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Updated: Jul 17, 2026

Measuring Cardiac Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) Activity in Children
Published on: April 29, 2013
Methods to quantify sympathetic cardiovascular influences
G Mancia1, A Daffonchio, M Di Rienzo
1Università di Milano, Ospedale S. Gerardo dei Tintori, Monza, Italy.
Abstract:
This paper will critically review the main features of the various techniques (plasma noradrenaline assay, noradrenaline spillover technique, microneurographic recording of postganglionic muscle sympathetic nerve and power spectral analysis of blood pressure and heart rate signals in specific bands) currently employed to assess sympathetic cardiovascular control in humans. After highlighting the advantages and limitations of each approach, the paper will describe some of the results obtained by employing the above mentioned techniques to detect abnormalities in sympathetic cardiovascular tone in physiological and pathological conditions.
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