Effects of lower body negative pressure on sympathetic discharge to leg muscles in humans

1987 ◽  
Vol 63 (6) ◽  
pp. 2558-2562 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Victor ◽  
W. N. Leimbach
Keyword(s):  
Negative Pressure ◽  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Venous Pressure ◽  
Orthostatic Stress ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Burst Frequency ◽  
Leg Muscles ◽  
A Value ◽  
Sympathetic Discharge

Recent studies indicate that nonhypotensive orthostatic stress in humans causes reflex vasoconstriction in the forearm but not in the calf. We used microelectrode recordings of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) from the peroneal nerve in conscious humans to determine if unloading of cardiac baroreceptors during nonhypotensive lower body negative pressure (LBNP) increases sympathetic discharge to the leg muscles. LBNP from -5 to -15 mmHg had no effect on arterial pressure or heart rate but caused graded decreases in central venous pressure and corresponding large increases in peroneal MSNA. Total MSNA (burst frequency X mean burst amplitude) increased by 61 +/- 22% (P less than 0.05 vs. control) during LBNP at only -5 mmHg and rose progressively to a value that was 149 +/- 29% greater than control during LBNP at -15 mmHg (P less than 0.05). The major new conclusion is that nonhypotensive LBNP is a potent stimulus to muscle sympathetic outflow in the leg as well as the arm. During orthostatic stress in humans, the cardiac baroreflex appears to trigger a mass sympathetic discharge to the skeletal muscles in all of the extremities.

Attenuated cardiac baroreflex in men with presyncope evoked by lower body negative pressure

2001 ◽  
Vol 100 (3) ◽  
pp. 303-309 ◽  
Author(s):  
Duminda N. WIJEYSUNDERA ◽  
Gary C. BUTLER ◽  
Shin-ichi ANDO ◽  
Michael J. POLLARD ◽  
Peter PICTON ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Stroke Volume ◽  
Negative Pressure ◽  
Healthy Subjects ◽  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Venous Pressure ◽  
Power Spectra ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Burst Frequency

Mechanisms responsible for presyncope during lower body negative pressure (LBNP) in otherwise healthy subjects are poorly understood. Muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), blood pressure, heart rate (HR), HR power spectra, central venous pressure (CVP) and stroke volume were determined in 14 healthy men subjected to incremental LBNP. Of these, seven experienced presyncope at LBNP >-15 mmHg. Subjects who tolerated LBNP >-15 mmHg had significantly lower CVP (2.6±1.0 versus 7.2±1.2 mmHg; means±S.E.M., P < 0.02), HR (59±2 versus 66±3 beats/min, P < 0.05) and MSNA burst frequency (29.0±2.4 versus 39.0±3.5 bursts/min, P < 0.05) during supine rest. LBNP at -15 mmHg had no effect on blood pressure, but caused similar and significant reductions in stroke volume and cardiac output in both groups. Subjects who tolerated LBNP had significant reflex increases in HR, MSNA burst frequency and burst amplitude with LBNP of -15 mmHg. These responses were absent in those who experienced presyncope. The gain of the cardiac baroreflex regulation of MSNA was markedly attenuated in pre-syncopal subjects (1.2±0.6 versus 8.8±1.4 bursts/100 heart beats per mmHg; P < 0.001). Healthy subjects who experience presyncope in response to LBNP appear more dependent, when supine, upon MSNA to maintain preload, and less able to increase sympathetic vasoconstrictor discharge to skeletal muscle reflexively in response to orthostatic stimuli.

Differential sympathetic nerve and heart rate spectral effects of nonhypotensive lower body negative pressure

2001 ◽  
Vol 281 (2) ◽  
pp. R468-R475 ◽  
Author(s):  
John S. Floras ◽  
Gary C. Butler ◽  
Shin-Ichi Ando ◽  
Steven C. Brooks ◽  
Michael J. Pollard ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Stroke Volume ◽  
Negative Pressure ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Venous Pressure ◽  
Harmonic Component ◽  
Lower Body

Lower body negative pressure (LBNP; −5 and −15 mmHg) was applied to 14 men (mean age 44 yr) to test the hypothesis that reductions in preload without effect on stroke volume or blood pressure increase selectively muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), but not the ratio of low- to high-frequency harmonic component of spectral power (PL/PH), a coarse-graining power spectral estimate of sympathetic heart rate (HR) modulation. LBNP at −5 mmHg lowered central venous pressure and had no effect on stroke volume (Doppler) or systolic blood pressure but reduced vagal HR modulation. This latter finding, a manifestation of arterial baroreceptor unloading, refutes the concept that low levels of LBNP interrogate, selectively, cardiopulmonary reflexes. MSNA increased, whereas PL/PH and HR were unchanged. This discordance is consistent with selectivity of efferent sympathetic responses to nonhypotensive LBNP and with unloading of tonically active sympathoexcitatory atrial reflexes in some subjects. Hypotensive LBNP (−15 mmHg) increased MSNA and PL/PH, but there was no correlation between these changes within subjects. Therefore, HR variability has limited utility as an estimate of the magnitude of orthostatic changes in sympathetic discharge to muscle.

Comparison of muscle sympathetic responses to hemorrhage and lower body negative pressure in humans

1991 ◽  
Vol 70 (3) ◽  
pp. 1401-1405 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. F. Rea ◽  
M. Hamdan ◽  
M. P. Clary ◽  
M. J. Randels ◽  
P. J. Dayton ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Negative Pressure ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Venous Pressure ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Central Venous ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Percent Change ◽  
Sympathetic Responses

We compared changes in muscle sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) during graded lower body negative pressure (LBNP) and 450 ml of hemorrhage in nine healthy volunteers. During LBNP, central venous pressure (CVP) decreased from 6.1 +/- 0.4 to 4.5 +/- 0.5 (LBNP -5 mmHg), 3.4 +/- 0.6 (LBNP -10 mmHg), and 2.3 +/- 0.6 mmHg (LBNP -15 mmHg), and there were progressive increases in SNA at each level of LBNP. The slope relating percent change in SNA to change in CVP during LBNP (mean +/- SE) was 27 +/- 11%/mmHg. Hemorrhage of 450 ml at a mean rate of 71 +/- 5 ml/min decreased CVP from 6.1 +/- 0.5 to 3.7 +/- 0.5 mmHg and increased SNA by 47 +/- 11%. The increase in SNA during hemorrhage was not significantly different from the increase in SNA predicted by the slope relating percent change in SNA to change in CVP during LBNP. These data show that nonhypotensive hemorrhage causes sympathoexcitation and that sympathetic responses to LBNP and nonhypotensive hemorrhage are similar in humans.

Sympathetic nerve activity in arm and leg muscles during lower body negative pressure in humans

1989 ◽  
Vol 66 (6) ◽  
pp. 2778-2781 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. F. Rea ◽  
B. G. Wallin
Keyword(s):  
Negative Pressure ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Sympathetic Outflow ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Leg Muscles ◽  
Cardiopulmonary Receptors

Nonhypotensive lower body negative pressure (LBNP) is reported to decrease forearm but not calf blood flow as measured by strain-gauge plethysmography. This suggests that unloading of cardiopulmonary receptors increases sympathetic outflow to arm but not to leg. To test this hypothesis we measured muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSA) in the arm (radial nerve) and leg (peroneal nerve) simultaneously during LBNP. In eight healthy subjects, we measured heart rate, blood pressure, and radial and peroneal MSA during LBNP at 10 and 20 mmHg. There was no difference between radial and peroneal MSA at rest, and there were successive parallel increases of MSA in both nerves during LBNP at 10 and 20 mmHg. These data indicate that there are nearly identical increases of sympathetic outflow to the arm and leg during mild to moderate degrees of orthostatic stress.

Hypovolemia and MSNA discharge patterns: assessing and interpreting sympathetic responses

2003 ◽  
Vol 284 (4) ◽  
pp. H1198-H1204 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. S. Kimmerly ◽  
J. K. Shoemaker
Keyword(s):  
Frequency Response ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Venous Pressure ◽  
Distribution Analysis ◽  
Burst Frequency ◽  
Burst Amplitude ◽  
Reflex Control ◽  
Discharge Patterns

