Biomedical engineering in heart-brain medicine: a review

New reports have emerged exploring the use of electrical stimulation of peripheral nerves in patients for the treatment of depression, heart failure, and hypertension. Abolishing renal sympathetic nerve activity in resistant hypertension has also been described. Since nerve bundles carry a variety of signals to multiple organs, it is necessary to develop technologies to stimulate or block targeted nerve fibers selectively. Mathematical modeling is a major tool for such development. Purposeful modeling is also needed to quantitatively characterize complex heart-brain interactions, allowing an improved understanding of physiological and clinical measurements. Automated control of therapeutic devices is a possible eventual outcome.