Responses of the circulatory system and muscle sympathetic nerve activity to head-down tilt in humans.

These experiments were conducted to examine whether changes in central and peripheral hemodynamics were proportional to muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) during graded head-down tilt (HDT). Twelve healthy males (19-42 yr old) underwent HDT at 15 degrees and 30 degrees for 10 min each with a 10-min rest period between the trials. MSNA at 15 degrees HDT declined by 31 +/- 5% (P < 0.05) for burst rate and by 37 +/- 3% (P < 0.05) for total activity. At 30 degrees HDT, the reduction in MSNA was 51 +/- 5% for burst rate (P < 0.05 vs. 15 degrees HDT) and 46 +/- 5% for total activity (P < 0.05 vs. 15 degrees HDT). Stroke volume increased (P < 0.05) during both 15 degrees and 30 degrees HDT, but heart rate and blood pressure remained unchanged. A concurrent increase in central venous pressure (P < 0.05) and stroke volume with a reduction of thoracic impedance (P < 0.05) suggests that both pressure and volume in the atrium were elevated during HDT, and the magnitude of these changes was greater (P < 0.05) at 30 degrees HDT than at 15 degrees HDT. Forearm blood flow increased during HDT at both 15 degrees and 30 degrees, and the magnitude of the increase was greater (P < 0.05) at 30 degrees HDT. It is concluded that the magnitude of the loading of the cardiopulmonary mechanoreceptors during HDT was higher at 30 degrees in comparison to 15 degrees. This increased the afferent firing rate by the cardiopulmonary receptors and probably inhibited sympathetic outflow in the central nervous system.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Mechanism of thirst attenuation during head-out water immersion in men.

The purpose was to determine whether extracellular volume or osmolality was the major contributing factor for reduction of thirst in air and head-out water immersion in hypohydrated subjects. Eight males (19-25 yr) were subjected to thermoneutral immersion and thermoneutral air under two hydration conditions without further drinking: euhydration in water (Eu-H2O) and euhydration in air, and hypohydration in water (Hypo-H2O) and hypohydration in air (3.7% wt loss after exercise in heat). The increased thirst sensation with Hypo-H2O decreased (P < 0.05) within 10 min of immersion and continued thereafter. Mean plasma osmolality (288 +/- 1 mosmol/kgH2O) and sodium (140 +/- 1 meq/l) remained elevated, and plasma volume increased by 4.2 +/- 1.0% (P < 0.05) throughout Hypo-H2O. A sustained increase (P < 0.05) in stroke volume accompanied the prompt and sustained decrease in plasma renin activity and sustained increase (P < 0.05) in plasma atrial natriuretic peptide during Eu-H2O and Hypo-H2O. Plasma vasopressin decreased from 5.3 +/- 0.7 to 2.9 +/- 0.5 pg/ml (P < 0.05) during Hypo-H2O but was unchanged in Eu-H2O. These findings suggest a sustained stimulation of the atrial baroreceptors and reduction of a dipsogenic stimulus without major alterations of extracellular osmolality in Hypo-H2O. Thus it appears that vascular volume-induced stimuli of cardiopulmonary baroreceptors play a more important role than extracellular osmolality in reducing thirst sensations during immersion in hypohydrated subjects.

Effect of water temperature on diuresis-natriuresis: AVP, ANP, and urodilatin during immersion in men.

Effects of water temperature on diuresis, natriuresis, and associated endocrine responses during head-out immersion were studied in eight men (23.4 +/- 0.3 yr) during four 5-h experimental conditions: air control at 28 degrees C and immersion at 34.5 degrees C [thermoneutral (Tnt)], 36 degrees C [above Tnt (aTnt)], and 32 degrees C [below Tnt (bTnt)]. Esophageal temperature decreased by approximately 0.4 degrees C in bTnt and increased by approximately 0.5 degrees C in aTnt. Cardiac output increased by approximately 80% in aTnt and approximately 40% in bTnt while thoracic impedance, an index of central blood pooling, decreased by 7.5 omega in bTnt (NS vs. Tnt) and 8.8 omega in aTnt (P < 0.05 vs. Tnt and bTnt). Total peripheral resistance decreased at all temperatures (50% in aTnt, 20% in bTnt). Urine flow and Na+ excretion increased by sixfold in bTnt and Tnt but by only threefold in aTnt. Creatinine clearance was unchanged while osmolal clearance (but not free water clearance) increased two-fold with all immersions. Plasma atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), urinary urodilatin, and urinary guanosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate increased while plasma renin activity, aldosterone, and arginine vasopressin (AVP) decreased similarly at all temperatures. bTnt did not potentiate diuresis by selective attenuation of AVP. The overall natriuretic response exhibited a higher correlation with urodilatin (r = 0.45, P < 0.001) than with ANP (r = 0.26, P < 0.01).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

[The hand and environment--physiological changes of digital functions in adult men by vibratory stimulations, water immersions and climatic conditions].

Skin temperature, 125 Hz vibratory sensibility and pinch strength of the hand were recorded continuously in adult men through water immersion tests ((1) 40 degrees C (2) 15 degrees C (3) 10 degrees C) and vibratory stress tests ((1) 32 Hz-2 g (2) 32 Hz-3g (3) 125 Hz-2 g) in climatic chambers ((1) 20 degrees C-50% humidity (2) 20 degrees C-50% (3) 30 degrees C-40% and 80%). As a stressor to the hand, the cold water immersion was the most effective. The warm water immersion was effective to slightly decrease the skin temperature and the vibratory sensibility. The younger group showed higher sensitivities of the digital functions than the older group.