Effects of inspiratory muscle metaboreflex on cerebral circulation at rest and during light-intensity exercise in healthy males.

Summary: When we breathe really hard, like during exercise, our breathing muscles get tired. When this happens, our body sends a signal to change how blood flows. This study looked at 12 healthy young men to see how this affects blood flow to the brain. The researchers found that when the breathing muscles work hard and get tired, the blood vessels going to the brain get a little tighter. This means slightly less blood flows to the brain when we are breathing very heavily, whether we are resting or doing light exercise.