scholarly journals A Review on the Vagus Nerve and Autonomic Nervous System During Fetal Development: Searching for Critical Windows

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Francesco Cerritelli ◽  
Martin G. Frasch ◽  
Marta C. Antonelli ◽  
Chiara Viglione ◽  
Stefano Vecchi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Drug Exposure ◽  
Fetal Distress ◽  
The Body ◽  
Postnatal Life ◽  
Inflammatory Reactions ◽  
Critical Window ◽  
Autonomic Nervous

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) is one of the main biological systems that regulates the body's physiology. Autonomic nervous system regulatory capacity begins before birth as the sympathetic and parasympathetic activity contributes significantly to the fetus' development. In particular, several studies have shown how vagus nerve is involved in many vital processes during fetal, perinatal, and postnatal life: from the regulation of inflammation through the anti-inflammatory cholinergic pathway, which may affect the functioning of each organ, to the production of hormones involved in bioenergetic metabolism. In addition, the vagus nerve has been recognized as the primary afferent pathway capable of transmitting information to the brain from every organ of the body. Therefore, this hypothesis paper aims to review the development of ANS during fetal and perinatal life, focusing particularly on the vagus nerve, to identify possible “critical windows” that could impact its maturation. These “critical windows” could help clinicians know when to monitor fetuses to effectively assess the developmental status of both ANS and specifically the vagus nerve. In addition, this paper will focus on which factors—i.e., fetal characteristics and behaviors, maternal lifestyle and pathologies, placental health and dysfunction, labor, incubator conditions, and drug exposure—may have an impact on the development of the vagus during the above-mentioned “critical window” and how. This analysis could help clinicians and stakeholders define precise guidelines for improving the management of fetuses and newborns, particularly to reduce the potential adverse environmental impacts on ANS development that may lead to persistent long-term consequences. Since the development of ANS and the vagus influence have been shown to be reflected in cardiac variability, this paper will rely in particular on studies using fetal heart rate variability (fHRV) to monitor the continued growth and health of both animal and human fetuses. In fact, fHRV is a non-invasive marker whose changes have been associated with ANS development, vagal modulation, systemic and neurological inflammatory reactions, and even fetal distress during labor.

Emotional processing and the autonomic nervous system: a comprehensive meta-analytic investigation

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Pedro Silva Moreira ◽  
Pedro Chaves ◽  
Nuno Dias ◽  
Patrício Costa ◽  
Pedro Rocha Almeida
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Emotional Processing ◽  
Skin Conductance Level ◽  
The Body ◽  
Analytic Investigation ◽  
Physiological Basis ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Conductance Level

Background: The search for autonomic correlates of emotional processing has been a matter of interest for the scientific community with the goal of identifying the physiological basis of emotion. Despite an extensive state-of-the-art exploring the correlates of emotion, there is no absolute consensus regarding how the body processes an affective state.Objectives: In this work, we aimed to aggregate the literature of psychophysiological studies in the context of emotional induction. Methods: For this purpose, we conducted a systematic review of the literature and a meta-analytic investigation, comparing different measures from the electrodermal, cardiovascular, respiratory and facial systems across emotional categories/dimensions. Two-hundred and ninety-one studies met the inclusion criteria and were quantitatively pooled in random-effects meta-analytic modelling. Results: Heart rate and skin conductance level were the most reported psychophysiological measures. Overall, there was a negligible differentiation between emotional categories with respect to the pooled estimates. Of note, considerable amount of between-studies’ heterogeneity was found in the meta-analytic aggregation. Self-reported ratings of emotional arousal were found to be associated with specific autonomic-nervous system (ANS) indices, particularly with the variation of the skin conductance level. Conclusions: Despite this clear association, there is still a considerable amount of unexplained variability that raises the need for more fine-grained analysis to be implemented in future research in this field.

