Basis for the cardiac-related rhythm in muscle sympathetic nerve activity of humans

2003 ◽  
Vol 284 (2) ◽  
pp. H584-H597 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan M. Barman ◽  
Paul J. Fadel ◽  
Wanpen Vongpatanasin ◽  
Ronald G. Victor ◽  
Gerard L. Gebber
Keyword(s):  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Nonlinear Oscillator ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Cyclic Change ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Random Activity ◽  
Burst Amplitude ◽  
Central Oscillator

We tested the hypothesis that the cardiac-related rhythm in muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) of humans reflects entrainment of a central oscillator by pulse-synchronous baroreceptor nerve activity. Partial autospectral analysis was used to mathematically remove the portion of cardiac-related power in MSNA autospectra that was attributable to its linear relationship to the ECG. In 54 of 98 cases, ≥15% of cardiac-related power remained after partialization with the ECG; peak residual cardiac-related power was often at a frequency different than heart rate. When assessed on a cardiac-related burst-by-burst basis, there was a progressive and cyclic change in the ECG-MSNA interval (delay from R wave to peak of cardiac-related burst) on the time scale of respiration in four subjects. In these subjects, as well as in some in which the interval appeared to change randomly, there was an inverse relationship between the ECG-MSNA interval and cardiac-related burst amplitude. However, in 45% of the cases, these parameters were not related. These results support the view that the cardiac-related rhythm in MSNA reflects forcing of a nonlinear oscillator rather than periodic inhibition of unstructured, random activity.

scholarly journals Relative burst amplitude of muscle sympathetic nerve activity is an indicator of altered sympathetic outflow in chronic anxiety

2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth W. Holwerda ◽  
Rachel E. Luehrs ◽  
Allene L. Gremaud ◽  
Nealy A. Wooldridge ◽  
Amy K. Stroud ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Mental Stress ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Acute Stress ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Sympathetic Outflow ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Burst Amplitude ◽  
Chronic Anxiety

Relative burst amplitude of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) is an indicator of augmented sympathetic outflow and contributes to greater vasoconstrictor responses. Evidence suggests anxiety-induced augmentation of relative MSNA burst amplitude in patients with panic disorder; thus we hypothesized that acute stress would result in augmented relative MSNA burst amplitude and vasoconstriction in individuals with chronic anxiety. Eighteen participants with chronic anxiety (ANX; 8 men, 10 women, 32 ± 2 yr) and 18 healthy control subjects with low or no anxiety (CON; 8 men, 10 women, 39 ± 3 yr) were studied. Baseline MSNA and 24-h blood pressure were similar between ANX and CON ( P > 0.05); however, nocturnal systolic blood pressure % dipping was blunted among ANX ( P = 0.02). Relative MSNA burst amplitude was significantly greater among ANX compared with CON immediately preceding (anticipation) and during physiological stress [2-min cold pressor test; ANX: 73 ± 5 vs. CON: 59 ± 3% arbitrary units (AU), P = 0.03] and mental stress (4-min mental arithmetic; ANX: 65 ± 3 vs. CON: 54 ± 3% AU, P = 0.02). Increases in MSNA burst frequency, incidence, and total activity in response to stress were not augmented among ANX compared with CON ( P > 0.05), and reduction in brachial artery conductance during cold stress was similar between ANX and CON ( P = 0.92). Relative MSNA burst amplitude during mental stress was strongly correlated with state ( P < 0.01) and trait ( P = 0.01) anxiety (State-Trait Anxiety Inventory), independent of age, sex, and body mass index. Thus in response to acute stress, both mental and physiological, individuals with chronic anxiety demonstrate selective augmentation in relative MSNA burst amplitude, indicating enhanced sympathetic drive in a population with higher risk for cardiovascular disease. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Relative burst amplitude of muscle sympathetic nerve activity in response to acute mental and physiological stress is selectively augmented in individuals with chronic anxiety, which is a prevalent condition that is associated with the development of cardiovascular disease. Augmented sympathetic burst amplitude occurs with chronic anxiety in the absence of common comorbidities. These findings provide important insight into the relation between anxiety, acute stress and sympathetic activation.

scholarly journals Effects of dynamic arm and leg exercise on muscle sympathetic nerve activity and vascular conductance in the inactive leg

2019 ◽  
Vol 127 (2) ◽  
pp. 464-472
Author(s):  
Connor J. Doherty ◽  
Trevor J. King ◽  
Anthony V. Incognito ◽  
Jordan B. Lee ◽  
Andrew D. Shepherd ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Muscle Mass ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Burst Frequency ◽  
Vascular Conductance ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Burst Amplitude ◽  
Leg Cycling ◽  
Concurrent Exercise

