Myogenic responses occur on a beat-to-beat basis in the resting human limb

Abstract

Investigations of human myogenic responses typically use maneuvers that evoke robust changes in transmural pressure. Although this strategy has demonstrated peripheral myogenic responsiveness in the limbs, particularly in glabrous skin of the hand or foot, it has not considered the potential influence of the myogenic mechanism in beat-to-beat blood flow (BF) control during unprovoked rest. In the present study, we examined the interactions of spontaneous beat-to-beat mean arterial pressure (MAP; Finapres) with BF (Doppler ultrasound) supplying the forearm (brachial artery), lower leg (popliteal artery), and hand (ulnar artery) during 10 min of supine rest in healthy young men. Cross-correlation analyses revealed a negative association between MAP and BF, which was more prominent in the forearm than lower leg. The strongest correlation resulted when a −2-heart beat offset of MAP was applied ( R = −0.53 ± 0.04 in the forearm and −0.23 ± 0.05 in the leg, P < 0.05), suggesting an ∼2-s delay from instances of high/low MAP to low/high BF. Negatively associated episodes (high MAP/low BF and low MAP/high BF) outnumbered positively associated data ( P < 0.05). BF during low MAP values was greater than the steady-state average BF and vice versa. Wrist and ankle occlusion blunted the strength of correlations, homogenized the incidence of MAP and BF pairings, and reduced the magnitude of deviation from steady-state values. In contrast, these relationships were matched or accentuated for hand BF. Overall, these results suggest that myogenic responses are present and occur rapidly in human limbs during rest, overwhelm perfusion pressure gradient influences, and are primarily mediated by the distal limb circulation.