Elevated Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity Contributes to Central Artery Stiffness in Young and Middle-Age/Older Adults.

ABSTRACT: Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) influences the mechanical properties (ie, vascular smooth muscle tone and stiffness) of peripheral arteries, but it remains controversial whether MSNA contributes to stiffness of central arteries, such as the aorta and carotids. We examined whether elevated MSNA (age-related) would be independently associated with greater stiffness of central (carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity [PWV]) and peripheral (carotid-brachial PWV) arteries, in addition to lower carotid compliance coefficient, in healthy men and women (n=88, age: 19-73 years, 52% men). We also examined whether acute elevations in MSNA without increases in mean arterial pressure using graded levels of lower body negative pressure would augment central and peripheral artery stiffness in young

SUBMITTER: Holwerda SW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6937199 | biostudies-literature | 2019 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature