Background Epicardial ganglionated plexuses (GP) have an important role in the pathogenesis of atrial fibrillation (AF). The relationship between anatomical, histological and functional effects of GP is not well known. We previously described atrioventricular (AV) dissociating GP (AVD-GP) locations. In this study, we hypothesised that ectopy triggering GP (ET-GP) are upstream triggers of atrial ectopy/AF

Orthostatic hypotension (OH) is a common clinical manifestation characterized by a significant fall in blood pressure with postural change and is frequently accompanied by debilitating symptoms of orthostatic intolerance. The reported prevalence of OH ranges between 5 and 10% in middle-aged adults with a burden that increases concomitantly with age; in those over 60 years of age, the prevalence is

Autonomic alterations at the onset of exercise are critical to redistribute cardiac output towards the contracting muscles while preventing a fall in arterial pressure due to excessive vasodilation within the contracting muscles. Neural mechanisms responsible for these adjustments include central command, the exercise pressor reflex, and arterial and cardiopulmonary baroreflexes. The exercise pressor

Orexin (OX), which regulates sleep and wakefulness and feeding behaviors has 2 isoforms, orexin-A and -B (OXA and OXB). In this study, the distribution of OXA and OXB was examined in the rat superior salivatory nucleus (SSN) using retrograde tracing and immunohistochemical and methods. OXA- and OXB-immunoreactive (-ir) nerve fibers were seen throughout the SSN. These nerve fibers surrounded SSN neurons

The bladder is innervated by axons of sympathetic and parasympathetic efferent nerves, and by spinal afferent neurons. The objective was to characterise anatomically and immunohistochemically the terminal endings of sensory and autonomic motor nerve endings in wholemount preparations of the mouse bladder. We used both anterograde labelling of pelvic and hypogastric nerves ex vivo and anterograde labelling

Background Patients with a systemic right ventricle are prone to develop heart failure. Abnormal heart rate variability (HRV), a measure of autonomic dysfunction, is associated with morbidity and mortality in patients with left ventricular failure. The association between HRV and supraventricular arrhythmias (SVTs), which are associated with adverse events in this population, was assessed. Methods

Purpose POTS patients undergo labial salivary gland biopsies (LSGB) for histologic confirmation of Sjogren's syndrome (SS). Predictive features of positive results are unknown. Methods 161 POTS patients underwent LSGB. Their charts were reviewed for antibody and diagnostic testing results. Results Only 11% (17/161) of POTS patients were SS positive. There were more positive ANA antibodies in those

While acetylcholine is regarded to be the main directly contractile transmitter substance in the urinary bladder, interactions with other transmitters likely occur. Presently, the interplay between purinergic and cholinergic signalling was investigated to unravel the involvement of the urothelium and efferent neurons in the functionally important purinergically evoked release of acetylcholine in vitro

Postural tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a chronic form of orthostatic intolerance associated with cognitive dysfunction. We hypothesized executive function and attention is impaired in POTS during active standing. Eighty-seven POTS participants and 39 healthy controls of similar age, sex, and education level completed executive function (Stroop word-color) and attention (CogState Identification) tests

Neurogenic orthostatic hypotension (nOH) is a common comorbidity in patients with neurodegenerative diseases. It is associated with an increased risk of falls, incident cardiovascular disease, and all-cause mortality. There are over 5 million individuals in the U.S. with heart failure (HF) with an associated 50% mortality rate at 5 years. The prevalence of nOH and HF increase with age and, as the population

Psychological symptoms are frequently reported in patients with Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS); however, the nature of these symptoms is not well understood. The current study described baseline psychological symptoms in patients with POTS, and examined associations between psychological and self-report autonomic symptoms. Participants reported mild anxiety symptoms, moderate depressive

The central adrenergic and noradrenergic neurotransmitter systems diffusively affect the operation of the spinal neural network and dynamically gauge central sympathetic outflow. Using in vitro splanchnic nerve–thoracic spinal cord preparations as an experimental model, this study examined the intraspinal α1-adrenoceptor-meidated modulation of sympathetic firing behaviors. Several sympathetic single-fiber

Mechanical stretch of the urothelium induces the release of ATP that activates bladder afferent nerves. In the rat urinary bladder, ATP is also a contractile co-transmitter in the parasympathetic innervation. In isolated preparations, ATP evokes a urothelial release of acetylcholine that substantially contributes to ATP-evoked contractile responses. Currently we aimed to further examine the interactions

