scholarly journals Respiratory and circulatory control during sleep.

1982 ◽  
Vol 100 (1) ◽  
pp. 223-244
Author(s):  
J H Coote

A survey of the literature on a large number of vertebrate animals shows that sleep is associated with profound cardiovascular and respiratory adjustments which are very similar in each species. A hypothesis is advanced that these adjustments are 'goal directed' by neural structures in the brainstem, to ensure an adequate O2 and CO2 transport to and from the brain whilst at the same time reducing energy cost. During synchronised sleep there is a vagal bradycardia leading to reduced cardiac output and a fall in blood pressure; despite this cerebral blood flow increases. During desynchronized sleep there is a tonic fall in blood pressure and heart rate resulting from a unique repatterning of sympathetic discharge, that to heart, kidney, splanchnic and pelvic vascular beds decreasing whilst that to skeletal muscle increasing; cerebral blood flow shows a further increase. This differential pattern is probably initiated by neurones located in the caudal raphe nucleus obscurus. Phasic increases in blood pressure and heart rate also occur during desynchronized sleep mainly as a consequence of increases in sympathetic activity. Ventilation decreases during synchronized sleep accompanied by an increase in partial pressure of arterial CO2, which vasodilates cerebral blood vessels, indicating that the influence of CO2 on the level of ventilation has changed. During desynchronized sleep ventilation increases and becomes very irregular but the partial pressure of O2 and CO2 in arterial blood is little changed from wakefulness. Control of respiration is shifted to a central generator which apparently is different to the automatic/metabolic one which is normally dominant during wakefulness. Reflex control of the circulation and respiration is mainly governed by peripheral chemoreceptors, the threshold of most other afferent inputs being significantly raised during sleep.

1992 ◽  
Vol 73 (5) ◽  
pp. 1756-1761 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. M. Frankel ◽  
E. Garcia ◽  
F. Malik ◽  
J. K. Weiss ◽  
H. R. Weiss

This study investigated the effects 2 h after administration of acetazolamide on cerebral blood flow and the pattern of cerebral capillary perfusion. Arterial blood pressure, heart rate, arterial blood gases, and pH were recorded in two groups of rats along with either regional cerebral blood flow or the percentage of capillary volume per cubic millimeter and number per square millimeter perfused as determined in cortical, thalamic, pontine, and medullary regions of the brain. Blood pressure, heart rate, and arterial PCO2 were not significantly different between the rats receiving acetazolamide (100 mg/kg) and the controls. Arterial blood pH was significantly lower in the acetazolamide rats. Blood flow increased significantly in the cortical (+ 102%), thalamic (+ 89%), and pontine (+ 88%) regions receiving acetazolamide. In control rats, approximately 60% of the capillaries were perfused in all of the examined regions. The percentage of capillaries per square millimeter perfused was significantly greater in the cortical (+ 52%), thalamic (+ 49%), and pontine (+ 47%) regions of acetazolamide rats compared with controls. In the medulla the increases in blood flow and percentage of capillaries perfused were not significant. Thus in the regions that acetazolamide increased cerebral blood flow, it also increased the percentage of capillaries perfused.


1979 ◽  
Vol 237 (3) ◽  
pp. H381-H385 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. F. Ellis ◽  
E. P. Wei ◽  
H. A. Kontos

