The stability of cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity following attainment of physiological steady-state

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

  • Jay M J R Carr
  • Caldwell, Hannah Grace
  • Howard Carter
  • Kurt Smith
  • Michael M Tymko
  • Daniel J Green
  • Philip N Ainslie
  • Ryan L Hoiland

This study assessed cerebrovascular CO2 reactivity (CVR) and examined data extraction time points and durations with the hypotheses that: (1) there would be no difference in CVR values when calculated with cerebral blood flow (CBF) measures at different time points following the attainment of physiological steady-state, (2) once steady-state was achieved there would be no difference in CVR values derived from 60 to 30 s extracted means, and (3) that changes in (Formula presented.) would not be associated with any changes in CVR. We conducted a single step iso-oxic hypercapnic CVR test using dynamic end-tidal forcing (end-tidal (Formula presented.), +9.4 ± 0.7 mmHg), and transcranial Doppler and Duplex ultrasound of middle cerebral artery (MCA) and internal carotid artery (ICA), respectively. From the second minute of hypercapnia onwards, physiological steady-state was apparent, with no subsequent changes in end-tidal (Formula presented.), (Formula presented.) or mean arterial pressure. Therefore, CVR measured in the ICA and MCA was stable following the second minute of hypercapnia onwards. Data extraction durations of 30 or 60 s did not give statistically different CVR values. No differences in CVR were detected following the second minute of hypercapnia after accounting for mean arterial pressure via calculated conductance or covariation of mean arterial pressure. These findings demonstrate that, provided the (Formula presented.) stimulus remains in a steady-state, data extracted from any minute of a CVR test during physiological steady-state conditions produce equivalent CVR values; any change in the CVR value would represent a failure of CVR mechanisms, a change in the magnitude of the stimulus, or measurement error.

Original languageEnglish
JournalExperimental Physiology
Volume106
Issue number12
Pages (from-to)2542-2555
Number of pages14
ISSN0958-0670
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 2021
Externally publishedYes

Bibliographical note

Publisher Copyright:
© 2021 The Authors. Experimental Physiology © 2021 The Physiological Society

    Research areas

  • cerebrovascular reactivity, internal carotid artery, middle cerebral artery

ID: 306292365