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Muscle metaboreflex activation by static exercise dilates pupil in humans

European Journal of Applied Physiology volume 111, pages 1217–1221 (2011)Cite this article

Abstract

We examined a hypothesis that static exercise and activation of sympathetic activation by metabolically sensitive skeletal muscle afferents (metaboreflex) influence the sympathetic nervous activity modulating pupil diameter. Nine subjects performed 2 min isometric handgrip exercise at 30% maximal voluntary contraction, which was followed by either 2 min of postexercise muscle ischemia (PEMI) in the forearm or no PEMI (control trial). The pupil diameter and mean blood pressure (MAP) increased significantly from rest during exercise in PEMI and control trials (5 ± 1 and 7 ± 1% in diameter; 13 ± 2 and 12 ± 2 mmHg in MAP, respectively). These increases in the diameter and MAP were maintained during PEMI (7 ± 2% and 9 ± 2 mmHg) but not during the recovery period in the control trial (3 ± 2% and 1 ± 2 mmHg). These results demonstrate that static handgrip exercise increases the pupil diameter, and this increase is partly due to the activation of metaboreflex in humans.

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Acknowledgments

This study was partly supported by a Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research from the Ministry of Education, Science, Sport, Culture, and Technology of Japan (no. 21370111).

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Affiliations

  1. Institute of Health Science, Kyushu University, Kasuga, Fukuoka, 816-8580, Japan

    Naoyuki Hayashi & Nami Someya

Authors
  1. Naoyuki Hayashi
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  2. Nami Someya
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Correspondence to Naoyuki Hayashi.

Additional information

Communicated by Susan Ward.

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Hayashi, N., Someya, N. Muscle metaboreflex activation by static exercise dilates pupil in humans. Eur J Appl Physiol 111, 1217–1221 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-010-1716-z

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Keywords

  • Postexercise muscle ischemia
  • Exercise pressor reflex
  • Pupil diameter