The distribution of blood flow in the carotid arteries during dynamic exercise with heat stress

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The mechanism underlying the relative decrease in cerebral blood flow (CBF) during exercise with hyperthermia remains unclear. We hypothesized that cerebral perfusion is limited during exercise with heat stress due to a redistribution of carotid artery blood flow (extracranial blood flow). To identify the distribution of blood flow among the arteries supplying the head and brain, we evaluated common carotid artery (CCA), internal carotid artery (ICA), external carotid artery (ECA) and vertebral artery (VA) blood flow during dynamic exercise with and without heat stress using Doppler ultrasound. Our results suggest that during exercise with and without heat stress the decrease in CBF is partly due to a large increase in ECA blood flow, which is selectively increased to prioritize thermoregulation.