Scorpion envenomation is a public health problem in tropical and subtropical areas. In Brazil, Tityus serrulatus is the biggest cause of accidents with venomous animals. Tityus serrulatus venom causes symptoms related to a great activation of the autonomic system attributed to a massive release of sympathetic and parasympathetic mediators. This effect is attributed to the presence of toxins acting

Background Cardiac sympathetic blockade is a therapeutic approach for arrhythmias and heart failure and may be a beneficial effect of high thoracic epidural anesthesia. These treatments require detailed knowledge of the spatial location and distribution of cardiac autonomic nerves, however, there are controversies on this subject in humans. Objective To provide a systematic overview of current knowledge

The relation between vascular sympathetic tone and the amplitude of arterial pressure (AP) Mayer waves was examined by analyzing 60-min recordings of AP and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) obtained in conscious rats before and after lipopolysaccharide administration, which results in strong sympathoexcitation. Mayer waves completely disappeared together with accompanying oscillations of RSNA

Saphenous (SAFN) nerve stimulation was recently shown in anesthetized rats to elicit bladder-inhibitory responses in a frequency-dependent manner; however, the mechanism of action is unknown. The goal of this study was to investigate the potential role of the hypogastric nerve (HGN) in this inhibitory pathway by examining stimulation-evoked changes in bladder function under four different experimental

Nesfatin-1 is a multifunctional neuropeptide having crucial autonomic roles. It is well known that nesfatin-1 collaborates with other central neuromodulatory systems, such as central corticotropin-releasing hormone, melanocortin, oxytocin, and cholinergic systems to show its autonomic effects. Central arachidonic acid cascade plays an important role to provide the homeostasis by exhibiting similar

BACKGROUND Renal denervation is effective for modulating augmented sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) in heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). We have demonstrated that renal iodine123-metaiodobenzylguanidine (123I-MIBG) scintigraphy is associated with muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) in patients with hypertension. However, it is unclear whether renal 123I-MIBG scintigraphy is

Inspiratory muscle exercise (IME) can be an alternative to conventional exercise. We aimed to evaluate the effect of IME on glucose, glucose variability, and autonomic cardiovascular control in type 2 diabetes. Fourteen diabetic subjects were randomly assigned to IME with 2% maximal inspiratory pressure (PImax) or 60% PImax wearing a continuous glucose monitoring system for three days. Glucose variability

BACKGROUND Treatment induced neuropathy of diabetes (TIND) is an iatrogenic painful sensory and autonomic neuropathy. Although the prevalence is not known, it is seen in up to 10% of tertiary cases referred for evaluation of diabetic neuropathy. EVIDENCE TIND is associated with a decrease in the glycosylated hemoglobin A1C in individuals with longstanding hyperglycemia. TIND is more common in individuals

Spinal cord injury (SCI) leads to autonomic nervous system damage, resulting in loss of sympathetic control to the vasculature and the heart proportional to injury level. Given maintained cardiac parasympathetic control, we hypothesized that SCI demonstrates a compensatory, higher baroreflex gain compared to able-bodied that relates to injury level (neurological and/or sensory). We compared baroreflex

OBJECTIVE To study the frequency of latent and overt involuntary emotional expression disorder (IEED) in postural tachycardia syndrome (PoTS). METHODS We compared 51 PoTS patients with 15 neurally mediated hypotension (NMH) patients and 12 control subjects using the Center for Neurologic Study-Lability Scale (CNS-LS) for latent IEED and the PHQ-9 questionnaire for depression screening before head-up

Cardiac microdialysis allows the assessment of cardiac efferent vagal nerve activity from myocardial interstitial acetylcholine (ACh) levels with minimal influence on the neural control of the heart; however, a total picture of the baroreflex-mediated myocardial interstitial ACh release including the threshold and saturation pressures has yet to be quantified. In eight anesthetized Wistar-Kyoto rats

Orthostatic hypotension is one of the most common symptoms observed in Parkinson's disease (PD), a neurodegenerative disease caused by death of dopaminergic neurons in the substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc), and it is associated with denervation of the heart and impairment of the baroreflex. Here, we aimed to investigate if the impaired baroreflex was associated with lower activation of cardiovascular

Multiple sclerosis (MS) is a chronic inflammatory demyelinating and neurodegenerative disease of the central nervous system (CNS), believed to have an autoimmune etiology. MS patients showed an increased cardiovascular (CV) risk probably related to an impairment in the autonomic control of CV functions, but the underlying molecular mechanisms are not completely elucidated. Inwardly-rectifying potassium