scholarly journals Daily temperature dynamics of human skin representative areas

2016 ◽  
Vol 21 (2) ◽  
pp. 86-91
Author(s):  
S. Goncharevskyi ◽  
V. Martynyuk
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Temperature Variation ◽  
Human Skin ◽  
Medulla Oblongata ◽  
Brain Structures ◽  
Infrared Thermometer ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Temperature Dynamics

The main aim of our research was to study the temperature variation of representative are a soft the cranial part of the autonomic nervous system of the human skin during the day. The temperature of representative are a soft the thoracic autonomic nervous system we measured by infrared thermometer (Medisana FTO D-53340, with anaccuracy of 0.1 degree Celsius). During the study identified minimums and maximums temperatures for representative are as during the day: the hypothalamus – 13 (maximum), 3 (minimum) an hour, midbrain – 15 (maximum), 5 (minimum) an hour, pons- not found, the medulla oblongata – 9, 15 (maximum), 3.21 (minimum) an hour, the vagus nerve (right side) – 15 (maximum), 5 (at least) an hour, the vagus nerve (left side) – 15 (maximum), 21 (minimum) an hour. The presence of minimums and maximums temperature in representative areas indicates different activity related to their brain structures.

DYNAMICS OF SERUM PROTEIN CONTENT AND PRODUCTIVITY OF CHICKENS WITH DIFFERENT TONUS OF THE AUTONOMIC NERVOUS SYSTEM

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
A. A. Studenok ◽  
◽  
E .O. Shnurenko ◽  
V. O. Trokoz ◽  
V. I. Karposkyi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Body Weight ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Total Protein ◽  
Protein Metabolism ◽  
High Reliability ◽  
Negative Relationship ◽  
The Body ◽  
Main Role ◽  
Autonomic Nervous

The main role in maintaining the functioning of the body, its growth, and development belongs to protein. It is involved in the formation of the muscular skeleton and is s part of enzymes, neurotransmitters, hormones. The effect of the autonomic nervous system on total protein metabolism has not been sufficiently studied. It is known that the autonomic nervous system is a structure that is responsible for the homeostasis and stability of the whole organism. It participates in the regulation of the heart, endocrine and external secretion glands, gastrointestinal tract, excretory organs, and more. In our studies, it was found that in chickens of Cobb 500 strain with different tones of the autonomic nervous system during the growing period from the 35th to the 60th day, different contents of total protein, albumin, and globulins were observed and different body weights were recorded. Vagotonic chickens showed the lowest protein metabolism at the age of 35 and 45 days (P ˂ 0.05–0.001) compared with sympathicotonics and normotonics, which tended to increase between 35 and 60 days of rearing compared with other groups of birds, where the studied protein fractions on the contrary decreased. Correlations between total protein, albumin, and bird body weight had a high linear relationship in all groups of chickens (P ˂ 0.05–0.001) and a negative relationship between the 45th and 60th days of rearing in sympathicotonics and normotonics. In birds with a predominance of parasympathetic tone of the autonomic nervous system, this correlation maintained its direction with high reliability (P ˂ 0.05) between body weight and total protein on the 60th day of rearing.

On the surgical treatment of epilepsy

1934 ◽  
Vol 30 (6) ◽  
pp. 637-637
Author(s):  
P. Badul
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Surgical Treatment ◽  
Vagus Nerve ◽  
Cervical Sympathectomy ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Treatment Of Epilepsy ◽  
Ganglion Stellatum ◽  
Rami Communicantes

On the basis of experiments on dogs the author suggests the following operations in the autonomic nervous system in epilepsy: transection of all nerves sinus caroticus, cervical sympathectomy, transection of n. vertebralis, rami communicantes ganglion stellatum and vertical branches of the vagus nerve.

