Muscle metaboreflex control of the circulation during exercise

Abstract

This review covers the control of blood pressure, cardiac output and muscle blood flow by the muscle metaboreflex which involves chemically sensitive nerves located in muscle parenchyma activated by metabolites accumulating in the muscle during contraction. The efferent response to metaboreflex activation is an increase in sympathetic nerve activity that constricts the systemic vasculature and also evokes parallel inotropic and chronotropic effects on the heart to increase cardiac output. The metaboreflex elicits a significant blood pressure elevating response during exercise and functions to redistribute blood flow and blood volume. Regional specificity in the efferent response to the metaboreflex activated from either the leg or the arm is seen in the balance between signals for vasoconstriction to curtail blood flow and signals to increase cardiac output. The metaboreflex has dual functions. It can both elevate and decrease muscle blood flow depending on (1) the intensity and mode of contraction, (2) the limb in which the reflex is evoked, (3) the strength of the signal defined by the muscle mass, (4) the extent to which blood flow is redistributed from inactive vascular beds to increase central blood volume and (5) the extent to which cardiac output can be increased.