EFFECT OF REGULAR AEROBIC EXERCISE ON CEREBROVASCULAR TONE IN YOUNG-WOMEN

Our objective was to evaluate the effect of regular aerobic exercise o n cerebrovascular tone in young women. Color and pulsed Doppler ultras onography were used to determine the pulsatility index in the ophthalm ic artery in 20 normotensive, nonpregnant young women (aged 19 to 26 y ears) with a regular menstrual cycle on cycle day 5. Blood pressure an d heart rate were recorded at each examination. Blood samples were col lected from all the subjects to measure serum estradiol levels and ser um lipid profiles. Ten of the 20 women (exercise group) have maintaine d aerobic exercise for 50 min, 3 to 5 days a week, for at least a year . The other 10 women (nonexercise group) never did regular exercise. T here were no significant differences between the two groups regarding age, body mass index, mean blood pressure, and heart rate and serum es tradiol, total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, low- density lipoprotein cholesterol, and triglyceride levels. The pulsatil ity index value (mean, 1.89; standard deviation, 0.33) of the ophthalm ic artery in the exercise group was significantly lower than that (mea n, 2.53, standard deviation, 0.26) in the nonexercise group. Regular a erobic exercise in young women significantly decreases the peripheral cerebrovascular tone, and this might be a:favorable adaptation for ear ly prevention of cerebrovascular disease, which is common in older wom en.