To determine the possible role that endogenously produced prostaglandins may play in the regulation of cerebral blood flow, the responses of cerebral precapillary vessels to prostaglandins (PG) D2, E2, G2, and I2 (8.1 X 10(-8) to 2.7 X 10(-5) M) were studied in cats equipped with cranial windows for direct observation of the microvasculature. Local application of PGs induced a dose-dependent dilation of large (greater than or equal to 100 microns) and small (less than 100 microns) arterioles with no effect on arterial blood pressure. The relative vasodilator potency was PGG2 greater than PGE2 greater than PGI2 greater than PGD2. With all PGs, except D2, the percent dilation of small arterioles was greater than the dilation of large arterioles. After application of prostaglandins in a concentration of 2.7 X 10(-5) M, the mean +/- standard error of the percent dilation of large and small arterioles was, respectively, 47.6 +/- 2.7 and 65.3 +/- 6.1 for G2, 34.1 +/- 2.0, and 53.6 +/- 5.5 for E2, 25.4 +/- 1.8, and 40.2 +/- 4.6 for I2, and 20.3 +/- 2.5 and 11.0 +/- 2.2 for D2. Because brain arterioles are strongly responsive to prostaglandins and the brain can synthesize prostaglandins from its large endogenous pool of prostaglandin precursor, prostaglandins may be important mediators of changes in cerebral blood flow under normal and abnormal conditions.


1977 ◽  
Vol 232 (5) ◽  
pp. H495-H499
Author(s):  
M. Manrique ◽  
E. Alborch ◽  
J. M. Delgado

Cerebral blood flow, heart rate, arterial blood pressure, and behavior were studied in conscious goats during electrical stimulation of the diencephalon and mesencephalon. Stimulation of the subthalamic area produced a considerable increase in ipsilateral cerebral blood flow and heart rate, accompanied by either a small or a large increase in systemic arterial blood pressure. Cardiovascular effects were associated with changes in alertness. The increase in cerebral blood flow was partially abolished by previous administration of atropine directly into the internal maxillary artery. Stimulation of the mesencephalic reticular formation caused a marked increase in blood pressure with no change or with some decrease in cerebral blood flow. After administration of phentolamine into the internal maxillary artery, stimulation produced increase in cerebral blood flow. The behavioral response consisted of restlessness and attempted flight. These results suggest the existence of cholinergic vasodilator and adrenergic vasoconstrictor pathways to cerebral blood vessels that may be stimulated electrically.


2011 ◽  
Vol 300 (2) ◽  
pp. H670-H674 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan S. Cook ◽  
Charity L. Sauder ◽  
Chester A. Ray

Melatonin is synthesized and released into the circulation by the pineal gland in a circadian rhythm. Melatonin has been demonstrated to differentially alter blood flow to assorted vascular beds by the activation of different melatonin receptors in animal models. The purpose of the present study was to determine the effect of melatonin on blood flow to various vascular beds in humans. Renal (Doppler ultrasound), forearm (venous occlusion plethysmography), and cerebral blood flow (transcranial Doppler), arterial blood pressure, and heart rate were measured in 10 healthy subjects (29 ± 1 yr; 5 men and 5 women) in the supine position for 3 min. The protocol began 45 min after the ingestion of either melatonin (3 mg) or placebo (sucrose). Subjects returned at least 2 days later at the same time of day to repeat the trial after ingesting the other substance. Melatonin did not alter heart rate and mean arterial pressure. Renal blood flow velocity (RBFV) and renal vascular conductance (RVC) were lower during the melatonin trial compared with placebo (RBFV, 40.5 ± 2.9 vs. 45.4 ± 1.5 cm/s; and RVC, 0.47 ± 0.02 vs. 0.54 ± 0.01 cm·s−1·mmHg−1, respectively). In contrast, forearm blood flow (FBF) and forearm vascular conductance (FVC) were greater with melatonin compared with placebo (FBF, 2.4 ± 0.2 vs. 1.9 ± 0.1 ml·100 ml−1·min−1; and FVC, 0.029 ± 0.003 vs. 0.023 ± 0.002 arbitrary units, respectively). Melatonin did not alter cerebral blood flow measurements compared with placebo. Additionally, phentolamine (5-mg bolus) after melatonin reversed the decrease in RVC, suggesting that melatonin increases sympathetic outflow to the kidney to mediate renal vasoconstriction. In summary, exogenous melatonin differentially alters vascular blood flow in humans. These data suggest the complex nature of melatonin on the vasculature in humans.


