Summary
To test the function of sympathetic vascoconstrictor nerves on blood flow in resting limbs during static muscle contraction, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) to the leg muscle was recorded from the tibial nerve microneurographically before, during and after 2 min of static handgrip (SHG). Simultaneously, calf blood flow (CBF) was measured by strain gauge plethysmography. An increase in MSNA, a decrease in CBF and an increase in calf vascular resistance (CVR) in the same resting limb occurred concomitantly during SHG. However, the increase in CVR was blunted in the second minute of handgrip when MSNA was still increasing. The results indicated that the decrease of CBF during SHG reflects the increase in MSNA, while the dissociation between MSNA and CVR at the later period of SHG may be related to metabolic change produced by the vasoconstriction.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bini G, Hagbarth KE, Hynninen P, Wallin BG (1980) Thermoregulatory and rhythm-generating mechanisms governing the sudomotor and vasoconstrictor outflow in human cutaneous nerves. J Physiol 306:537–552
Chase PB, Reiling MJ, Taylor JA, Seals DR (1987) Relationship between muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and calf vascular resistance (CVR) during static handgrip contractions (SHG). Med Sci Sport Exercise 19: S92
Cobbold A, Folkow B, Kjellmer I, Mellander S (1963) Nervous and local chemical control of pre-capillary sphincters in skeletal muscle as measured by changes in filtration coefficient. Acta Physiol Scand 57:180–192
Delius W, Hagbarth K-E, Hongell A, Wallin BG (1972a) Manoeuvres affecting sympathetic outflow in human muscle nerves. Acta Physiol Scand 84:82–94
Delius W, Hagbarth K-E, Hongell A, Wallin BG (1972b) Manoeuvres affecting sympathetic outflow in human skin nerves. Acta Physiol Scand 84:177–186
Folkow B, Sonnenschein RR, Wright DL (1971) The loci of neurogenic and metabolic effects on precapillary vessels of skeletal muscle. Acta Physiol Scand 81:459–471
Mark AL, Victor RG, Nerhed C, Wallin BG (1985) Microneurographic studies of the mechanisms of sympathetic nerve response to static exercise in human. Circ Res 57:461–468
Marshall JM (1982) The influence of the sympathetic nervous system on individual vessels of the microcirculation of skeletal muscle of the rat. J Physiol 332:169–186
Mellander S, Johannsson B (1968) Control of resistance, exchange, and capacitance function in the peripheral circulation. Pharmacol Rev 20:117–196
Mitchell JH, Reeves DR Jr, Rogers HB, Secher NH, Victor RG (1989) Autonomic blockade and cardiovascular responses to static exercise in partially curarized man. J Physiol 413:433–445
Saito M, Mano T (1986a) Observation of human sympathetic nerve activity recorded microneurographically during sustained muscle contraction. Jpn J Phys Educ 31:235–242
Saito M, Mano T, Abe H, Iwase S (1986b) Responses in muscle sympathetic nerve activity to sustained hand-grip of different tension in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 55:493–498
Saito M, Mano T, Iwase S (1988) Effects of sympathetic vasoconstrictor nerve in calf blood flow during static contraction (Abstract). J Physiol Soc (Japan) 50:555
Saito M, Mano T, Iwase S (1989) Sympathetic activity related to local fatigue sensation during static contraction. J Appl Physiol 67:980–984
Saito M, Miyamura M (1984) Effects of skin blood flow on reactive hyperemia in the human calf (In Japanese with English Abstract). Nagoya J Health Phys Fitness Sports 7:19–27
Seals DR, Chase PB, Taylor JA (1988) Autonomic mediation of the pressor responses to isometric exercise in humans. J Appl Physiol 64:2190–2196
Taylor WF, Johnson JM, Kosiba WA, Kwan CM (1989) Cutaneous vascular responses to isometric handgrip exercise. J Appl Physiol 66:1586–1592
Vallbo AB, Hagbarth K-E, Torebjörk HE, Wallin BG (1979) Somatosensory, proprioceptive, and sympathetic activity in human peripheral nerves. Physiol Rev 59:919–957
Victor RG, Seals DR, Mark AL (1987) Differential control of heart rate and sympathetic nerve activity during dynamic exercise. J Clin Invest 79:508–516
Wallin BG (1983) Intraneural recording and autonomic function in man. In: Bannister R (ed) Autonomic Failure. Oxford University Press, London, pp 36–51
Wallin BG, Mörlin C, Hjemdahl P (1987) Muscle sympathetic activity and venous plasma noradrenaline concentration during static exercise in normotensive and hypertensive subjects. Acta Physiol Scand 129:489–497
Whitney RJ (1953) The measurement of volume changes in human limbs. J Physiol 121:1–27
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Saito, M., Mano, T. & Iwase, S. Changes in muscle sympathetic nerve activity and calf blood flow during static handgrip exercise. Eur J Appl Physiol 60, 277–281 (1990). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00379396
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00379396