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Vestibulosympathetic reflex during mental stress
Jason R Carter1, Chester A Ray, William H Cooke
1Department of Biological Sciences, Michigan Technological University, Houghton, Michigan 49931, USA. jarter@mtu.edu
Journal of Applied Physiology (Bethesda, Md. : 1985)
|September 18, 2002
Summary
Combining vestibular and mental stress independently increases sympathetic neural activity. These effects are additive, not inhibitive, suggesting independent pathways for sympathetic responses to these stimuli.
Area of Science:
- Physiology
- Neuroscience
Background:
- Sympathetic neural activity increases with vestibular or mental stress independently.
- The combined effect of these stressors on sympathetic activation is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the combined effects of vestibular and mental stimulation on sympathetic neural activation and arterial pressure in humans.
Main Methods:
- Recorded muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), arterial pressure, and heart rate in 10 healthy volunteers.
- Stimuli included head-down rotation (vestibular), mental stress (arithmetic), and combined stimulation.
Main Results:
- Both head-down rotation and mental stress individually increased MSNA.
- Combined stimulation significantly increased MSNA and mean arterial pressure.
- The increase in MSNA during combined stimulation was additive, not greater than the sum of individual stimuli.
Conclusions:
- Vestibular and mental stimulation independently increase MSNA.
- The sympathetic neural response to combined vestibular and mental stress is additive in humans.