[Stress and blood circulation in man]

Abstract

This paper presents the results of studying stress effects on the heart, systemic circulation and cerebral circulation by various methods (ECG, Doppler technique, isotopes, etc). Patterns of circulation changes in response to mental stresses have been identified and variations in circulation regulation as a function of stress enhancement have been revealed. Cerebral circulation changes produced by heavy mental work under stressful conditions are described (increase of blood flow velocity in carotid arteries and of tone of cerebral arteries of large and medium caliber, change in reactivity of anastomoses between branches of the internal and external carotid arteries, patterns of increase and decrease of blood flow in the gray matter of the brain cortex). During prolonged bed rest the type of stressor changes in blood circulation becomes modified and susceptibility to hypertensive states developed. In the course of stressor reactions circulation parameters vary substantially. In this situation changes in systemic circulation are closely related to emotional responses and those in cerebral circulation--to adaptive processes supporting mental activities.