The effect of skin stimulation using vibration and a brush on parasympathetic nerve activity

2014 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 25650161
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Challenging Exploratory Research
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Research Field: Applied anthropology
• Research Institution: Kobe International University
• Principal Investigator: NAKAI Hisazumi 神戸国際大学, リハビリテーション学部, 准教授 (40172259)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): WATANABE Hitoshi 大阪市立大学, 都市健康・スポーツ研究センター (50167160) ; TAKADA Yougo 大阪市立大学, 工学研究科 (70295682) ; SEKI Kazutoshi 流通科学大学, サービス産業学部 (30552210) ; SHIMIZU Michele・Eisemann 甲南女子大学, 看護リハビリテーション学部 (60280195)
• Project Period (FY): 2013-04-01 – 2015-03-31
• Keywords: 微振動刺激 / 刷毛刺激 / 自律神経活動 / 副交感神経活動 / 呼吸位相 / 皮膚感覚受容器 / 遠心性出力

Outline of Final Research Achievements

The activity of the autonomic nervous system changes with the phase of respiration, and parasympathetic nerve activity is enhanced in the expiration phase. We developed equipment to perform vibration stimulation and brush stimulation of the skin surface. The purpose of this study was to determine autonomic nervous response by skin stimulation synchronized with the expiration phase of respiration. Seven healthy men participated in three experiments. Electrocardiography, instantaneous heart rate, skin blood flow and anteflexion in standing were measured. Autonomic nervous response was quantified using the heart rate variability power spectrum. Brush stimulation caused a significant decrease in heart rate and a significant increase in the low-frequency (0.04～0.15 Hz) component of the power spectrum and in anteflexion in standing. The brush stimulation of the skin surface increased parasympathetic nerve activity.

Free Research Field

運動生理学