Regulatory mechanisms of non-working muscle blood flow during exercise: Integration of central and peripheral

Abstract

The response of non-working muscle blood flow to exercise is highly complex. Despite early reports that "global" nonworking muscle blood flow decreases during exercise, more recent studies have provided evidence to suggest that exercise causes increases in non-working muscle blood flow. In addition, recent studies have suggested that central neural mechanisms include feedforward control of signals descending from higher brain centers (central command) contributing to the regulation of non-working muscle blood flow during exercise. This review focuses on the integrating mechanisms underlying the regulation of non-working muscle blood flow during exercise, in relation to central command.