2010 ◽  
Vol 299 (1) ◽  
pp. R55-R61 ◽  
Author(s):  
N. C. S. Lewis ◽  
G. Atkinson ◽  
S. J. E. Lucas ◽  
E. J. M. Grant ◽  
H. Jones ◽  
...  

Epidemiological data indicate that the risk of neurally mediated syncope is substantially higher in the morning. Syncope is precipitated by cerebral hypoperfusion, yet no chronobiological experiment has been undertaken to examine whether the major circulatory factors, which influence perfusion, show diurnal variation during a controlled orthostatic challenge. Therefore, we examined the diurnal variation in orthostatic tolerance and circulatory function measured at baseline and at presyncope. In a repeated-measures experiment, conducted at 0600 and 1600, 17 normotensive volunteers, aged 26 ± 4 yr (mean ± SD), rested supine at baseline and then underwent a 60° head-up tilt with 5-min incremental stages of lower body negative pressure until standardized symptoms of presyncope were apparent. Pretest hydration status was similar at both times of day. Continuous beat-to-beat measurements of cerebral blood flow velocity, blood pressure, heart rate, stroke volume, cardiac output, and end-tidal Pco2 were obtained. At baseline, mean cerebral blood flow velocity was 9 ± 2 cm/s (15%) lower in the morning than the afternoon ( P < 0.0001). The mean time to presyncope was shorter in the morning than in the afternoon (27.2 ± 10.5 min vs. 33.1 ± 7.9 min; 95% CI: 0.4 to 11.4 min, P = 0.01). All measurements made at presyncope did not show diurnal variation ( P > 0.05), but the changes over time (from baseline to presyncope time) in arterial blood pressure, estimated peripheral vascular resistance, and α-index baroreflex sensitivity were greater during the morning tests ( P < 0.05). These data indicate that tolerance to an incremental orthostatic challenge is markedly reduced in the morning due to diurnal variations in the time-based decline in blood pressure and the initial cerebral blood flow velocity “reserve” rather than the circulatory status at eventual presyncope. Such information may be used to help identify individuals who are particularly prone to orthostatic intolerance in the morning.


1996 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 578-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
Neal R Cutler ◽  
John J Sramek ◽  
Azucena Luna ◽  
Ismael Mena ◽  
Eric P Brass ◽  
...  

Objective To assess the effect of the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor ceronapril on cerebral blood flow (CBF) in patients with moderate hypertension. Design Patients received chlorthalidone 25 mg for 4 weeks, and if diastolic blood pressure remained in the range of 100–115 mm Hg, they were given titrated doses of ceronapril (10–40 mg/d based on blood pressure response) in addition to chlorthalidone for 9 weeks. Setting Outpatient research clinic. Subjects Eligible patients had moderate essential hypertension (diastolic blood pressure 100–115 mm Hg) assessed when the patients were receiving no medications. Thirteen patients were entered into the study; 1 withdrew for reasons unrelated to the study drug. Twelve patients (11 men, 1 woman; mean age 52 y) completed the study. Intervention Ceronapril, given with chlorthalidone. Main Outcome Measures CBF measurements were taken at the start and end of ceronapril therapy using intravenous 133Xe; blood pressures were determined weekly. Results Mean arterial blood pressure decreased from 130 ± 4 to 120 ±7 mm Hg after 4 weeks of chlorthalidone administration, and fell further to 108 ± 8 mm Hg after an additional 9 weeks of combined chlorthalidone-ceronapril therapy (p < 0.05). CBF fell from 44 ± 15 to 34 ± 5 mL/min/100 g during the 9 weeks of combined therapy (p = 0.05). No adverse effects consistent with decreased CBF were observed. The decrease in CBF was not linearly correlated with the change in systemic blood pressure, but was strongly correlated (r = –0.937; p < 0.001) with the initial CBF. Conclusions The decrease in mean arterial blood pressure was not associated with a decrease in CBF. Patients with high CBF may be predisposed to a decrease in CBF when treated with ceronapril and chlorthalidone.


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