Cardiovascular autonomic neuropathy (CAN) is a common and deadly complication of diabetes mellitus, which is frequently overlooked in clinical practice due to its characteristic subtle presentation earlier in disease. Yet, timely detection of CAN may help implementation of tailored interventions to prevent its progression and mitigate the risk of associated complications, including cardiovascular disease

BACKGROUND Post-ganglionic sudomotor abnormalities are common in Parkinson's disease (PD), however data in clinically isolated REM sleep behavior disorder (iRBD) are limited. OBJECTIVE To determine the prevalence of sudomotor abnormalities in a cohort of patients with iRBD. METHODS We performed a retrospective review of patients seen in our autonomic clinic who underwent testing with the quantitative

We previously found that the thiol amino acid L-cysteine microinjected into rat medullary autonomic areas produces changes in arterial blood pressure (AP) via ionotropic excitatory amino acid receptors (iEAAr), but its effect on vascular beds is still unknown. Rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) pressor area includes adrenal and lumbar presympathetic neurons which activation could cause opposite muscle

OBJECTIVES Patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) are at a high risk of future autonomic dysfunction and cardiovascular disease. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of a 12-month lifestyle intervention (LI) involving regular aerobic exercise on cardiac autonomic function in CKD patients. DESIGN Pooled exploratory analysis. METHODS 113 eligible patients with stage 3-4 CKD (eGFR 25-60

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Paroxysmal sympathetic hyperactivity (PSH) is a rare complication of spontaneous intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH).We aimed to evaluate the risk factors and clinical features for PSH after ICH. METHODS From January 1, 2013 to April 1, 2018, patients with ICH were consecutively included in this observational study. Baseline characteristics were compared in patients with and without

Hypertension often occurs in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Considering the decrease in serum Klotho and increase in serum FGF23 levels in such patients, decreased Klotho and increased FGF23 levels were thought to be associated with hypertension. Presympathetic neurons at the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) contribute to sympathetic activity and regulation of blood pressure. Therefore

Neurons in the superior cervical ganglia (SCG) are classified as rostral and caudal according to their regional locations. Although diverse phenotypes have been reported for these two subpopulations, differences in neuroplasticity, like long-term potentiation (LTP), have not been characterized. Here, we explored possible regional differences of LTP expression in rostral and caudal neurons of the SCG

Sexual dysfunction, following spinal cord injury (SCI), is highly dependent on the extent of injury. SCI disrupts the supraspinal innervation of the reproductive organs; resulting in structural and functional deficits. Relating the extent of SCI to these changes could eventually improve diagnoses and treatment planning of sexual dysfunction following SCI. In the present study, following chronic SCI

Despite well-established clinical associations between Hypermobile Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (hEDS) and postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS), the precise prevalence is unknown. We therefore evaluated for hEDS in 91 POTS participants using the 2017 hEDS diagnostic checklist, which has three major criteria: 1) generalized joint hypermobility (Beighton score), 2) systemic features, family history

The Sing-a-Song Stress Test (SSST) was recently developed as an alternative to the Trier Social Stress Test (TSST) to investigate autonomic nervous system responses to social-evaluative stress. In the SSST, participants are suddenly cued to sing a song in the presence of confederates. However, the SSST is still quite long (~15 min) and the requirement for confederates makes it labor-intensive. The

Lower extremity ulcerations represent a major complication in diabetes mellitus and involve multiple physiological factors that lead to impairment of wound healing. Neuropeptides are neuromodulators implicated in various processes including diabetic wound healing. Diabetes causes autonomic and small sensory nerve fibers neuropathy as well as inflammatory dysregulation, which manifest with decreased

OBJECTIVE Several studies have shown relationship between the lower urinary tract dysfunction (LUTD) and atherosclerosis. However, no study is available to see which LUTD relates more to atherosclerosis, among detrusor overactivity and post-void residual. In order to answer this question, we present data of urodynamic and atherosclerosis tests. METHODS We performed standard urodynamics and two atherosclerosis

Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a chronic, multifactorial syndrome with complex symptoms of orthostatic intolerance. Breathlessness is a prevalent symptom, however little is known about the aetiology. Anecdotal evidence suggests that breathless POTS patients commonly demonstrate dysfunctional breathing/hyperventilation syndrome (DB/HVS). There are, however, no published data regarding

