Role of cerebral blood flow in extreme breath holding

• Published in: Translational neuroscience Vol. 7; no. 1; pp. 12 - 16
• Main Authors: Bain, Anthony R., Ainslie, Philip N., Hoiland, Ryan L., Willie, Chris K., MacLeod, David B., Madden, Dennis, Maslov, Petra Zubin, Drviš, Ivan, Dujić, Željko
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Germany De Gruyter 01-01-2016; De Gruyter Poland
• Subjects: Acidosis; Apnea; Blood flow; Carbon dioxide; Catheters; Cerebral blood flow; Cerebral oxygen delivery; Gases; Hypercapnia; Hypoxia; Indomethacin; Neurosciences; Oral administration; Oxygen tension; Prostaglandin endoperoxide synthase; Standard deviation; Veins & arteries; Cerebral oxygen delivery; Hypercapnia; Hypoxia; Apnea; Indomethacin
• ISSN: 2081-3856; 2081-6936; 2081-6936
• DOI: 10.1515/tnsci-2016-0003

The role of cerebral blood flow (CBF) on a maximal breath-hold (BH) in ultra-elite divers was examined. Divers (n = 7) performed one control BH, and one BH following oral administration of the non-selective cyclooxygenase inhibitor indomethacin (1.2 mg/kg). Arterial blood gases and CBF were measured prior to (baseline), and at BH termination. Compared to control, indomethacin reduced baseline CBF and cerebral delivery of oxygen (CDO
) by about 26% (p < 0.01). Indomethacin reduced maximal BH time from 339 ± 51 to 319 ± 57 seconds (p = 0.04). In both conditions, the CDO
remained unchanged from baseline to the termination of apnea. At BH termination, arterial oxygen tension was higher following oral administration of indomethacin compared to control (4.05 ± 0.45 vs. 3.44 ± 0.32 kPa). The absolute increase in CBF from baseline to the termination of apnea was lower with indomethacin (p = 0.01). These findings indicate that the impact of CBF on maximal BH time is likely attributable to its influence on cerebral H
washout, and therefore central chemoreceptive drive to breathe, rather than to CDO