Induced respiratory variability in arterial blood pressure lowers cerebral blood flow in healthy humans

In this study we examined the effect of respiratory oscillations in arterial blood pressure and cardiac output, induced by oscillatory lower body negative pressure, on cerebral blood flow in healthy humans. We found that respiratory oscillations in arterial blood pressure and cardiac output lowered the median cerebral blood flow. In addition, as oscillations in cerebral blood flow increased during oscillatory lower body negative pressure, we conclude that respiratory oscillations in arterial blood pressure and cardiac output are transferred to the cerebral circulation. Induced respiratory oscillations in arterial blood pressure and in flow therefore lower cerebral blood flow in healthy humans.