Blood Pressure and Orthostatic Hypotension: Faints, Near-Faints, and Lightheadedness

2013 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Eric Ahlskog
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Orthostatic Hypotension ◽  
Vessel Diameter ◽  
Upright Position ◽  
Grocery Store ◽  
The Body ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Neurodegenerative Process

Case example: Mrs. H. feels lightheaded intermittently during the day. This happens exclusively when she is up and about. Sometimes she notes graying of vision with these episodes. The feeling is not spinning (i.e., not vertigo). She has fainted twice when standing in line at the grocery store. If she sits, she feels much better. It is worse in the morning but may recur any time of the day. She feels fine while lying in bed at night. Older adults often worry about high blood pressure (BP), yet the opposite problem, low BP, is common among those with DLB or PDD. This is because the Lewy neurodegenerative process impairs the autonomic nervous system. The specific condition that may afflict those with DLB or PDD is orthostatic hypotension. The term orthostatic implies the upright position (i.e., standing); hypotension translates into low BP. Thus, the low BP occurring in these Lewy disorders develops in the upright position; conversely, it is normal or even high when lying down. When standing or walking, the BP may drop so low that fainting occurs. Among people with orthostatic hypotension, the BP is normal when sitting, although in severe cases, even the sitting BP is low. Whereas most people with DLB or PDD do not experience symptoms of orthostatic hypotension, it is sufficiently frequent to deserve attention. It often goes undiagnosed, even when fainting occurs. Unrecognized orthostatic hypotension may limit activities and impair the person’s quality of life. The first half of this chapter provides further background, with focus on BP measurement and recognition of orthostatic hypotension. The last half addresses treatment. The normal autonomic nervous system senses the position of our body with respect to the pull of gravity. It is able to reflexively counter gravity’s downward pull on the blood volume when standing (gravity tends to draw blood toward our feet when standing). An important mechanism for countering gravity’s pull is the constriction of blood vessel diameter in the lower half of the body. These vessels reflexively constrict during standing, in effect forcing blood up to the brain. The autonomic nervous system mediates these and other reflexive changes to stabilize BP.

Man, Machine, and Homeostasis

2011 ◽  
pp. 141-148
Author(s):  
James R. Munis
Keyword(s):  
Blood Pressure ◽  
Heart Rate ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Fundamental Principle ◽  
The Body ◽  
Set Point ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Claude Bernard ◽  
Shed Light

Physiologist Claude Bernard lived in a time when very little was known about the mechanisms underlying physiologic findings, and he had ample access to clues garnered from observing machines. Let's consider homeostasis (a concept championed by Bernard), an example for which an engineered machine shed light on a fundamental principle of physiology. Homeostasis is simply the tendency of the body to maintain important physiologic variables (eg, heart rate, blood pressure, PACO2) at constant, preset values. An example is a simplified mechanical governor that could be used to regulate the rotational speed of a steam engine shaft. ‘Autoregulate’ might be a more apt word because the governor performs without external help or guidance, provided it is designed and built properly. It doesn't take much imagination to see an analogy between the mechanical governor and the autonomic nervous system. Both maintain specific variables at a constant set point through a process of feedback loops.

scholarly journals Modulation of Body Representation Impacts on Efferent Autonomic Activity

2020 ◽  
Vol 32 (6) ◽  
pp. 1104-1116 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marco D'Alonzo ◽  
Alessandro Mioli ◽  
Domenico Formica ◽  
Giovanni Di Pino
Keyword(s):  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Skin Conductance ◽  
Skin Conductance Response ◽  
Time Windows ◽  
Body Representation ◽  
The Body ◽  
Hand Position ◽  
Sensory Stimuli ◽  
Autonomic Nervous

