Major Autonomic Neuroregulatory Pathways Underlying Short- and Long-Term Control of Cardiovascular Function

Short-term and long-term blood pressure (BP) regulation and its maintenance at levels adequate to perfuse tissue organs involve an integrated action of multiple neural, cardiovascular, renal, endocrine and local tissue control systems. In the recent year, there has been a growing interest in the understanding of neural pathways key to BP control. For instance, through major advances in studies using both anesthetized and conscious animals, our knowledge of the essential neural mechanisms that subserve the baroreceptor, cardiopulmonary and chemoreceptor reflexes, and those evoked by the activation of stress pathways has dramatically increased. While the importance of these neural pathways in the maintenance of cardiovascular homeostasis is well established, the recognition of the central processing nuclei that integrate various afferent inputs to produce synchronous adjustments of autonomic outflows is still progressively expanding. Based on the literature provided thus far, the present review provides an overview in relation to the important neural determinants of BP control and later offers a concise description of major neuronal pathways that control autonomic outflows to the cardiovascular system in the short and long term.