Local metabolite accumulation augments passive muscle stretch-induced modulation of carotid–cardiac but not carotid–vasomotor baroreflex sensitivity in man

We examined the effects of muscle mechanoreflex stimulation by passive calf muscle stretch, at rest and during concurrent muscle metaboreflex activation, on carotid baroreflex (CBR) sensitivity. Twelve subjects either performed 1.5 min one-legged isometric plantarflexion at 50% maximal voluntary contraction with their right or left calf two ischaemic exercise (IE) trials, IER and IEL] or rested for 1.5 min two ischaemic control (IC) trials, ICR and ICL]. Following exercise, blood pressure elevation was partly maintained by local circulatory occlusion (CO). 3.5 min of CO was followed by 3 min of CO with passive stretch (STR-CO) of the right calf in all trials. Carotid baroreflex function was assessed using rapid pulses of neck pressure from +40 to ?80 mmHg. In all IC trials, stretch did not alter maximal gain of carotid–cardiac (CBR–HR) and carotid–vasomotor (CBR–MAP) baroreflex function curves. The CBR–HR curve was reset without change in maximal gain during STR-CO in the IEL trial. However, during the IER trial maximal gain of the CBR–HR curve was smaller than in all other trials (?0.34 ± 0.04 beats min^?1 mmHg^?1 in IER versus ?0.76 ± 0.20, ?0.94 ± 0.14 and ?0.66 ± 0.18 beats min^?1 mmHg^?1 in ICR, IEL and ICL, respectively), and significantly smaller than in IEL ( P < 0.05). The CBR–MAP curves were reset from CO values by STR-CO in the IEL and IER trials with no changes in maximal gain. These results suggest that metabolite sensitization of stretch-sensitive muscle mechanoreceptive afferents modulates baroreflex control of heart rate but not blood pressure.