2020 Volume 57 Issue 3 Pages 184-191
The responses of blood pressure to stroking stimulation of the back were compared under the conditions of elevated blood pressure and normal blood pressure. The elevated blood pressure was achieved by the immersion of one hand in cold water. The subjects immersed their right hand up to the wrist level in 8-10°C water (cold immersion) or 30-32°C water (control immersion) for 3 min. Blood pressure was recorded using an automated sphygmomanometer. Stroking stimulation was manually applied to the back for 2 min at a frequency of 1 Hz, 1 min after the onset of cold or control immersion. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressures were elevated during the 3 min of cold immersion, and the elevation was significantly attenuated by the stroking stimulation. The control immersion had no effect on the systolic or diastolic blood pressure, but the diastolic (not systolic) blood pressure was significantly decreased by stroking stimulation. The present study shows that stroking stimulation lowers blood pressure, and that the effects are larger under the condition of elevated blood pressure. These results suggest that stroking stimulation is useful for normalizing the pressor responses.
