Larger reductions in blood pressure during post-exercise standing, but not middle cerebral artery blood velocity, in resistance-trained versus untrained individuals

Abstract

Dynamic resistance exercise (RE) produces sinusoidal fluctuations in blood pressure, with hypotension and cerebral hypoperfusion commonly observed immediately following RE. Whether the cerebral vasculature adapts to these regular blood pressure challenges is unclear. This study examined the cerebrovascular response to post-dynamic RE orthostasis. RE-trained (n = 15, female = 4) and healthy untrained individuals (n = 15, female = 12) completed five stands: one after seated rest, with each of the subsequent four stands occurring immediately following a set of 10 repetitions of unilateral leg extension exercise at 60% of their one repetition maximum. Beat-to-beat blood pressure, mean middle cerebral artery blood velocity (MCAvmean) and end-tidal carbon dioxide were measured throughout. During standing the mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and MCAvmean nadirs were identified. There was no difference between groups for age (mean ± SD, 26 ± 7 RE-trained vs. 25 ± 6 years untrained, P = 0.683) or weight (78 ± 15 vs. 71 ± 15 kg, P = 0.683). At MAP nadir during the post-exercise stand, a greater reduction in MAP was observed in the RE-trained group (e.g., set 4, −45 ± 11 vs. −36 ± 6 mmHg, training effect P = 0.026). However, post-exercise stand MCAvmean at MCAvmean nadir was not different (e.g., set 4, −20 ± 7 vs. −17 ± 6 cm/s, interaction effect P = 0.478). Rate of regulation was higher in the RE-trained group (set 1, 0.301 ± 0.170 vs. 0.167 ± 0.009, training effect P = 0.023). Despite RE-trained individuals demonstrating greater absolute reductions in MAP during orthostasis following RE, there were no differences in MCAvmean, suggesting that habitual RE may mitigate post-exercise cerebral hypoperfusion.