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Gentilin A, Cevese A, Schena F, Tarperi C. Mental stress augments central artery stiffness in young individuals of both sexes. Biol Psychol 2023; 178:108513. [PMID: 36738821 DOI: 10.1016/j.biopsycho.2023.108513] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 07/20/2022] [Revised: 01/30/2023] [Accepted: 01/31/2023] [Indexed: 02/05/2023]
Abstract
Mental stress is a daily stimulus that can acutely activate the sympathetic nervous system. Whether sympathetic stimulation can augment central artery stiffness (CAS) has not yet been well documented. Moreover, sex differences in sympathetic neurovascular transduction have been reported. We assessed whether mental stress augments CAS in both sexes and whether any CAS increase is blunted in women compared with men. The hf-PWV (heart-femoral pulse wave velocity; index of CAS), MAP (mean arterial pressure), PP (pulse pressure), TPR (total peripheral resistance), and HR (heart rate) were measured in 26 young individuals (13 men, 13 women) at rest and throughout a 10-minute bout of stress induced by mental arithmetic. Data over the mental stress period were compared to the preceding baseline values and between sexes. Mental stress increased hf-PWV, MAP, PP, and HR from baseline throughout the entire stimulation period (p < .005). TPR diminished in the first minute of stimulation (p < .001) in both sexes and increased in the last minutes in women only (p < .005). Hf-PWV was lower in women than men (p < .001) at rest and during mental stress, but the changes from baseline were similar in both sexes. There were sex differences in the PP and TPR changes, which were evident at different times of stimulation. Mental stress increased CAS in both sexes throughout the stimulation period. Although values of CAS were lower in women both at rest and during mental stress, the CAS increase due to mental stress was similar in both sexes.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Gentilin
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Italian Institute for Cardiovascular Research (INRC), Bologna, Italy.
| | - Antonio Cevese
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Italian Institute for Cardiovascular Research (INRC), Bologna, Italy
| | - Federico Schena
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy; Italian Institute for Cardiovascular Research (INRC), Bologna, Italy
| | - Cantor Tarperi
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
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Gentilin A, Moghetti P, Cevese A, Mattioli AV, Schena F, Tarperi C. Circadian and sex differences in carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity in young individuals and elderly with and without type 2 diabetes. Front Cardiovasc Med 2022; 9:952621. [PMID: 36158808 PMCID: PMC9492945 DOI: 10.3389/fcvm.2022.952621] [Citation(s) in RCA: 6] [Impact Index Per Article: 3.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/25/2022] [Accepted: 08/12/2022] [Indexed: 11/13/2022] Open
Abstract
The incidence of cardiovascular events is higher in the morning than in the evening and differs between sexes. We tested the hypothesis that aortic stiffness, a compelling cardiovascular risk factor, increases in the morning than in the evening in young, healthy individuals between 18 and 30 years (H18–30) or in older individuals between 50 and 80 years, either healthy (H50–80) or with type 2 diabetes (T2DM50–80). Sex differences were also investigated. Carotid-femoral pulse wave velocity (cf-PWV) recorded via Doppler Ultrasound, blood pressure and heart rate were checked at 6 a.m. and 9 p.m., at rest and during acute sympathetic activation triggered by handgrip exercise. Cf-PWV values were lower in the morning compared to the evening in all groups (p < 0.01) at rest and lower (p = 0.008) in H18–30 but similar (p > 0.267) in the older groups during sympathetic activation. At rest, cf-PWV values were lower in young women compared to young men (p = 0.001); however, this trend was reversed in the older groups (p < 0.04). During sympathetic activation, the cf-PWV was lower in women in H18–30 (p = 0.001), similar between sexes in H50–80 (p = 0.122), and higher in women in T2DM50–80 (p = 0.004). These data do not support the hypothesis that aortic stiffness increases in the morning compared to the evening within any of the considered groups in both rest and sympathetic activation conditions. There are differences between the sexes, which vary according to age and diabetes status. In particular, aortic stiffness is higher in older women than in men with diabetes during acute stress.
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Affiliation(s)
- Alessandro Gentilin
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Italian Institute for Cardiovascular Research (INRC), Bologna, Italy
- *Correspondence: Alessandro Gentilin
| | - Paolo Moghetti
- Section of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, Department of Medicine, University of Verona and Azienda Ospedaliera Universitaria Integrata Verona, Verona, Italy
| | - Antonio Cevese
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Italian Institute for Cardiovascular Research (INRC), Bologna, Italy
| | - Anna Vittoria Mattioli
- Italian Institute for Cardiovascular Research (INRC), Bologna, Italy
- Surgical, Medical and Dental Department of Morphological Sciences Related to Transplant, Oncology and Regenerative Medicine, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy
| | - Federico Schena
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Italian Institute for Cardiovascular Research (INRC), Bologna, Italy
| | - Cantor Tarperi
- Department of Neuroscience, Biomedicine, and Movement Sciences, University of Verona, Verona, Italy
- Department of Clinical and Biological Sciences, University of Turin, Turin, Italy
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