Effect of Exercise on Gain of the Carotid-Sinus Reflex in Rabbits

Blood pressure, heart rate and cardiac output were measured in six rabbits before, during and immediately after treadmill exercise. During the same periods the dynamic gain of the carotid-sinus baroreceptor reflex was estimated by creating a sinusoidal oscillation of carotid-distending pressure. 2. The average blood pressure did not change significantly during or after exercise, but heart rate and cardiac output rose markedly and there was a concomitant fall in systemic vascular resistance. 3. The reflex gain for blood pressure decreased by one-fifth during exercise, and the gains for heart rate and vascular resistance by two-fifths. Immediately after exercise the gains for all three variables decreased further, to between one-half and one-third of the resting values. 4. Our results indicate that during and after dynamic exercise the correction of a potential disturbance of blood pressure by the carotid-sinus baroreceptor reflex is decreased in magnitude or in speed.