We previously demonstrated that diuretic-induced hypovolemia resulted in an enhanced baroreflex-mediated increase in integrated muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) and vasomotor tone during lower body negative pressure (LBNP) ( Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 282: H645–H655, 2002). The purpose of this study was to perform a retrospective analysis of these data and examine the ability of relative MSNA burst amplitude distributions to highlight differences in baseline sympathetic nerve discharge patterns. An additional purpose was to determine whether differential responses in MSNA burst frequency and burst amplitude affect conclusions regarding sympathetic reflex control. MSNA, stroke volume (SV, Doppler), and estimated central venous pressure (CVP, dependent arm technique) were measured during LBNP within the placebo (Normo) and diuretic (Hypo; 100 mg/day spironolactone for 3 days) conditions ( n = 8). Compared with Normo, MSNA burst frequency at rest was elevated, and there was a rightward shift in the median of the relative burst amplitude distribution ( P < 0.05) in Hypo. During LBNP, the larger rise in total MSNA during Hypo versus Normo was due to greater increases in relative burst amplitude with no difference in the burst frequency response. The MSNA burst frequency response to LBNP was shifted to a higher position on the same MSNA-CVP curve during Hypo compared with Normo. In contrast, the Hypo burst amplitude response was shifted to a new curve with a slope that was similar to the Normo relationship. These data support the use of probability distribution analysis to examine intraindividual differences in baseline and reflex-mediated increases in MSNA burst amplitude. Furthermore, the differential effect of hypovolemia on the responses of burst frequency and amplitude during graded LBNP suggests that burst frequency data alone may not adequately represent reflex control of sympathetic outflow.

Arterial pulse pressure and vasopressin release in humans during lower body negative pressure

1993 ◽  
Vol 264 (5) ◽  
pp. R1024-R1030 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. Norsk ◽  
P. Ellegaard ◽  
R. Videbaek ◽  
C. Stadeager ◽  
F. Jessen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Pulse Pressure ◽  
Negative Pressure ◽  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Venous Pressure ◽  
Plasma Norepinephrine ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Arterial Pulse ◽  
Vasopressin Release ◽  
Arterial Pulse Pressure ◽  
Arterial Plasma

The hypothesis was tested that narrowing of arterial pulse pressure (PP) is a determinant of arginine vasopressin (AVP) release in humans. Six normal males completed a two-step lower body negative pressure (LBNP) protocol of -20 and -50 mmHg, respectively, for 10 min each. None of these subjects experienced presyncopal symptoms. Arterial plasma AVP and plasma renin activity (PRA) (at 2-min intervals) only increased subsequent to a decrease in PP (invasive brachial arterial measurements) and stroke volume (ultrasound Doppler technique, n = 4). Simultaneously, mean arterial pressure did not change. A selective decrease in central venous pressure and left atrial diameter (echocardiography, n = 4) at LBNP of -20 mmHg did not affect AVP or PRA, whereas arterial plasma norepinephrine increased (n = 4). During LBNP, significant (P < 0.05) intraindividual linear correlations were observed between log(AVP) and PP in four of the subjects with r values from -0.75 to -0.99 and between log(PRA) and PP in all six subjects with r values from -0.89 to -0.98. In conclusion, these results are in compliance with the hypothesis that narrowing of PP in humans during central hypovolemia is a determinant of AVP and renin release.

Increase in vagal activity during hypotensive lower-body negative pressure in humans

1988 ◽  
Vol 255 (1) ◽  
pp. R149-R156 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Sander-Jensen ◽  
J. Mehlsen ◽  
C. Stadeager ◽  
N. J. Christensen ◽  
J. Fahrenkrug ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Negative Pressure ◽  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Venous Pressure ◽  
Initial Increase ◽  
Vagal Activity ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Central Venous ◽  
Subsequent Decrease ◽  
Before And After

Progressive central hypovolemia is characterized by a normotensive, tachycardic stage followed by a reversible, hypotensive stage with slowing of the heart rate (HR). We investigated circulatory changes and arterial hormone concentrations in response to lower-body negative pressure (LBNP) in six volunteers before and after atropine administration. LBNP of 55 mmHg initially resulted in an increase in HR from 55 +/- 4 to 90 +/- 5 beats/min and decreases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) from 94 +/- 4 to 81 +/- 5 mmHg, in central venous pressure from 7 +/- 1 to -3 +/- 1 mmHg, and in cardiac output from 6.1 +/- 0.5 to 3.7 +/- 0.11/min. Concomitantly, epinephrine and norepinephrine levels increased. After 8.2 +/- 2.3 min of LBNP, the MAP had decreased to 41 +/- 7 mmHg and HR had decreased to 57 +/- 3 beats/min. Vasopressin increased from 1.2 +/- 0.3 to 137 +/- 45 pg/ml and renin activity increased from 1.45 +/- 4.0 to 3.80 +/- 1.0 ng.ml-1.h-1 with no further changes in epinephrine, norepinephrine, and vasoactive intestinal polypeptide. A tardy rise in pancreatic polypeptide indicated increased vagal activity. After atropine. LBNP also caused an initial increase in HR, which, however, remained elevated during the subsequent decrease in MAP to 45 +/- 6 mmHg occurring after 8.1 +/- 2.4 min.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Modulation of control of muscle sympathetic nerve activity during orthostatic stress in humans