The afferent branch of the autonomic nervous system contributes with interoception to the multimodal sensory correlation continuously needed to update our representation of the body. To test whether the modulation of body representation would have an impact on the efferent branch of the autonomic nervous system, nonspecific skin conductance has been measured in three rubber hand illusion (RHI) experiments, controlled with asynchronous brush-stroking and incongruent fake hand position. Nonspecific skin conductance standard deviation (SCSD) computed along the whole 90 sec of stroking was found to be increased by the illusion and to correlate with all the typical measures of embodiment. Computing SCSD in shorter time windows strongly enhanced the difference between illusion and controls. The highest difference was found in the 10–55 sec window, being the 14–34 sec window as the most informative one. The higher correlations with the validated measures of embodiment (all but the proprioceptive drift) were found for time windows ranging between 35 and 65 sec. The SCSD was no longer significantly higher when the RHI was repeated twice (two trials each iteration), but it was still significantly higher in synchronous stroking even when considering only the second trial. However, after the first iteration of the RHI paradigm, the effect of the embodiment on nonspecific skin conductance response results to be attenuated, suggesting that novelty in presentation of the RHI can contribute to the effect on nonspecific skin conductance response. Results candidate SCSD as a noninvasive, cheap, easy, and objective measure of embodiment, especially sensible to onset and strength of the illusion. Alike the already known enhanced autonomic reaction to a threatening, SCSD does not interfere with the collection of other behavioral measures. Correlations and their dynamics, presence of the effect in the second presentation of the setup but relative low robustness against multiple repetition, suggest that the increased fluctuations of skin conductance caught by SCSD are not just the effect of different presented sensory stimuli but more likely a stronger arousal response to the novelty of the updated perceptual status.

Classification of Individuals Based on Autonomic Response to Virtual Gaming

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (9) ◽  
pp. 4385-4393
Author(s):  
S. Chandana ◽  
B. R. Purnima ◽  
Prabhu Ravikala Vittal
Keyword(s):  
Heart Rate ◽  
Heart Rate Variability ◽  
Nervous System ◽  
Autonomic Nervous System ◽  
Physiological Stress ◽  
Rio Grande ◽  
The Body ◽  
Autonomic Response ◽  
Autonomic Nervous ◽  
Non Invasive

Modern games consists of digital gaming consoles that involves interaction with a user and has an interface to generate visual feedback through 2D/3D monitor. These games have several psychological side effects like loss of spatial awareness, back pains, insomnia, addiction, aggression, stress, and hypertension. Virtual reality (VR) Gaming is one of the most emerging and novel technologies in the field of entertainment. Evaluation of this new technology has become important in order to analyze the effects of its predecessors (2D and 3D gaming). The main focus of this paper is on detection of stress levels in individuals due to VR gaming and classify them depending on their sympathetic and parasympathetic dominance. This is done through acquisition of electrocardiogram (ECG) and photo plethysmograph signals (PPG) signals and extracting their time domain and frequency domain features before, during and after gaming (Fatma Uysal and Mahmut Tokmakçi, 2018. Evaluation of stress parameters based on heart rate variability measurement. Department of Biomedical Engineering, Erciyes University, Kayseri, Turkey. [email protected], [email protected]., da Silva1, A.G.C.B., Arauj, D.N., et al, 2018. Increase in perceived stress is correlated to lower heart rate variability in healthy young subjects. Departamento de Fisioterapia, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte, Natal, Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil. s/n., 81531–980, Curitiba, Parana, Brazil. E-mail: [email protected].). The physiological signal variation is analyzed by performing Heart Rate Variability (HRV) analysis over ECG signals which is one of the fast emerging methods in non-invasive research and clinical tools for assessing autonomic nervous system function (Juan Sztajzel, 2004. Heart rate variability: Aa non-invasive electrocardiographic method to measure the autonomic nervous system. Cardiology Center and Medical Policlinics, University Hospital, Geneva, Switzerland, SWISS MED WKLY 2004;134:514–522. www.smw.ch). Pulse-transmissiontime-variability (PTTV), which is extracted, has high coherence with heart rate variability and is also used as an objective measure of stress. In this paper we obtain the response of an individual during VR gaming and correlate them with the HRV/PTT parameters. The game chosen for the data acquisition was ‘VR city view rope crossing-360 android VR,’ during which data recording is done. It was found that there was a quantitative increase in physiological stress when individuals were exposed to virtual high heights in comparison with time relative to unaltered viewing. Mean Heart rate showed a significant increase during gaming for both boys and girls which indicates that the body is under the influence of a sympathetic activity like a physical exercise.

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