Central command-related increases in blood velocity of anterior cerebral artery and prefrontal oxygenation at the onset of voluntary tapping

Kanji Matsukawa, Ryota Asahara, Minami Uzumaki, Yoshiki Hashiguchi, Kei Ishii, Jijia Wang, Scott A. Smith

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

3 Scopus citations

Abstract

The anterior cerebral artery (ACA) supplies blood predominantly to the frontal lobe including the prefrontal cortex. Our laboratory reported that prefrontal oxygenated-hemoglobin concentration (Oxy-Hb) increased before and at exercise onset, as long as exercise is arbitrarily started. Moreover, the increased prefrontal oxygenation seems independent of both exercise intensity and muscle mass. If so, mean blood velocity of the ACA (ACABV) should increase with "very light motor effort," concomitantly with the preexercise and initial increase in prefrontal Oxy-Hb. This study aimed to examine the responses in ACABV and vascular conductance index (ACAVCI) of the ACA as well as prefrontal Oxy-Hb during arbitrary or cued finger tapping in 12 subjects, an activity with a Borg scale perceived exertion rating of 7 (median). With arbitrary start, ACABV increased at tapping onset (14 ± 9%) via an elevation in ACAVCI. Likewise, prefrontal Oxy-Hb increased at the onset of tapping with a time course resembling that of ACABV. A positive cross correlation between the initial changes in ACABV and prefrontal Oxy-Hb was found significant in 67% of subjects, having a time lag of 2 s, whereas a positive linear regression between them was significant in 75% of subjects. When tapping was forced to start by cue, the initial increases in ACABV, ACAVCI, and prefrontal Oxy-Hb were delayed and blunted as compared with an arbitrary start. Thus, active vasodilatation of the ACA vascular bed occurs at tapping onset, as long as tapping is arbitrarily started, and contributes to immediate increases in blood flow and prefrontal oxygenation.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)H518-H531
JournalAmerican Journal of Physiology - Heart and Circulatory Physiology
Volume321
Issue number3
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2021

Keywords

  • Cerebral blood flow
  • Cross correlation
  • Near-infrared spectroscopy
  • Transcranial Doppler ultrasound
  • Voluntary exercise

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Physiology
  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
  • Physiology (medical)

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