Dynamic cerebral autoregulation of endurance-trained men following 6 weeks of high-intensity interval training to exhaustion

Abstract

Elevated cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) is associated with reduced dynamic cerebral autoregulation (dCA), but the impact of exercise training per se on dCA remains equivocal. In addition, resting cerebral blood flow (CBF) and dCA after high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in individuals with already high CRF is unknown. We examined to what extent 6 weeks of HIIT affect resting CBF and dCA in cardiorespiratory fit men and explored if potential changes are intensity-dependent. Endurance-trained men were assigned to group HIIT85 (85% of maximal aerobic power, 1 to 7 min effort bouts, n = 8) and HIIT115 (115% of maximal aerobic power, 30 s to 1 min effort bouts, n = 9). Training sessions were completed until exhaustion 3 times/week over 6 weeks. Mean arterial pressure (MAP) and middle cerebral artery mean blood velocity (MCAvmean) were measured continuously at rest and during repeated squat-stands (0.05 and 0.10 Hz). Transfer function analysis (TFA) was used to characterize dCA on driven blood pressure oscillations during repeated squat-stands. Neither training nor intensity had an effect on resting MAP and MCAvmean (both P > 0.05). TFA phase during 0.10 Hz squat-stands decreased after HIIT irrespective of intensity (HIIT85: 0.77 {+/-} 0.22 vs. 0.67 {+/-} 0.18 radians; HIIT115: pre: 0.62 {+/-} 0.19 vs. post: 0.59 {+/-} 0.13 radians, time effect P = 0.048). These results suggest that HIIT over 6 weeks have no apparent benefits on resting CBF, but a subtle attenuation in dCA is seen posttraining irrespective of intensity training in endurance-trained men.\n\nNEW & NOTEWORTHYThe novel findings of this study are that 6 weeks of submaximal and supramaximal high-intensity interval exercise to exhaustion reduce dynamic cerebral autoregulation irrespective of training intensity in endurance-trained men. However, these HIIT protocols do not influence resting cerebral blood flow in these individuals. The results indicate the cerebrovasculature of endurance-trained men has an attenuated ability to react to large and rapid changes in blood pressure following HIIT.