support the concept that muscle temperature can play a role in the regulation of MSNA during exercise.

scholarly journals Social technology restriction alters state-anxiety but not autonomic activity in humans

2011 ◽  
Vol 301 (6) ◽  
pp. R1773-R1778 ◽  
Author(s):  
John J. Durocher ◽  
Kelly M. Lufkin ◽  
Michelle E. King ◽  
Jason R. Carter
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Young Adults ◽  
Technology Use ◽  
State Anxiety ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Cardiovascular Responses ◽  
Social Technology ◽  
Autonomic Activity ◽  
Isometric Handgrip ◽  
Arterial Blood

Social technology is extensively used by young adults throughout the world, and it has been suggested that interrupting access to this technology induces anxiety. However, the influence of social technology restriction on anxiety and autonomic activity in young adults has not been formally examined. Therefore, we hypothesized that restriction of social technology would increase state-anxiety and alter neural cardiovascular regulation of arterial blood pressure. Twenty-one college students (age 18–23 yr) were examined during two consecutive weeks in which social technology use was normal or restricted (randomized crossover design). Mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate, and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) were measured at rest and during several classic autonomic stressors, including isometric handgrip, postexercise muscle ischemia, cold pressor test, and mental stress. Tertile analysis revealed that restriction of social technology was associated with increases (12 ± 2 au; range 5 to 21; n = 7), decreases (−6 ± 2 au; range −2 to −11; n = 6), or no change (0 ± 0 au; range −1 to 3; n = 8) in state-anxiety. Social technology restriction did not alter MAP (74 ± 1 vs. 73 ± 1 mmHg), heart rate (62 ± 2 vs. 61 ± 2 beats/min), or MSNA (9 ± 1 vs. 9 ± 1 bursts/min) at rest, and it did not alter neural or cardiovascular responses to acute stressors. In conclusion, social technology restriction appears to have an interindividual influence on anxiety, but not autonomic activity. It remains unclear how repeated bouts, or chronic restriction of social technology, influence long-term psychological and cardiovascular health.

Sympathetic neural discharge and vascular resistance during exercise in humans

1989 ◽  
Vol 66 (5) ◽  
pp. 2472-2478 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. R. Seals
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Arterial Pressure ◽  
Vascular Resistance ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Isometric Exercise ◽  
Lower Leg ◽  
Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Isometric Handgrip ◽  
Exercise In Humans

The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between changes in efferent muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) to the lower leg and calf vascular resistance (CVR) during isometric exercise in humans. We made intraneural (microneurographic) determinations of MSNA in the right leg (peroneal nerve) while simultaneously measuring calf blood flow to the left leg, arterial pressure, and heart rate in 10 subjects before (control), during, and after (recovery) isometric handgrip exercise performed for 2.5 min at 15, 25, and 35% of maximal voluntary contraction (MVC). Heart rate and arterial pressure increased above control within the initial 30 s of handgrip at all levels, and the magnitudes of the increases at end contraction were proportional to the intensity of the exercise. In general, neither MSNA nor CVR increased significantly above control levels during handgrip at 15% MVC. Similarly, neither variable increased above control during the initial 30 s of handgrip at 25 and 35% MVC; however, during the remainder of the contraction period, progressive, parallel increases were observed in MSNA and CVR (P less than 0.05). The correlation coefficients relating changes in MSNA to changes in CVR for the individual subjects averaged 0.63 +/- 0.07 (SE) (range 0.30–0.91) and 0.94 +/- 0.06 (range 0.80–0.99) for the 25 and 35% MVC levels, respectively. During recovery, both MSNA and CVR returned rapidly toward control levels. These findings demonstrate that muscle sympathetic nerve discharge and vascular resistance in the lower leg are tightly coupled during and after isometric arm exercise in humans. Furthermore, the exercise-induced adjustments in the two variables are both contraction intensity and time dependent.

Lack of Effect of Isometric Handgrip Exercise on the Responses of the Carotid Sinus Baroreceptor Reflex in Man

1978 ◽  
Vol 55 (2) ◽  
pp. 189-194 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Ludbrook ◽  
I. B. Faris ◽  
J. Iannos ◽  
G. G. Jamieson ◽  
W. J. Russell
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Carotid Sinus ◽  
Maximum Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Isometric Exercise ◽  
Baroreceptor Reflex ◽  
Transmural Pressure ◽  
Variable Pressure ◽  
Isometric Handgrip ◽  
Arterial Blood

1. The change in arterial pressure and heart rate resulting from alteration of carotid sinus transmural pressure by a median −34 mmHg and +33 mmHg by means of a variable-pressure neck chamber was tested in seven male volunteer subjects, at rest and during exertion of 35, 45 and 65% of maximum voluntary handgrip. 2. During 60 s of 35 and 45%, and during 30 s of 65%, of maximal voluntary handgrip there was virtually no alteration of the response of blood pressure to alteration in carotid sinus transmural pressure. 3. The bradycardic response to increase in carotid sinus transmural pressure was reduced at various times after the commencement of handgrip at 45 and 65% of maximum voluntary contraction. 4. It is concluded that a reduction in arterial baroreceptor reflex sensitivity does not play an important role in the initiation of the increase in arterial blood pressure and heart rate caused by isometric exercise. 5. The hypothesis is advanced that some of the cardiovascular changes in exercise may result from elevation of the central ‘set point’ for blood pressure.

scholarly journals Effect of muscle mass and intensity of isometric contraction on heart rate

