12.6 THE ROLE OF NEURONAL NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE IN YOUNG ADULTS

DOI

10.1016/j.artres.2016.10.104How to use a DOI?

Abstract

Background: Early elevation in blood pressure are characterised by a hyperkinetic circulation, with an elevated cardiac index (CI) being the dominant feature. Neuronal NOS is a key regulator of vascular tone during mental stress and is attenuated in patients with established hypertension. However, the role of nNOS has not yet been examined in young adults with a hyperactive response to stress.

Methods: 20 subjects (M:11, 28±6 years) were dichotomised into high and low CI. Forearm blood flow (FBF) was measured using strain gauge plethysmography at rest and during a word interference test (Stroop); before and after the infusion of the nNOS-specific inhibitor, S-methyl-l-citrulline (SMTC).

Results: Cardiac index was 2.88±0.7 versus 4.32±0.9 L/min/m² in the low and high groups, respectively. Mental stress induced a marked increase in FBF in subjects with high CI versus low CI, which was signficantly blunted after infusion of SMTC (P<0.05 for Two-way repeated measures ANOVA).

Figure 1:

FBF response to mental stress during saline or SMTC in subjects with low versus high CI

Conclusions: The vasodilatory response to mental stress is enhanced in individuals with elevated cardiac index and nNOS appears to play a key role in this response. This may be a protective response in individuals in whom sympathetic activity may be high.

Open Access

This is an open access article distributed under the CC BY-NC license.

TY  - JOUR
AU  - Jessica Middlemiss
AU  - Sarah Evans
AU  - Joseph Cheriyan
AU  - Lucy Yang
AU  - Ian Wilkinson
AU  - Carmel McEniery
PY  - 2016
DA  - 2016/11/24
TI  - 12.6 THE ROLE OF NEURONAL NITRIC OXIDE SYNTHASE IN YOUNG ADULTS
JO  - Artery Research
SP  - 78
EP  - 78
VL  - 16
IS  - C
SN  - 1876-4401
UR  - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.artres.2016.10.104
DO  - 10.1016/j.artres.2016.10.104
ID  - Middlemiss2016
ER  -