scholarly journals Comparison of sympathetic nerve activity normalization procedures in conscious rabbits

2016 ◽  
Vol 310 (9) ◽  
pp. H1222-H1232 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sandra L. Burke ◽  
Kyungjoon Lim ◽  
John-Luis Moretti ◽  
Geoffrey A. Head

One of the main constraints associated with recording sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) in both humans and experimental animals is that microvolt values reflect characteristics of the recording conditions and limit comparisons between different experimental groups. The nasopharyngeal response has been validated for normalizing renal SNA (RSNA) in conscious rabbits, and in humans muscle SNA is normalized to the maximum burst in the resting period. We compared these two methods of normalization to determine whether either could detect elevated RSNA in hypertensive rabbits compared with normotensive controls. We also tested whether either method eliminated differences based only on different recording conditions by separating RSNA of control (sham) rabbits into two groups with low or high microvolts. Hypertension was induced by 5 wk of renal clipping (2K1C), 3 wk of high-fat diet (HFD), or 3 mo infusion of a low dose of angiotensin (ANG II). Normalization to the nasopharyngeal response revealed RSNA that was 88, 51, and 34% greater in 2K1C, HFD, and ANG II rabbits, respectively, than shams ( P < 0.05), but normalization to the maximum burst showed no differences. The RSNA baroreflex followed a similar pattern whether RSNA was expressed in microvolts or normalized. Both methods abolished the difference between low and high microvolt RSNA. These results suggest that maximum burst amplitude is a useful technique for minimizing differences between recording conditions but is unable to detect real differences between groups. We conclude that the nasopharyngeal reflex is the superior method for normalizing sympathetic recordings in conscious rabbits.

2013 ◽  
Vol 114 (12) ◽  
pp. 1689-1696 ◽  
Author(s):  
Walter W. Holbein ◽  
Glenn M. Toney

Effects of water deprivation on rhythmic bursting of sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) were investigated in anesthetized, bilaterally vagotomized, euhydrated (control) and 48-h water-deprived (WD) rats ( n = 8/group). Control and WD rats had similar baseline values of mean arterial pressure, heart rate, end-tidal CO2, and central respiratory drive. Although integrated splanchnic SNA (sSNA) was greater in WD rats than controls ( P < 0.01), analysis of respiratory rhythmic bursting of sSNA revealed that inspiratory rhythmic burst amplitude was actually smaller ( P < 0.005) in WD rats (+68 ± 6%) than controls (+208 ± 20%), and amplitudes of the early expiratory (postinspiratory) trough and late expiratory burst of sSNA were not different between groups. Further analysis revealed that water deprivation had no effect on either the amplitude or periodicity of the cardiac rhythmic oscillation of sSNA. Collectively, these data indicate that the increase of sSNA produced by water deprivation is not attributable to either increased respiratory or cardiac rhythmic burst discharge. Thus the sympathetic network response to acute water deprivation appears to differ from that of chronic sympathoexcitation in neurogenic forms of arterial hypertension, where increased respiratory rhythmic bursting of SNA and baroreflex adaptations have been reported.


1995 ◽  
Vol 269 (5) ◽  
pp. R1289-R1293 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Fukuhara ◽  
T. Tsuchihashi ◽  
I. Abe ◽  
M. Fujishima

Adrenomedullin is a vasodilative peptide and shows slight homology with calcitonin gene-related peptide. In the present study, we investigated the effects of adrenomedullin on cardiovascular and neurohormonal responses in 13 conscious rabbits. The animals were chronically instrumented with bipolar electrodes on the left renal sympathetic nerve. Intravenous administration of human adrenomedullin (10, 100, 1,000, and 3,000 pmol/kg, n = 6) caused a dose-dependent reduction in mean arterial pressure (0 +/- 2, -1 +/- 2, -19 +/- 2, and -29 +/- 4 mmHg, respectively) concomitant with increases in heart rate, renal sympathetic nerve activity, plasma renin activity, and plasma norepinephrine. The significant reduction in mean arterial pressure induced by 1,000 pmol/kg of adrenomedullin occurred within 1 min after injection and lasted for 15 min (n = 7). In contrast, the significant increases in heart rate and renal sympathetic nerve activity lasted for more than 50 min. When mean arterial pressure was decreased by 15 mmHg by adrenomedullin, the increases in heart rate and renal sympathetic nerve activity were 53 +/- 8 beats/min and 78 +/- 13%, respectively, which were significantly smaller than those induced by intravenous injection of sodium nitroprusside (102 +/- 14 beats/min and 155 +/- 34%, respectively). These results suggest that intravenous adrenomedullin exerts a hypotensive action that is associated with the attenuated reflex-mediated sympathetic activation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 38 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher J. Charles ◽  
David L. Jardine ◽  
Miriam T. Rademaker ◽  
A. Mark Richards

