Neurovascular coupling and cerebrovascular hemodynamics are modified by exercise training status at different stages of maturation during youth

Talbot, Jack S. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0234-1426, Perkins, Dean R. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9044-8508, Dawkins, Tony G. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-5203-135X, Douglas, Andrew J. M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-2965-6081, Griffiths, Thomas D. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3104-4332, Richards, Cory T ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3605-7044, Owen, Kerry, Lord, Rachel N. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5385-7548, Pugh, Christopher J. A. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-5932-4793, Oliver, Jon L., Lloyd, Rhodri S., Ainslie, Philip N., McManus, Ali M. ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7817-230X and Stembridge, Mike ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0818-6420 (2023) Neurovascular coupling and cerebrovascular hemodynamics are modified by exercise training status at different stages of maturation during youth. American Journal of Physiology-Heart and Circulatory Physiology, 325 (3). H510-H521. doi:10.1152/ajpheart.00302.2023

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Abstract

Neurovascular coupling (NVC) is mediated via nitric oxide signaling, which is independently influenced by sex hormones and exercise training. Whether exercise training differentially modifies NVC pre- versus postpuberty, where levels of circulating sex hormones will differ greatly within and between sexes, remains to be determined. Therefore, we investigated the influence of exercise training status on resting intracranial hemodynamics and NVC at different stages of maturation. Posterior and middle cerebral artery velocities (PCA v and MCA v ) and pulsatility index (PCA PI and MCA PI ) were assessed via transcranial Doppler ultrasound at rest and during visual NVC stimuli. N = 121 exercise-trained (males, n = 32; females, n = 32) and untrained (males, n = 28; females, n = 29) participants were characterized as pre (males, n = 33; females, n = 29)- or post (males, n = 27; females, n = 32)-peak height velocity (PHV). Exercise-trained youth demonstrated higher resting MCA v ( P = 0.010). Maturity and training status did not affect the ΔPCA v and ΔMCA v during NVC. However, pre-PHV untrained males (19.4 ± 13.5 vs. 6.8 ± 6.0%; P ≤ 0.001) and females (19.3 ± 10.8 vs. 6.4 ± 7.1%; P ≤ 0.001) had a higher ΔPCA PI during NVC than post-PHV untrained counterparts, whereas the ΔPCA PI was similar in pre- and post-PHV trained youth. Pre-PHV untrained males (19.4 ± 13.5 vs. 7.9 ± 6.0%; P ≤ 0.001) and females (19.3 ± 10.8 vs. 11.1 ± 7.3%; P = 0.016) also had a larger ΔPCA PI than their pre-PHV trained counterparts during NVC, but the ΔPCA PI was similar in trained and untrained post-PHV youth. Collectively, our data indicate that exercise training elevates regional cerebral blood velocities during youth, but training-mediated adaptations in NVC are only attainable during early stages of adolescence. Therefore, childhood provides a unique opportunity for exercise-mediated adaptations in NVC. NEW & NOTEWORTHY We report that the change in cerebral blood velocity during a neurovascular coupling task (NVC) is similar in pre- and postpubertal youth, regardless of exercise-training status. However, prepubertal untrained youth demonstrated a greater increase in cerebral blood pulsatility during the NVC task when compared with their trained counterparts. Our findings highlight that childhood represents a unique opportunity for exercise-mediated adaptations in cerebrovascular hemodynamics during NVC, which may confer long-term benefits in cerebrovascular function.

Item Type:	Article
Article Type:	Article
Uncontrolled Keywords:	adolescence; exercise; neurovascular coupling
Subjects:	Q Science > QP Physiology
Divisions:	Schools and Research Institutes > School of Education, Health and Sciences
Depositing User:	Cory Richards
Date Deposited:	17 Nov 2025 15:37
Last Modified:	17 Nov 2025 16:00
URI:	https://eprints.glos.ac.uk/id/eprint/15540

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