Differences in cerebrovascular regulation and ventilatory responses during ramp incremental cycling in children, adolescents, and adults

Abstract

This is the first study to observe similar increases in cerebral blood flow during incremental exercise in adolescents and adults. Increases in cerebral blood flow during exercise were smaller in children compared with adolescents and adults and were associated with a greater V̇E/V̇co2 slope. This study also provides the first evidence on the progressive development of the regulatory role of end-tidal CO2 on cerebral blood flow during exercise during the transition from childhood to adulthood.