The influence of aortic compliance on pulsatile cerebral blood flow in young healthy men: insight from endurance training intervention

Aortic compliance reflects the ability to buffer arterial pulsations generated by the left ventricle (LV) and attenuate pulsatile cerebral blood flow (CBF). Endurance training is associated with increased stroke volume (SV) and enhanced LV systolic function, potentially increasing arterial pulsations to the brain. This study investigated the contribution of aortic compliance to the heart-brain hemodynamic interaction, providing insights from endurance training intervention and lower body negative pressure (LBNP) stimulus. Ten male collegiate tennis players underwent an 8-mo endurance training program to improve cardiac function. SV and LV systolic functions were measured using echocardiography and applanation tonometry. Pulsatile cerebral blood velocity in the middle cerebral artery was assessed by transcranial Doppler. Aortic compliance was calculated as the ratio between estimated SV via Modelflow and aortic pulse pressure via transfer function from radial arterial pressure. The release of -30 mmHg LBNP was used to initiate a rapid recovery of limited venous return and consequent increases in SV and CBF to assess dynamic recovery slopes. Endurance training increased SV, LV systolic function, and aortic compliance at rest, whereas pulsatile CBF was unchanged. The recovery slopes of SV and aortic compliance were steeper after endurance training, whereas the slopes of pulsatile CBF remained similar. The change in the slope of aortic compliance was negatively correlated with the change in the slope of pulsatile CBF (<i>r</i> = -0.758, <i>P</i> = 0.011). These results suggest that improved aortic compliance after endurance training may accommodate increased SV and LV systolic function and buffer potential increases in arterial pulsations to the brain.<b>NEW & NOTEWORTHY</b> Eight months of progressive moderate-to-vigorous endurance training increased stroke volume (SV), left ventricular (LV) systolic performance, and aortic compliance, whereas pulsatile cerebral blood flow (CBF) remained unchanged in young, healthy men. The increase in aortic compliance was associated with decreased pulsatile CBF. These findings suggest that the improved aortic compliance after endurance training may offset the expected increases in pulsatile CBF induced by the increased SV and enhanced LV systolic function.