2000 ◽  
Vol 88 (2) ◽  
pp. 487-492 ◽  
Author(s):  
José M. Gálvez ◽  
Juan P. Alonso ◽  
Luis A. Sangrador ◽  
Gonzalo Navarro
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Rate Increase ◽  
Isometric Exercise ◽  
Heart Rate Increase ◽  
Maximal Force ◽  
Wheel Turn ◽  
Obese Subjects ◽  
Energetic Expenditure ◽  
Handgrip Contractions

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of muscle mass and the level of force on the contraction-induced rise in heart rate. We conducted an experimental study in a sample of 28 healthy men between 20 and 30 yr of age (power: 95%, α: 5%). Smokers, obese subjects, and those who performed regular physical activity over a certain amount of energetic expenditure were excluded from the study. The participants exerted two types of isometric contractions: handgrip and turning a 40-cm-diameter wheel. Both were sustained to exhaustion at 20 and 50% of maximal force. Twenty-five subjects finished the experiment. Heart rate increased a mean of 15.1 beats/min [95% confidence interval (CI): 5.5–24.6] from 20 to 50% handgrip contractions, and 20.7 beats/min (95% CI: 11.9–29.5) from 20 to 50% wheel-turn contractions. Heart rate also increased a mean of 13.3 beats/min (95% CI: 10.4–16.1) from handgrip to wheel-turn contractions at 20% maximal force, and 18.9 beats/min (95% CI: 9.8–28.0) from handgrip to wheel-turn contractions at 50% maximal force. We conclude that the magnitude of the heart rate increase during isometric exercise is related to the intensity of the contraction and the mass of the contracted muscle.

Forearm endurance training attenuates sympathetic nerve response to isometric handgrip in normal humans

1992 ◽  
Vol 72 (3) ◽  
pp. 1039-1043 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. K. Somers ◽  
K. C. Leo ◽  
R. Shields ◽  
M. Clary ◽  
A. L. Mark
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Endurance Training ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Isometric Exercise ◽  
Voluntary Contraction ◽  
Isometric Handgrip ◽  
Nerve Response ◽  
The Right ◽  
Muscle Chemoreflex

Recent evidence indicates that muscle ischemia and activation of the muscle chemoreflex are the principal stimuli to sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) during isometric exercise. We postulated that physical training would decrease muscle chemoreflex stimulation during isometric exercise and thereby attenuate the SNA response to exercise. We investigated the effects of 6 wk of unilateral handgrip endurance training on the responses to isometric handgrip (IHG: 33% of maximal voluntary contraction maintained for 2 min). In eight normal subjects the right arm underwent exercise training and the left arm sham training. We measured muscle SNA (peroneal nerve), heart rate, and blood pressure during IHG before vs. after endurance training (right arm) and sham training (left arm). Maximum work to fatigue (an index of training efficacy) was increased by 1,146% in the endurance-trained arm and by only 40% in the sham-trained arm. During isometric exercise of the right arm, SNA increased by 111 +/- 27% (SE) before training and by only 38 +/- 9% after training (P less than 0.05). Endurance training did not significantly affect the heart rate and blood pressure responses to IHG. We also measured the SNA response to 2 min of forearm ischemia after IHG in five subjects. Endurance training also attenuated the SNA response to postexercise forearm ischemia (P = 0.057). Sham training did not significantly affect the SNA responses to IHG or forearm ischemia. We conclude that endurance training decreases muscle chemoreflex stimulation during isometric exercise and thereby attenuates the sympathetic nerve response to IHG.

scholarly journals Heart rate variability and muscle sympathetic nerve activity response to acute stress: the effect of breathing

2010 ◽  
Vol 299 (1) ◽  
pp. R80-R91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lindsay D. DeBeck ◽  
Stewart R. Petersen ◽  
Kelvin E. Jones ◽  
Michael K. Stickland
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Spontaneous Breathing ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Cold Pressor ◽  
Isometric Handgrip ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Controlled Breathing

Previous research has suggested a relationship between low-frequency power of heart rate variability (HRV; LF in normalized units, LFnu) and muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA). However, investigations have not systematically controlled for breathing, which can modulate both HRV and MSNA. Accordingly, the aims of this experiment were to investigate the possibility of parallel responses in MSNA and HRV (LFnu) to selected acute stressors and the effect of controlled breathing. After data were obtained at rest, 12 healthy males (28 ± 5 yr) performed isometric handgrip exercise (30% maximal voluntary contraction) and the cold pressor test in random order, and were then exposed to hypoxia (inspired fraction of O2 = 0.105) for 7 min, during randomly assigned spontaneous and controlled breathing conditions (20 breaths/min, constant tidal volume, isocapnic). MSNA was recorded from the peroneal nerve, whereas HRV was calculated from ECG. At rest, controlled breathing did not alter MSNA but decreased LFnu ( P < 0.05 for all) relative to spontaneous breathing. MSNA increased in response to all stressors regardless of breathing. LFnu increased with exercise during both breathing conditions. During cold pressor, LFnu decreased when breathing was spontaneous, whereas in the controlled breathing condition, LFnu was unchanged from baseline. Hypoxia elicited increases in LFnu when breathing was controlled, but not during spontaneous breathing. The parallel changes observed during exercise and controlled breathing during hypoxia suggest that LFnu may be an indication of sympathetic outflow in select conditions. However, since MSNA and LFnu did not change in parallel with all stressors, a cautious approach to the use of LFnu as a marker of sympathetic activity is warranted.

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