Ten days of high dietary sodium does not impair cerebral blood flow regulation in healthy adults

Kamila U. Migdal, Austin T. Robinson, Joseph C. Watso, Matthew C. Babcock, Shannon L. Lennon, Christopher R. Martens, Jorge M. Serrador, William B. Farquhar

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

1 Scopus citations

Abstract

High dietary sodium impairs cerebral blood flow regulation in rodents and is associated with increased stroke risk in humans. However, the effects of multiple days of high dietary sodium on cerebral blood flow regulation in humans is unknown. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine whether ten days of high dietary sodium impairs cerebral blood flow regulation. Ten participants (3F/7M; age: 30 ± 10 years; blood pressure (BP): 113 ± 8/62 ± 9 mmHg) participated in this randomized, cross-over design study. Participants were placed on 10-day diets that included either low- (1000 mg/d), medium- (2300 mg/d) or high- (7000 mg/d) sodium separated by ≥four weeks. Urinary sodium excretion, beat-to-beat BP (finger photoplethysmography), middle cerebral artery velocity (transcranial Doppler), and end-tidal carbon dioxide (capnography) was measured. Dynamic cerebral autoregulation during a ten-minute baseline was calculated and cerebrovascular reactivity assessed by determining the percent change in middle cerebral artery blood flow velocity to hypercapnia (8% CO2, 21% oxygen, balance nitrogen) and hypocapnia (via mild hyperventilation). Urinary sodium excretion increased in a stepwise manner (ANOVA P = 0.001) from the low, to medium, to high condition. There were no differences in dynamic cerebral autoregulation between conditions. While there was a trend for a difference during cerebrovascular reactivity to hypercapnia (ANOVA P = 0.06), this trend was abolished when calculating cerebrovascular conductance (ANOVA: P = 0.28). There were no differences in cerebrovascular reactivity (ANOVA P = 0.57) or conductance (ANOVA: P = 0.73) during hypocapnia. These data suggest that ten days of a high sodium diet does not impair cerebral blood flow regulation in healthy adults.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article number102826
JournalAutonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical
Volume234
DOIs
StatePublished - Sep 2021
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • Cerebrovascular reactivity
  • Dietary sodium
  • Dynamic cerebral autoregulation
  • Hypercapnia
  • Hypocapnia

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Endocrine and Autonomic Systems
  • Clinical Neurology
  • Cellular and Molecular Neuroscience

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