While it is well established that centrally injected angiotensin II (Ang II) has potent actions on sympathetic nervous activity (SNA), it is less clear whether peripheral Ang II can immediately stimulate SNA. In particular, the contribution of cardiac sympathetic nerve activity (CSNA) to the acute pressor response is unknown. We therefore examined the effect of incremental doses of intravenous Ang II (3, 6, 12, 24, and 48 ng/kg/min each for 30 min) on CSNA in eight conscious sheep. Ang II infusions progressively increased plasma Ang II up to 50 pmol/l above control levels in dose-dependent fashion (P<0.001). This was associated with the expected increases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) above control levels from <10 mmHg at lower doses up to 23 mmHg at the highest dose (P<0.001). Heart rate and cardiac output fell progressively with each incremental Ang II infusion achieving significance at higher doses (P<0.001). There was no significant change in plasma catecholamines. At no dose did Ang II increase any of the CSNA parameters measured. Rather, CSNA burst frequency (P<0.001), burst incidence, (P=0.002), and burst area (P=0.004) progressively decreased achieving significance during the three highest doses. In conclusion, Ang II infused at physiologically relevant doses increased MAP in association with a reciprocal decrease in CSNA presumably via baroreceptor-mediated pathways. The present study provides no evidence that even low-dose systemic Ang II stimulates sympathetic traffic directed to the heart, in normal conscious sheep.


1993 ◽  
Vol 74 (5) ◽  
pp. 2099-2104 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. P. O'Hagan ◽  
L. B. Bell ◽  
S. W. Mittelstadt ◽  
P. S. Clifford

Renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) increases abruptly at the onset of treadmill exercise in conscious rabbits. This study investigated whether the rise in RSNA is related to the intensity of the exercise and whether an elevated level of RSNA is maintained during submaximal exercise. RSNA, arterial blood pressure (BP), and heart rate (HR) were recorded in 10 New Zealand White rabbits during two treadmill exercise protocols at 0% grade: 7 m/min for 5 min and 12 m/min for 2 min. Peak levels of RSNA were observed in the first 10 s of exercise at 7 and 12 m/min. Through 2 min of exercise, the rise in RSNA was greater (P < 0.05) at 12 m/min (delta 83 +/- 22%) compared with 7 m/min (delta 49 +/- 8%). At 7 m/min, HR and BP reached steady-state levels during the 2nd min of exercise. RSNA remained elevated at delta 43 +/- 10 to delta 54 +/- 13% over resting levels as exercise continued from the 2nd through the 5th min of exercise (P < 0.05). These data demonstrate that the RSNA response to exercise is intensity related and suggest that RSNA remains elevated and thus may contribute to the control of renal blood flow during submaximal dynamic exercise.


2004 ◽  
Vol 286 (6) ◽  
pp. R1051-R1056 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna M. D. Watson ◽  
Rasim Mogulkoc ◽  
Robin M. McAllen ◽  
Clive N. May

