Regulation of Brain Blood Flow and Oxygen Delivery in Elite Breath-hold Divers

Overview

Journal J Cereb Blood Flow Metab

Publisher Sage Publications

Specialties Cardiology & Vascular Diseases
Endocrinology
Neurology

Date 2014 Nov 6

PMID 25370857

Citations 24

Authors

Christopher K Willie

Philip N Ainslie

Ivan Drvis

David B MacLeod

Anthony R Bain

Dennis Madden

Petra Zubin Maslov

Zeljko Dujic

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

The roles of involuntary breathing movements (IBMs) and cerebral oxygen delivery in the tolerance to extreme hypoxemia displayed by elite breath-hold divers are unknown. Cerebral blood flow (CBF), arterial blood gases (ABGs), and cardiorespiratory metrics were measured during maximum dry apneas in elite breath-hold divers (n=17). To isolate the effects of apnea and IBM from the concurrent changes on ABG, end-tidal forcing ('clamp') was then used to replicate an identical temporal pattern of decreasing arterial PO2 (PaO2) and increasing arterial PCO2 (PaCO2) while breathing. End-apnea PaO2 ranged from 23 to 37 mm Hg (30 ± 7 mm Hg). Elevation in mean arterial pressure was greater during apnea than during clamp reaching +54 ± 24% versus 34 ± 26%, respectively; however, CBF increased similarly between apnea and clamp (93.6 ± 28% and 83.4 ± 38%, respectively). This latter observation indicates that during the overall apnea period IBM per se do not augment CBF and that the brain remains sufficiently protected against hypertension. Termination of apnea was not determined by reduced cerebral oxygen delivery; despite 40% to 50% reductions in arterial oxygen content, oxygen delivery was maintained by commensurately increased CBF.

Citing Articles

Respiratory system responses to a maximal apnoea.

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Wavelet Analysis of Respiratory Muscle sEMG Signals during the Physiological Breakpoint of Static Dry End-Expiratory Breath-Holding in Naive Apneists: A Pilot Study.

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Hypoxemia increases blood-brain barrier permeability during extreme apnea in humans.

Bailey D, Bain A, Hoiland R, Barak O, Drvis I, Hirtz C J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 2022; 42(6):1120-1135.

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Effect of Apnea-Induced Hypoxia on Cardiovascular Adaptation and Circulating Biomarkers of Oxidative Stress in Elite Breath-Hold Divers.

Solich-Talanda M, Zebrowska A, Mikolajczyk R, Kostorz-Nosal S, Ziora D, Jastrzebski D Front Physiol. 2021; 12:726434.

PMID: 34566688 PMC: 8458773. DOI: 10.3389/fphys.2021.726434.

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