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Suppression of activation of muscle sympathetic nerve during non-noxious local cooling after the end of local cooling in normal adults

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Abstract

Purpose

While non-noxious local cooling is widely used in physical medicine, its effect on muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and cardiovascular regulation are not clear. The purpose of the present study was to assess the responses of MSNA, blood pressure (BP), heart rate (HR) and local blood flow during non-noxious local cooling.

Methods

The study included two protocols. Both protocols consisted of 10-min rest in supine position, followed by 15-min local cooling (15 °C) of the shin and anterior foot, and 20-min recovery. MSNA of the right common peroneal nerve, BP, HR, and shin skin temperature (TSK) were recorded in eight men in the first protocol, while leg blood flow (LBF) was measured in the same subjects by strain-gauge plethysmography in the second protocol.

Results

TSK gradually decreased from 31.5 ± 0.02 to 16.0 ± 1.01 °C (mean ± SEM) during local cooling, and gradually increased after the end of local cooling. No subject complained of pain, and BP and HR remained constant. The MSNA burst rate increased significantly (p < 0.05) to 141.1 ± 12.5 % during local cooling, but decreased significantly (p < 0.05) to 73.6 ± 5.9 % during the recovery period. Total MSNA also increased to 148.0 ± 14.2 % (p < 0.05) during local cooling, and decreased to 74.0 ± 13.9 % (p < 0.05) at recovery. LBF remained constant through the experiment.

Conclusions

The results suggest that MSNA is activated by non-noxious local cooling, and attenuated after the end of local cooling without any changes in HR and BP.

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Abbreviations

BP:

Blood pressure

DBP:

Diastolic blood pressure

ECG:

Electrocardiogram

HR:

Heart rate

LBF:

Leg blood flow

MBP:

Mean blood pressure

MSNA:

Muscle sympathetic nerve activity

SBP:

Systolic blood pressure

TSK:

Skin temperature

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Faiq G. Issa (www.word-medex.com.au) for the careful reading and editing of the manuscript.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Wakayama Medical University, 811-1 Kimiidera, Wakayama, Wakayama, 641-8509, Japan

    Kazuya Ishida, Takeshi Nakamura, Nami Kanno, Noriyo Takahashi, Yoshi-ichiro Kamijo & Fumihiro Tajima

  2. Department of Health Sciences, Kansai University of Health Sciences, Osaka, Japan

    Kenichi Kimura

Authors
  1. Kazuya Ishida
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  2. Takeshi Nakamura
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  3. Kenichi Kimura
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  4. Nami Kanno
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  6. Yoshi-ichiro Kamijo
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  7. Fumihiro Tajima
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Correspondence to Takeshi Nakamura.

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Communicated by George Havenith.

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Ishida, K., Nakamura, T., Kimura, K. et al. Suppression of activation of muscle sympathetic nerve during non-noxious local cooling after the end of local cooling in normal adults. Eur J Appl Physiol 116, 851–858 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3343-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-016-3343-9

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