Cardiovascular sensory receptors and their regulatory mechanisms

The role of cardiovascular receptors in the neural regulation of circulatory system is now well established. Atrial type B receptors located in the two atria and veno-atrial junctions, which are stimulated by atrial filling are believed to play an important role in the regulation of body fluid volume and heart rate. Heart rate is influenced also by other sensory receptors e.g. arterial baroreceptors, ventricular receptors, pulmonary stretch receptors and chemoreceptors. Of all these visceral receptors, arterial baroreceptors located mainly in the aortic arch and the carotid sinus region are stimulated by intravascular pressure; play a major role in the regulation of blood pressure by changes in heart rate and vascular tone. The vascular tone is also affected by the circulatory levels of various neurotransmitters and hormones. Vasodilatory response to adenosine and acetylcholine is partly mediated through endothelium-derived relaxing factors (EDRF), hyperpolarizing factors (EDHF) and contracting factors (EDCF). The endothelium-dependent mechanisms are altered during hypertension and diabetes. The autonomic control of blood pressure is primarily through arterial baroreceptors. The sensitivity of the baroreceptor heart rate reflex is significantly attenuated on occlusion of left anterior descending coronary artery (LAD) of anaesthetised dogs taken as an experimental model of coronary insufficiency in-patients of coronary heart disease. The fall in the sensitivity of baroreflex on LAD occlusion is mediated primarily by sympathetic limb of the autonomic nervous system. Acute fall in hemoglobin level by hemodilution in dogs produced an increase in cardiac output by increasing the heart rate through inhibition of parasympathetic tone. After parasympathetic blockade the increase in cardiac output on fall in hemoglobin was due to a rise in the stroke volume. Acute fall in hemoglobin level attenuated the baroreflex response. Sustained changes in blood pressure cause resetting of baroreflex i.e. increase in arterial pressure involves reduced activity of baroreceptors at equivalent pressure and vascular stretch. Like in acute hypoxia the altered responsiveness of baroreceptor heart rate reflex during oxygen deficiency due to acute occlusion of LAD or acute normovolemic hemodilution may involve both peripheral and central components and possibility of modulation by circulating hormones also exists.