RHYTHMICAL CHANGES OF THE CUTANEOUS BLOOD-FLOW IN THE FOREHEAD REGIONUNDER THE CONDITION OF HYPNOID RELAXATION

Background: A characteristic and stable blood flow rhythm can be detec ted for the skin of the forehead and ear lobes with frequencies of app rox. 0.15 Hz (9/min), which were primarily not related to the respirat ory rhythm. Patients and methods. The perfusion of the skin in the for ehead region was investigated non-invasively with laser Doppler fluxme try in ten healthy subjects before and during Hypnoid Relaxation (HyR) . The HyR-state was induced by suggesting formulas regarding to the we ll known Autgeneous Training. Results: In all test subjects rhythmical fluctuations of bloodflow with a frequency of approx. 0.15 Hz could b e observed both, before and during HyR. We found that the amplitude of these fluctuations clearly (> 20% from individual baseline) increased in five often test. subjects under the condition of HyR. Furthermore, in three often cases the spontaneous respiration under HyR adjusted t o the frequency of the described bloodflow rhythm, which exists both, before and during HyR. Conclusions: These phenomena suggest an individ ually stabil and autonomous rhythm which is effected by alterations in the level of conciousness and which may be caused by the close linkag e between the nerval structures for control of respiratory and circula tory systems. May be, this autonomic rhythm could be used as a trigger for breathing therapies or as a parameter for the impact of relaxatio n techniques on hemodynamics, e..g. in complementary therapy of vascul ar diseases like systemic sclerosis.