The influence of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) responses on local vascular conductance during exercise are not well established. Variations in exercise mode and active muscle mass can produce divergent MSNA responses. Therefore, we sought to examine the effects of small- versus large-muscle mass dynamic exercise on vascular conductance and MSNA responses in the inactive limb. Thirty-five participants completed two study visits in a randomized order. During visit 1, superficial femoral artery (SFA) blood flow (Doppler ultrasound) was assessed at rest and during steady-state rhythmic handgrip (RHG; 1:1 duty cycle, 40% maximal voluntary contraction), one-leg cycling (17 ± 3% peak power output), and concurrent exercise at the same intensities. During visit 2, MSNA (contralateral fibular nerve microneurography) was acquired successfully in 12/35 participants during the same exercise modes. SFA blood flow increased during RHG ( P < 0.0001) and concurrent exercise ( P = 0.03) but not cycling ( P = 0.91). SFA vascular conductance was unchanged during RHG ( P = 0.88) but reduced similarly during concurrent and cycling exercise (both P < 0.003). RHG increased MSNA burst frequency ( P = 0.04) without altering burst amplitude ( P = 0.69) or total MSNA ( P = 0.26). In contrast, cycling and concurrent exercise had no effects on MSNA burst frequency (both P ≥ 0.10) but increased burst amplitude (both P ≤ 0.001) and total MSNA (both P ≤ 0.007). Across all exercise modes, the changes in MSNA burst amplitude and SFA vascular conductance were correlated negatively ( r = −0.43, P = 0.02). In summary, the functional vascular consequences of alterations in sympathetic outflow to skeletal muscle are most closely associated with changes in MSNA burst amplitude, but not frequency, during low-intensity dynamic exercise. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Low-intensity small- versus large-muscle mass exercise can elicit divergent effects on muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA). We examined the relationships between changes in MSNA (burst frequency and amplitude) and superficial femoral artery (SFA) vascular conductance during rhythmic handgrip, one-leg cycling, and concurrent exercise in the inactive leg. Only changes in MSNA burst amplitude were inversely associated with SFA vascular conductance responses. This result highlights the functional importance of measuring MSNA burst amplitude during exercise.

scholarly journals Fractal properties of human muscle sympathetic nerve activity

2004 ◽  
Vol 286 (3) ◽  
pp. H1076-H1087 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul J. Fadel ◽  
Hakan S. Orer ◽  
Susan M. Barman ◽  
Wanpen Vongpatanasin ◽  
Ronald G. Victor ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Time Scale ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Fano Factor ◽  
Scale Invariant ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Dispersional Analysis ◽  
Allan Factor ◽  
Burst Amplitude

Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in resting humans is characterized by cardiac-related bursts of variable amplitude that occur sporadically or in clusters. The present study was designed to characterize the fluctuations in the number of MSNA bursts, interburst interval, and burst amplitude recorded from the peroneal nerve of 15 awake, healthy human subjects. For this purpose, we used the Allan and Fano factor analysis and dispersional analysis to test whether the fluctuations were time-scale invariant (i.e., fractal) or random in occurrence. Specifically, we measured the slopes of the power laws in the Allan factor, Fano factor, and dispersional analysis curves. In addition, the Hurst exponent was calculated from the slope of the power law in the Allan factor curve. Whether the original time series contained fractal fluctuations was decided on the basis of a comparison of the values of these parameters with those for surrogate data blocks. The results can be summarized as follows. Fluctuations in the number of MSNA bursts and interburst interval were fractal in each of the subjects, and fluctuations in burst amplitude were fractal in four of the subjects. We also found that fluctuations in the number of heartbeats and heart period (R-R interval) were fractal in each of the subjects. These results demonstrate for the first time that apparently random fluctuations in human MSNA are, in fact, dictated by a time-scale-invariant process that imparts “long-term memory” to the sequence of cardiac-related bursts. Whether sympathetic outflow to the heart also is fractal and contributes to the fractal component of heart rate variability remains an open question.

scholarly journals Sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity is inversely related to vascular transduction in men but not women

2019 ◽  
Vol 317 (6) ◽  
pp. H1203-H1209 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sarah L. Hissen ◽  
Vaughan G. Macefield ◽  
Rachael Brown ◽  
Chloe E. Taylor
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Baroreflex Sensitivity ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Diastolic Pressure ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
The Relationship ◽  
Compensatory Interactions

Sympathetic baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) is a measure of how effectively the baroreflex buffers beat-to-beat changes in blood pressure through the modulation of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA). However, current methods of assessment do not take into account the transduction of sympathetic nerve activity at the level of the vasculature, which is known to vary between individuals. In this study we tested the hypothesis that there is an inverse relationship between sympathetic BRS and vascular transduction. In 38 (18 men) healthy adults, continuous measurements of blood pressure, MSNA and superficial femoral artery diameter and blood flow (Doppler ultrasound) were recorded during 10 min of rest. Spontaneous sympathetic BRS was quantified as the relationship between diastolic pressure and MSNA burst incidence. Vascular transduction was quantified by plotting the changes in leg vascular conductance for 10 cardiac cycles following each burst of MSNA, and taking the nadir. In men, sympathetic BRS was inversely related to vascular transduction ( r = −0.49; P = 0.04). However, this relationship was not present in women ( r = −0.17; P = 0.47). To conclude, an interaction exists between sympathetic BRS and vascular transduction in healthy men, such that men with high sympathetic BRS have low vascular transduction and vice versa. This may be to ensure that blood pressure is regulated effectively, although further research is needed to explore what mechanisms are involved and examine why this relationship was not apparent in women. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Evidence suggests that compensatory interactions exist between factors involved in cardiovascular control. This study was the first to demonstrate an inverse relationship between sympathetic BRS and beat-to-beat vascular transduction. Those with low sympathetic BRS had high vascular transduction and vice versa. However, this interaction was present in young men but not women.

scholarly journals An inverse relationship between testosterone and muscle sympathetic nerve activity: an investigation in lean healthy females

2013 ◽  
Vol 27 (S1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Erin Elizabeth Madison ◽  
Jonathon Cory Miner ◽  
Jennifer Ann Miner ◽  
Paul F. Kaplan ◽  
Christopher Todd Minson
Keyword(s):  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Inverse Relationship ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Healthy Females
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