2004 ◽  
Vol 287 (5) ◽  
pp. H2147-H2153 ◽  
Author(s):  
Masashi Ichinose ◽  
Mitsuru Saito ◽  
Takeshi Ogawa ◽  
Keiji Hayashi ◽  
Narihiko Kondo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Sympathetic Nerve ◽  
Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Total Activity ◽  
Orthostatic Stress ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Arterial Baroreflex ◽  
Nerve Activity ◽  
Burst Strength

We tested the hypothesis that orthostatic stress would modulate the arterial baroreflex (ABR)-mediated beat-by-beat control of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in humans. In 12 healthy subjects, ABR control of MSNA (burst incidence, burst strength, and total activity) was evaluated by analysis of the relation between beat-by-beat spontaneous variations in diastolic blood pressure (DAP) and MSNA during supine rest (CON) and at two levels of lower body negative pressure (LBNP: −15 and −35 mmHg). At −15 mmHg LBNP, the relation between burst incidence (bursts per 100 heartbeats) and DAP showed an upward shift from that observed during CON, but the further shift seen at −35 mmHg LBNP was only marginal. The relation between burst strength and DAP was shifted upward at −15 mmHg LBNP (vs. CON) and further shifted upward at −35 mmHg LBNP. At −15 mmHg LBNP, the relation between total activity and DAP was shifted upward from that obtained during CON and further shifted upward at −35 mmHg LBNP. These results suggest that ABR control of MSNA is modulated during orthostatic stress and that the modulation is different between a mild (nonhypotensive) and a moderate (hypotensive) level of orthostatic stress.

Dissociation between reflex sympathetic and forearm vascular responses to lower body negative pressure in heart failure patients with coronary artery disease

2009 ◽  
Vol 297 (5) ◽  
pp. H1760-H1766 ◽  
Author(s):  
Catherine F. Notarius ◽  
Beverley L. Morris ◽  
John S. Floras
Keyword(s):  
Heart Failure ◽  
Negative Pressure ◽  
Lower Body Negative Pressure ◽  
Muscle Sympathetic Nerve Activity ◽  
Left Ventricular ◽  
Left Ventricular Ejection ◽  
Plasma Norepinephrine ◽  
Lower Body ◽  
Ventricular Ejection Fraction ◽  
Vascular Responses

Many heart failure (HF) patients exhibit paradoxical forearm vasodilation when central blood volume is reduced by lower body negative pressure (LBNP). We tested the hypothesis that this response results from reflex sympathetic withdrawal. We recorded simultaneously forearm blood flow, muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), and plasma norepinephrine (PNE) during four random applications of LBNP, −5, −10, −20, and −40 mmHg, in 12 men with HF (mean left ventricular ejection fraction = 24 ± 2%) and 10 healthy, normal, age-matched men (N). Compared with N, MSNA burst frequency ( P = 0.001) and PNE ( P = 0.005) were significantly higher in the HF group, both at rest and during LBNP. As anticipated in N, LBNP −40 mmHg significantly increased MSNA (+14.2 ± 2.5 bursts/min; P < 0.05) and PNE (+0.83 ± 0.22 nmol/l; P < 0.05) and decreased forearm vascular conductance (FVC) (−11.7 ± 3.2 ml·min−1·mmHg−1; P < 0.05). In the HF group, LBNP elicited similar increases in MSNA (+11.5 ± 2.0; P < 0.05) and PNE (+0.85 ± 0.12; P < 0.05), without affecting FVC significantly (−4.1 ± 2.4; P = 0.01 vs. N, interaction P = 0.03). However, within the HF group, responses were bimodal: LBNP −40 mmHg increased MSNA in all subjects ( P < 0.001), yet the six patients with nonischemic or dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) exhibited significant vasoconstriction (decrease in FVC; P = 0.001), whereas the six patients with ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) exhibited significant vasodilation (increase in FVC; P < 0.02 vs. DCM and N; interaction P = 0.02). Cold pressor testing increased MSNA and decreased FVC in ICM ( n = 4). Thus paradoxical forearm vasodilator responses to LBNP in HF are not mediated by reflex sympathetic withdrawal. ICM and DCM patients differ qualitatively in their vascular responses to hypotensive LBNP.

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