Key result
The handgrip test evoked a significant reduction in pial artery pulsation (-34.3%) and subarachnoid space width (-12.9%), indicating an increase in pial artery resistance.
Why the study?
Does the handgrip test alter pial artery pulsation and subarachnoid space width in healthy humans?
Observational (n=29)
No
Does the handgrip test alter pial artery pulsation and subarachnoid space width in healthy humans?
Sympathetic activation via the handgrip test evokes a significant increase in pial artery resistance and a decrease in subarachnoid space width, suggesting a protective mechanism against acute blood pressure elevation.
Sympathetic activation may increase pial resistance during acute BP rise; hypothesis-generating for cerebrovascular autoregulation in health and disease.
The aim of this study was to assess the influence of the handgrip test (HGT) on: (1) pial artery pulsation (cc-TQ), (2) subarachnoid space (SAS) width (sas-TQ) and (3) the relationship between peripheral blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR), cerebral blood flow velocity (CBFV), resistive index (RI), cc-TQ and sas-TQ. The study was performed on 29 healthy volunteers (11 men and 18 women) with a mean age of 29.3 ± SE 4.0. HGT was performed in the sitting position at 30% of maximal voluntary contraction. cc-TQ and sas-TQ were registered using near-infrared transillumination/backscattering sounding (NIR-T/BSS); BP and heart rate (HR) were measured using a Finapres monitor. CBFV and RI were recorded using a transcranial Doppler. A significant reduction in cc-TQ (-34.3%, P<0.0001) and sas-TQ (-12.9%, P<0.001) were observed, while mean arterial pressure and HR increased (+34.8%, P<0.0001 and +7.9%, P<0.0001, respectively). There was no significant change in CBFV (+1.0 percent) while RI increased (+12.0 percent, P<0.05). Correlation and regression analysis did not reveal any interdependencies between the investigated variables. HGT evoked a significant increase in pial artery resistance, with a simultaneous decrease in the width of the SAS. A decrease in pial artery compliance should be seen as protective mechanism against acute BP elevation, most likely mediated by sympathetic activation. NIR-T/BSS recordings allowed for non-invasive assessments of changes in pial artery compliance, and were consistent with data from the literature and physiological knowledge.
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Wszędybył-Winklewska et al. (2012) conducted an observational in Healthy volunteers (n=29). Handgrip test (HGT) vs. Baseline (Rest sitting position) was evaluated on Pial artery pulsation (cc-TQ) (-34.3% change, p=<0.0001). The handgrip test evoked a significant reduction in pial artery pulsation (-34.3%) and subarachnoid space width (-12.9%), indicating an increase in pial artery resistance.
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