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Autonomic cardiovascular adaptations to acute head-out water immersion, head-down tilt and supine position

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Abstract

Purpose

Thermoneutral head-out water immersion (WI) and 6° head-down tilt (HDT) have been considered as suitable models to increase central blood volume and simulate autonomic cardiovascular adaptations to microgravity, swimming or scuba diving. However, any differences in autonomic cardiovascular adaptations are still unclear. In this study, we hypothesized that WI induces a higher activation of arterial baroreceptors and the parasympathetic system.

Methods

Ten healthy men underwent 30 min of WI, HDT, and a supine position (SP). RR intervals (RRI) and blood pressure (BP) were continuously monitored. High frequency power (HF), low frequency power (LF) and LF/HF ratio were calculated to study sympathetic and parasympathetic activities, and a spontaneous baroreflex method was used to study arterial baroreflex sensitivity (aBRS). Lung transfer of nitric oxide and carbon monoxide (TLNO/TLCO), vital capacity and alveolar volume (Vc/VA) were measured to study central blood redistribution.

Results

We observed (1) a similar increase in RRI and decrease in BP; (2) a similar increase in HF power during all experimental conditions, whereas LF increased after; (3) a similar rise in aBRS; (4) a similar increase in Vc/VA and decrease in TLNO/TLCO in all experimental conditions.

Conclusions

These results showed a cardiac parasympathetic dominance to the same extent, underpinned by a similar arterial baroreflex activation during WI and HDT as well as control SP. Future studies may address their association with cold or hyperoxia to assess their ability to replicate autonomic cardiovascular adaptations to microgravity, swimming or scuba diving.

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Abbreviations

aBRS:

Arterial baroreflex sensitivity

ANOVA:

Repeated-measures analysis of variance

DBP:

Diastolic blood pressure

Dm:

Membrane diffusing capacity

HDT:

6° Head-down tilt

HF:

High frequency power

HFnu:

Normalized HF

LF:

Low frequency power

LFnu:

Normalized LF

LF/HF ratio:

Low to high frequency power

Ptot:

Total power

RRI:

RR intervals

SBP:

Systolic blood pressure

SP:

Supine position

TLCO:

Lung transfer of carbon monoxide

TLNO:

Lung transfer of nitric oxide

TLNO/TLCO:

Lung transfer of nitric oxide and carbon monoxide

TRS:

Triogometric regressive spectral analysis methods

VA:

Pulmonary alveolar volume

Vc:

Capillary lung volume

Vc/VA:

Vital capacity and alveolar volume

VLF:

Very low frequency power

WI:

Thermoneutral head-out water immersion

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. IRISSE Laboratory (EA4075), UFR SHE, University of La Réunion, 117 rue du General Ailleret, 97430, Le Tampon, La Reunion, France

    Florian Chouchou

  2. EA 4607 SNA-EPIS, Service de Physiologie Clinique et de l’Exercice, Pole NOL, CHU Nord, Faculté de Médecine Jacques Lisfranc, Université Jean Monnet, PRES Université de Lyon, Saint-Étienne, France

    Florian Chouchou, Vincent Pichot, Frédéric Costes, Mailys Guillot, Jean-Claude Barthélémy & Frédéric Roche

  3. Service de Médecine Vasculaire et Thérapeutique, CHU de St-Etienne, Saint-Étienne, France

    Laurent Bertoletti

  4. INSERM, UMR1059, Equipe Dysfonction Vasculaire et Hémostase, Université Jean-Monnet, INSERM, CHU Saint-Etienne, CIC-1408, 42055, Saint-Étienne, France

    Laurent Bertoletti

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  1. Florian Chouchou
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  2. Vincent Pichot
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Contributions

FC, VP, FR, FC, JCB, and LB conceived and designed research; FC, MG, LB, and FC performed experiments; FC, VP, LB, and FR analyzed data; FC, VP, LB, JBC, FC, and FR interpreted results of experiments; FC prepared figures; FC, LB, and FR drafted manuscript; FC, VP, MG, FC, LB, and FR edited and revised manuscript; FC, VP, MG, FC, LB, and FR approved final version of manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Florian Chouchou.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Ethical approval

All procedures performed in studies involving human participants were in accordance with ethical standards of the institutional research committee.

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Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

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Communicated by Massimo Pagani.

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Chouchou, F., Pichot, V., Costes, F. et al. Autonomic cardiovascular adaptations to acute head-out water immersion, head-down tilt and supine position. Eur J Appl Physiol 120, 337–347 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-019-04278-4

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