Background: Cardiopulmonary sympathetic control is exerted via stellate ganglia, however, little is known about how neuronal firing patterns in the stellate ganglion relate to dynamic physiologic function in the heart and lungs. Methods: We performed continuous extracellular recordings from SG neurons using multielectrode arrays in chloralose-anesthetized pigs (n=6) for 8-9 hours. Respiratory and left ventricular pressures (RP and LVP, respectively), and the electrocardiogram (ECG) were recorded concomitantly. Linkages between sampled spikes and LVP or RP were determined using a novel metric to evaluate specificity in neural activity for phases of the cardiac and pulmonary cycles during resting conditions and under various cardiopulmonary stressors. Results: Firing frequency (mean 4.6±1.2Hz) varied spatially across the stellate ganglion, suggesting regional processing. The firing pattern of most neurons was synchronized with both cardiac (LVP) and pulmonary (RP) activity indicative of cardiopulmonary integration. Using the novel metric to determine cardiac phase specificity of neuronal activity, we found that spike density was highest during diastole and near peak systole. This specificity was independent of the actual LVP or population firing frequency as revealed by perturbations to the LVP. The observed specificity was weaker for RP. Conclusions: Stellate ganglion neuronal populations exhibit cardiopulmonary integration and profound specificity toward the near-peak systolic phase of the cardiac cycle. This novel approach provides practically deployable tools to probe stellate ganglion function and its relationship to cardiopulmonary pathophysiology

中文翻译：

---

一种将星状神经节神经元种群动力学与心肺生理学联系起来的新指标

背景：心肺交感神经控制是通过星状神经节进行的，然而，关于星状神经节中的神经元放电模式与心脏和肺的动态生理功能之间的关系知之甚少。方法：我们使用多电极阵列在氯醛糖麻醉猪 (n=6) 中对 SG 神经元进行连续的细胞外记录，持续 8-9 小时。同时记录呼吸和左心室压力（分别为 RP 和 LVP）以及心电图（ECG）。使用一种新的指标来确定采样尖峰与 LVP 或 RP 之间的联系，以评估在静息条件下和各种心肺压力源下心脏和肺周期阶段的神经活动的特异性。结果：发射频率（平均 4.6±1.2Hz）在整个星状神经节的空间变化，建议区域处理。大多数神经元的放电模式与指示心肺整合的心脏 (LVP) 和肺 (RP) 活动同步。使用新的度量来确定神经元活动的心脏相位特异性，我们发现在舒张期和接近峰值收缩期的峰值密度最高。这种特异性与 LVP 扰动所揭示的实际 LVP 或群体放电频率无关。观察到的对 RP 的特异性较弱。结论：星状神经节神经元群表现出心肺整合和对心动周期近峰值收缩期的高度特异性。这种新方法为探测星状神经节功能及其与心肺病理生理学的关系提供了实用的可部署工具 大多数神经元的放电模式与指示心肺整合的心脏 (LVP) 和肺 (RP) 活动同步。使用新的度量来确定神经元活动的心脏相位特异性，我们发现在舒张期和接近峰值收缩期的峰值密度最高。这种特异性与 LVP 扰动所揭示的实际 LVP 或群体放电频率无关。观察到的对 RP 的特异性较弱。结论：星状神经节神经元群表现出心肺整合和对心动周期近峰值收缩期的高度特异性。这种新方法为探测星状神经节功能及其与心肺病理生理学的关系提供了实用的可部署工具 大多数神经元的放电模式与指示心肺整合的心脏 (LVP) 和肺 (RP) 活动同步。使用新的度量来确定神经元活动的心脏相位特异性，我们发现在舒张期和接近峰值收缩期的峰值密度最高。这种特异性与 LVP 扰动所揭示的实际 LVP 或群体放电频率无关。观察到的对 RP 的特异性较弱。结论：星状神经节神经元群表现出心肺整合和对心动周期近峰值收缩期的高度特异性。这种新方法为探测星状神经节功能及其与心肺病理生理学的关系提供了实用的可部署工具