Blood pressure response to real and imaginary movements

Abstract

An interest in imaginary movements is associated with their use in brain-computer interfaces and rehabilitation. The obtained evidence shows that the same brain regions are involved in the organization of a real and imaginary motor act. Autonomic reactions of the body that accompany the real movement occur before the movement starts and do not immediately diminish after the movement ends. We investigated and compared the responses of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) to real and imaginary movements. The study involved 20 subjects aged 35 to 45. On the first day they did real squats at a fast pace (n = 23), the next day they did imaginary squats. Before real and imaginary squats, BP and HR was measured. Measurements were repeated immediately after and 5 min after the end of real/imaginary squats. HR showed an upward trend after imaginary squats. A significant increase in systolic pressure (SP) by 5 mm Hg was obtained immediately after the imaginary movements; SP increase was less than the increase after real squats and amounted to 17 mm Hg. Pressure significantly decreased 5 min after imaginary movements by 4 mm Hg relative to initial SP. There was no such effect after real squats. The analysis of the dependence of changes in SP after real movements and the initial SP revealed a significant negative correlation (r = –0.35 and r = –0.81 immediately after and 5 min after squats, respectively) and no dependence after imaginary movements. Thus, the autonomic system reacts to imaginary movements, however, real and mentally performed movements activate different physiological processes.