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Peripheral Microvascular Responses to Whole-Body Tilting, G(z) Centrifugation, and Lower Body Negative Pressure Stresses in HumansThe response of the cutaneous microcirculation to orthostatic stress varies along the length of the body due to the interaction of central controls with regional responses to local blood pressure. We hypothesize that artificial orthostatic stresses such as Gz centrifugation and LBNP differ from whole-body tilting in terms of the distribution of microvascular blood flow. Cutaneous microvascular flows were measured by laser Doppler flowmetry at the neck, thigh, and leg of 15 normal subjects. Volunteers underwent stepwise head-up tilt (HUT) and short- and long-arm centrifugation protocols from supine control (0 Gz) to 0.2, 0.4, 0.6, 0.8, 1.0, 0.8, 0.6, 0.4, 0.2, and 0 Gz at the feet, for 30-s periods with 10-s transitions between levels. The same subjects underwent a corresponding supine LBNP protocol, up to 100 mmHg (in 20 mmHg increments) and back to zero pressure, which produced transmural pressure across blood vessels in the foot approximately equal to the HUT protocol. In general, application of all orthostatic stresses produced significant flow reductions in the lower body (p less than 0.05) and inconsistent changes in the neck. At low levels of each stress (0.4 Gz, 40 mmHg), LBNP generated the greatest relative reduction in flow in the lower body (-66.9+/-5.7%, thigh; -60.6 +/-5.7%, leg, mean +/- SE). HUT caused a less severe flow reduction than LBNP at the thigh and leg (-39.9 +/- 8.1% and -55.9+/-4.8%), while the effects induced by both forms of centrifugation were the least profound. Higher levels of each stress generally resulted in similar responses. These responses exhibit a consistent relationship to hypothesized changes in local microvascular transmural pressure, suggesting that myogenic and veno-arteriolar reflexes play a significant role in determining microvascular perfusion during orthostatic stress.
Document ID
20010125146
Acquisition Source
Ames Research Center
Document Type
Conference Paper
Authors
Breit, G. A.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Watenpaugh, D. E.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Buckley, T. M.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Ballard, R. E.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Murthy, G.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Hargens, A. R.
(NASA Ames Research Center Moffett Field, CA United States)
Date Acquired
August 20, 2013
Publication Date
January 1, 1994
Subject Category
Aerospace Medicine
Meeting Information
Meeting: American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology Meeting
Location: San Francisco, CA
Country: United States
Start Date: October 19, 1994
End Date: October 22, 1994
Sponsors: American Society for Gravitational and Space Biology
Funding Number(s)
PROJECT: RTOP 199-14-12-04
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Work of the US Gov. Public Use Permitted.

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