Central actions of angiotensin play an important role in cardiovascular control and have been implicated in the pathogenesis of hypertension and heart failure. One feature of centrally or peripherally administered angiotensin is that the bradycardia in response to an acute pressor effect is blunted. It is unknown whether after central angiotensin this is due partly to increased cardiac sympathetic nerve activity (CSNA). We recorded CSNA and arterial pressure in conscious sheep, at least 3 days after electrode implantation. The effects of intracerebroventricular infusions of ANG II (3 nmol/h for 30 min) and artificial cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) (1 ml/h) were determined. The response to intracerebroventricular hypertonic saline (0.6 M NaCl in CSF at 1 ml/h) was examined as there is evidence that hypertonic saline acts via angiotensinergic pathways. Intracerebroventricular angiotensin increased CSNA by 23 ± 7% ( P < 0.001) and mean arterial pressure (MAP) by 7.6 ± 1.2 mmHg ( P < 0.001) but did not significantly change heart rate ( n = 5). During intracerebroventricular ANG II the reflex relation between CSNA and diastolic blood pressure was significantly shifted to the right ( P < 0.01). Intracerebroventricular hypertonic saline increased CSNA (+9.4 ± 6.6%, P < 0.05) and MAP but did not alter heart rate. The responses to angiotensin and hypertonic saline were prevented by intracerebroventricular losartan (1 mg/h). In conclusion, in conscious sheep angiotensin acts within the brain to increase CSNA, despite increased MAP. The increase in CSNA may account partly for the lack of bradycardia in response to the increased arterial pressure. The responses to angiotensin and hypertonic saline were losartan sensitive, indicating they were mediated by angiotensin AT-1 receptors.


2000 ◽  
Vol 279 (4) ◽  
pp. H1804-H1812 ◽  
Author(s):  
Max G. Sanderford ◽  
Vernon S. Bishop

Acutely increasing peripheral angiotensin II (ANG II) reduces the maximum renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) observed at low mean arterial blood pressures (MAPs). We postulated that this observation could be explained by the action of ANG II to acutely increase arterial blood pressure or increase circulating arginine vasopressin (AVP). Sustained increases in MAP and increases in circulating AVP have previously been shown to attenuate maximum RSNA at low MAP. In conscious rabbits pretreated with an AVP V1 receptor antagonist, we compared the effect of a 5-min intravenous infusion of ANG II (10 and 20 ng · kg−1 · min−1) on the relationship between MAP and RSNA when the acute pressor action of ANG II was left unopposed with that when the acute pressor action of ANG II was opposed by a simultaneous infusion of sodium nitroprusside (SNP). Intravenous infusion of ANG II resulted in a dose-related attenuation of the maximum RSNA observed at low MAP. When the acute pressor action of ANG II was prevented by SNP, maximum RSNA at low MAP was attenuated, similar to that observed when ANG II acutely increased MAP. In contrast, intravertebral infusion of ANG II attenuated maximum RSNA at low MAP significantly more than when administered intravenously. The results of this study suggest that ANG II may act within the central nervous system to acutely attenuate the maximum RSNA observed at low MAP.


2008 ◽  
Vol 294 (6) ◽  
pp. R1873-R1879 ◽  
Author(s):  
Toshiyoshi Matsukawa ◽  
Takenori Miyamoto

Patients with primary aldosteronism (PA) were shown to have suppressed muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in our previous study. Although baroreflex inhibition probably accounts in part for this reduced MSNA in PA, we hypothesized that the lowered activity of the renin-angiotensin system in PA may also contribute to the suppressed SNA. We recorded MSNA in 9 PA and 16 age-matched normotensive controls (NC). In PA, the resting mean blood pressure (MBP) and serum sodium concentrations were increased, and MSNA was reduced. We examined the effects of infusion of a high physiological dose of ANG II (5.0 ng·kg−1·min−1) on MSNA in 6 of 9 PA and 9 of 16 NC. Infusion of ANG II caused a greater pressor response in PA than NC, but, in spite of the greater increase in pressure, MSNA increased in PA, whereas it decreased in NC. Simultaneous infusion of nitroprusside and ANG II, to maintain central venous pressure at the baseline level and reduce the elevation in MBP induced by ANG II, caused significantly greater increases in MSNA in PA than in NC. Baroreflex sensitivity of heart rate, estimated during phenylephrine infusions, was reduced in PA, but baroreflex sensitivity of MSNA was unchanged in PA compared with NC. All the abnormalities in PA were eliminated following unilateral adrenalectomy. In conclusion, the suppressed SNA in PA depends in part on the low level of ANG II in these patients.


2018 ◽  
Vol 120 (1) ◽  
pp. 11-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Seth W. Holwerda ◽  
Rachel E. Luehrs ◽  
Allene L. Gremaud ◽  
Nealy A. Wooldridge ◽  
Amy K. Stroud ◽  
...  

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.


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