Dynamic exercise shifts the operating point and reduces the gain of the arterial baroreflex in rats

We tested the hypothesis that dynamic exercise resets the operating point and attenuates the gain of the arterial baroreflex regulation of heart rate (HR) in rats. Seven adult female spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) were chronically instrumented with left carotid arterial catheters. After the rats recovered, arterial baroreflex function was examined by recording reflex changes in HR in response to spontaneous changes in arterial pressure (AP) during a preexercise condition and during steady-state treadmill running at 6 and 18 m/min. Dynamic exercise at 6 and 18 m/min, respectively, reduced the spontaneous range (by 55 and 70%) and spontaneous gain (by 64 and 82%) of the arterial baroreflex control of HR. Dynamic exercise at 6 and 18 m/min, respectively, also increased the pressure at the midpoint of the spontaneous pressure range (by 7 and 12%), the spontaneous minimum HR response (by 35 and 59%), the HR at the midpoint of the spontaneous HR range (by 31 and 52%), and the spontaneous maximum HR response (by 27 and 46%). Sinoaortic denervation eliminated the relationship between AP and HR by reducing the spontaneous gain 95%. These results demonstrate that dynamic exercise shifted the operating point of the arterial baroreflex to a higher pressure and reduced the spontaneous gain in female SHR.