Cerebral and muscle oxygenation changes during static and dynamic knee extensions to voluntary fatigue in healthy men and women: a near infrared spectroscopy study

Summary The aim of the study was to examine the changes in cerebral and muscle blood volume (Cbv, Mbv) and oxygenation (Cox, Mox) during static and dynamic knee extensions to fatigue in men (N = 10; 29 ± 9 years) and women (N = 14; 27 ± 8 years). After assessment of 1 repetition maximum (1RM) during unilateral knee extensions with the dominant limb, each subject exercised at 50%, 75% and 100% of 1 RM in random order on separate occasions. Simultaneous changes in Cbv, Cox, Mbv and Mox from the contralateral prefrontal lobe and the dominant limb were measured by near infrared spectroscopy. During all three contractions, Cbv and Cox increased while Mbv and Mox decreased until fatigue in both genders. There were no signs of levelling off or decline in Cbv and Cox during any of these contractions, implying that there was no reduction in cerebral neuronal activation. Conversely, there was a rapid decline in Mbv and Mox during the early stages of the contractions, with a plateau or slight increase towards the end. The respective delta values at 50%, 75% and 100% of 1RM for Cbv (0·088 versus 0·062 versus 0·070), Cox (0·042 versus 0·033 versus 0·038), Mbv (−0·225 versus −0·198 versus −0·196), and Mox (−0·169 versus −0·146 versus −0·158) were not significantly different in the total group (N = 24). These findings suggest that fatigue during resistance exercise lasting up to 60 s is mediated peripherally because of reduced blood volume and oxygen availability and is independent of the type and intensity of muscle contraction and gender.