The relationships between age, sex, and exercise intensity on cerebral artery hemodynamics during isometric handgrip exercise

Age and sex may alter the cerebral blood flow (CBF) responses to acute isometric exercise, via associated elevations in mean arterial pressure (MAP) and sympathetic activation. Our aim was to determine the relationships between age, sex, and exercise intensity on cerebrovascular responses to isometric handgrip exercise. In 78 healthy adults (18-80 yr, <i>n</i> = 42 females), cerebrovascular responses were assessed during 2-min isometric exercise bouts at three intensities [15, 30, 45% maximal voluntary contraction (MVC)]. Intracranial responses of the middle cerebral artery (MCA) and posterior cerebral artery (PCA) velocity (<i>v</i>) were measured using transcranial Doppler ultrasound. Extracranial responses of the internal carotid artery (ICA) and vertebral artery (VA) were assessed using Duplex ultrasound. Cardiopulmonary hemodynamic and neural parameters were measured throughout, including muscle sympathetic nerve activity, end-tidal carbon dioxide, and MAP. There were significant positive relationships between exercise intensity and the cerebral responses of the MCAv (<i>P</i> < 0.001) and PCAv (<i>P</i> = 0.005). There were no effects of intensity on ICA and VA responses (<i>P</i> > 0.05), despite intensity-dependent increases in MAP (<i>P</i> < 0.001). The increased MCAv response to exercise was blunted with advancing age (<i>P</i> = 0.01) with no influence of sex (<i>P</i> = 0.86). The present study provides data on age, sex, and intensity-specific relationships with intracranial and extracranial cerebrovascular responses to isometric exercise. Despite similar ICA, VA, and PCA responses, MCAv responses were attenuated with advancing age during handgrip exercise with no sex-dependent influence. Furthermore, intracranial responses were intensity dependent, whereas extracranial blood flow, shear-stress, and velocity responses were similarly increased at all intensities during handgrip exercise.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> The influence of aging and sex on cerebral blood flow responses to isometric exercise are unknown. We observed intensity-dependent increases in velocity of the intracranial arteries, whereas the extracranial artery responses were similarly increased at all intensities during handgrip exercise in young and older individuals. Furthermore, we observed a blunted middle cerebral artery velocity response to handgrip exercise with advancing age, whereas the posterior circulation and extracranial responses were preserved across the lifespan in healthy individuals in males and females alike.