Reactivity of the conjunctival microcirculatory bed in students from various regions of the world as an indicator of adaptation of the organism

Microcirculatory vessels of the eyeball conjunctiva were examined during exercise in students from Asia, Africa, and Latin America. The reactivity of microvessels was found to be increased at the early stages of adaptation, which indicates a high-level compensatory potential of the organism. An appreciable reduction of microvessel reactivity after 1 to 2 years of university studies indicates a decrease of the compensatory potential in this period of adaptation. After 4-5 years of studies the reactivity of the microvessels is virtually the same in foreign and Russian students, this indicating the formation of a stable phase of adaptation. © 1995 Plenum Publishing Corporation.