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Updated: Feb 17, 2026
06:40
Impact of Intracardiac Neurons on Cardiac Electrophysiology and Arrhythmogenesis in an Ex Vivo Langendorff System
Published on: May 22, 2018
11.2K
Increased Cerebral Blood Flow in the Anterior Cingulate Cortex and Plasma Noradrenaline Level During Cardiac
Hideaki Suzuki1, Shunsuke Tatebe1, Tomoki Irino1
1Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Tohoku University Graduate School of Medicine.
Summary
Cardiac electrical stimulation activates brain regions, including the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), and increases noradrenaline levels. The ACC appears to process cardiac signals, influencing autonomic arousal during pacing.
Area of Science:
- Neuroscience
- Cardiology
- Medical Imaging
Background:
- Chest symptoms like angina are common in cardiovascular disease.
- Limited research exists on brain processing of cardiac afferent information.
Purpose of the Study:
- Investigate brain activity changes during cardiac electrical stimulation.
- Identify brain regions involved in processing cardiac afferent signals.
Main Methods:
- 10 patients with pacemakers underwent brain H215O-PET scans.
- Scans were performed during sham and electrical stimulation pacing.
- Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) and plasma noradrenaline were measured.
Main Results:
- Electrical stimulation increased rCBF in the anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), posterior cingulate cortex, prefrontal cortex, thalamus, amygdala, and midbrain.
- ACC rCBF and plasma noradrenaline levels were significantly elevated during stimulation.
- A positive correlation was found between ACC rCBF and plasma noradrenaline.
Conclusions:
- Cardiac electrical stimulation enhances rCBF in the ACC and increases plasma noradrenaline.
- The ACC may serve as a central hub for processing cardiac afferent information.
- This processing contributes to autonomic arousal during cardiac pacing.
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