Related Experiment Video
Updated: Oct 20, 2025
09:56
Implantation of Combined Telemetric ECG and Blood Pressure Transmitters to Determine Spontaneous Baroreflex Sensitivity in Conscious Mice
Published on: February 14, 2021
5.4K
Oscillatory Pattern of Sympathetic Nerve Bursts Is Associated With Baroreflex Function in Heart Failure Patients With
Edgar Toschi-Dias1,2,3, Nicola Montano2,3, Eleonora Tobaldini2,3
1Instituto do Coração (InCor), Hospital das Clinicas HCFMUSP, Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade de São Paulo, São Paulo, Brazil.
Frontiers in Neuroscience
|September 17, 2021
Summary
The study found that a lower ratio of low-frequency to high-frequency muscle sympathetic nerve activity (LFMSNA/HFMSNA) is linked to worse baroreflex function and lower ejection fraction in heart failure patients. This suggests LFMSNA/HFMSNA may indicate disease severity.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Physiology
- Autonomic Nervous System Regulation
- Heart Failure Pathophysiology
Background:
- Heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF) is characterized by sympathetic hyperactivation and baroreflex dysfunction.
- The relationship between the progressive loss of phasic sympathetic nerve activity and baroreflex dysfunction in HFrEF remains unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the association between the oscillatory pattern of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (LFMSNA/HFMSNA) and sympathetic baroreflex function (gain and coupling) in HFrEF patients.
- To explore the clinical implications of this association for heart failure severity.
Main Methods:
- 139 HFrEF patients were divided into lower and higher LFMSNA/HFMSNA groups.
- Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), heart rate (ECG), and arterial pressure were recorded at rest.
- Spectral and cross-spectral analyses were used to assess LFMSNA/HFMSNA and sympathetic baroreflex function.
Main Results:
- HFrEF patients with lower LFMSNA/HFMSNA exhibited reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, baroreflex gain, and coupling.
- These patients also showed increased muscle sympathetic nerve activity and heart rate compared to the higher LFMSNA/HFMSNA group.
- A significant positive association was found between LFMSNA/HFMSNA and baroreflex coupling (R=0.56, P<0.001) and left ventricular ejection fraction (R=0.23, P=0.02).
Conclusions:
- A direct association exists between LFMSNA/HFMSNA, sympathetic baroreflex function, and muscle sympathetic nerve activity in HFrEF.
- Lower LFMSNA/HFMSNA is linked to impaired baroreflex function and reduced left ventricular ejection fraction, suggesting it as a potential marker for heart failure severity.
Keywords:
baroreflex controlcardiovascular variabilitiesheart failureoscillatory patternsympathetic nervous systemMore Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:29Heart Failure II: Pathophysiology
105
Systolic Heart Failure and Compensatory MechanismsSystolic heart failure (also termed HFrEF, Heart Failure with Reduced Ejection Fraction) is the most prevalent type of heart filure. It results in a decreased volume of blood being pumped from the ventricle. The aortic arch and carotid sinuses have baroreceptors that detect reduced blood pressure, triggering the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) to release epinephrine and norepinephrine. Initially, this response aims to boost heart rate and...
105
01:17Pathophysiology of Heart Failure
2.0K
Heart failure (HF) is a progressive syndrome involving ventricles that leads to inadequate cardiac output. It can be classified based on location and output or ejection fraction. Ejection fraction (EF) is an essential measurement in the diagnosis and surveillance of HF. Reduced EF corresponds to systolic heart failure (HFrEF). However, HF with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF) is becoming increasingly prevalent. Also known as diastolic HF, this form of HF is related to aging. The...
2.0K
01:22Heart Failure Drugs: β-Blockers
492
β-adrenergic antagonists, commonly known as β-blockers, block the effects of sympathetic neurotransmitters such as noradrenaline (NA) and adrenaline (ADR). They have several beneficial effects in heart failure treatment. They reduce heart rate, the force of contraction, and cardiac muscle relaxation. They also slow the atrial-ventricular conduction rate and raise the threshold for arrhythmias. The concentration of β-blockers determines their effects on bronchodilation,...
492
01:26Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System
578
The activation of the sympathetic nervous system and the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) contributes to cardiac remodeling, and inhibiting the RAAS is a pharmacological target in heart failure management. As a result, neurohumoral modulation is a crucial treatment principle for managing heart failure. This approach involves using medications like ACE inhibitors (ACEIs), angiotensin receptor blockers (ARBs), β-blockers, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRAs), and neutral...
578
01:18Neural Regulation of Blood Pressure
5.6K
The neural regulation of blood pressure involves intricate interactions between the autonomic nervous system (ANS) and cardiovascular system, ensuring adequate perfusion of tissues. This regulation primarily occurs through baroreceptor and chemoreceptor reflexes, involving both short-term and long-term mechanisms.
Baroreceptor Reflex
Baroreceptors, located in the carotid sinuses and aortic arch, detect changes in blood pressure. When blood pressure rises, these stretch-sensitive receptors...
Baroreceptor Reflex
Baroreceptors, located in the carotid sinuses and aortic arch, detect changes in blood pressure. When blood pressure rises, these stretch-sensitive receptors...
5.6K
01:26Heart Failure III: Clinical Manifestations
92
Heart failure (HF) manifests primarily as dyspnea, fatigue, and fluid retention, resulting in peripheral and pulmonary edema. Symptoms may vary depending on which ventricle is more affected, left or right.Left-Sided Heart FailureAlso known as left ventricular failure, this condition results from the left ventricle's inability to fill or eject sufficient blood into the systemic circulation. It leads to pulmonary congestion, which occurs when the left ventricle fails to eject blood effectively...
92