Obesity hypertension is driven by sympathetic neurotransmission to the heart and blood vessels. We tested the hypothesis that high-fat diet (HFD)-induced hypertension is driven by sympathetic neurotransmission to mesenteric arteries (MA) in male but not female Dahl salt-sensitive (Dahl ss) rat. Rats were fed a control diet (CD; 10 kcal% from fat) or HFD (60 kcal% from fat) beginning at 3 weeks (wk)

INTRODUCTION Forearm QSWEAT recordings are occasionally absent in females, likely due to high skin resistance. METHODS We identified consecutive subjects with no sudomotor abnormalities but absent/markedly reduced QSWEAT forearm volume, and repeated QSWEAT at the same site after gentle abrasion. RESULTS QSWEAT volumes were absent for 4 subjects and markedly reduced for the other 4 (median 0.01, IQR

INTRODUCTION Autonomic dysfunction, an early symptom of transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR amyloidosis), requires investigations not readily available in many clinics. Although monitoring of orthostatic hypotension (OH) will not be a substitute for more specialized tests, it can add important information about initiation of dysautonomia. The aim of this study was to investigate whether simple blood pressure

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) leads to exaggerated cardiovascular responses to exercise, in part due to an exaggerated exercise pressor reflex. Accumulating data suggest excessive oxidative stress contributes to an exaggerated exercise pressor reflex in cardiovascular-related diseases. Excessive oxidative stress is also a primary underlying mechanism for the development and progression of T2DM. However

The vas deferens responds to a single electrical pulse with a biphasic contraction caused by cotransmitters ATP and noradrenaline. Removing Mg2+ (normally 1.2 mM) from the physiological salt solution (PSS) enhances the contraction. This study aimed to determine the effect of Mg2+ concentration on nerve cotransmitter-mediated contractions. Rat vasa deferentia were sequentially bathed in increasing (0

Heart rate recovery (HRR) has been widely used to evaluate the integrity of the autonomic nervous system with a slower HRR being associated with greater cardiovascular risk. Different HRR indices have been proposed. Some evaluate HR changes from the end of exercise to a specific recovery moment (e.g. 60s - HRR60s; 120s - HRR120s; 300s - HRR300s) and others calculate time-constant decays of HR for different

Neurons in sensory, sympathetic, and parasympathetic ganglia are surrounded by satellite glial cell (SGCs). There is little information on the effects of nerve damage on SGCs in autonomic ganglia. We studied the consequences of damage to sympathetic nerve terminals by 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) on SGCs in the mouse superior cervical ganglia (Sup-CG). Immunostaining revealed that at 1-30 d post-6-OHDA

This study aimed to determine whether enteric neurons are involved in multiple system atrophy (MSA). Four-μm-thick slices of small intestine were prepared from 10%-formalin-fixed and paraffin-embedded materials obtained from autopsied cases. Enteric neurons were stained using an anti-peripherin antibody. Immunostaining of phosphorylated α-synuclein was also performed. Areas of the cytoplasm and nucleus

The pressure-passive cerebrovasculature is affected by alterations in cerebral perfusion pressure (CPP) and arterial blood gases (e.g., pressure of arterial [Pa]CO2), where acute changes in either stimulus can influence cerebral blood flow (CBF). The effect of superimposed increases in CPP at different levels of steady-state PaCO2 on regional CBF regulation is unclear. In 17 healthy participants, we

OBJECTIVES In cardiac ischemia, acute inflammatory responses further increase the detrimental effect on myocardial tissue. Since vagus nerve stimulation (VS) attenuates inflammatory responsiveness this study examines the effect of VS on myocardial damage development in a cardiac ischemia-reperfusion (IR) mouse model. METHODS 54 male C57Bl/6j mice were subjected to an IR procedure with or without prior

Lifelong functional plasticity of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract is essential for health, yet the underlying molecular mechanisms are poorly understood. The enteric nervous system (ENS) regulates all aspects of the gut function, via a range of neurotransmitter pathways, one of which is the GABA-GABAA receptor (GABAAR) system. We have previously shown that GABAA receptor subunits are differentially

The present study aimed to compare linear and symbolic dynamics (SD) indices for detecting the autonomic cardiac changes produced by endotoxemia in freely-moving rats. In this context, we analyzed ECG-derived R-R time series in freely moving Dark Agouti rats, which received lipopolysaccharide (LPS, n = 9), or vehicle (V, n = 7). Five minutes R-R time series were assessed every hour up to +12 h and + 24 h

Autonomic nervous system (ANS) has been extensively explored in obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). Autonomic alterations in these patients have been described by means of several methods, evaluating ANS function both directly with microneurography and indirectly through baroreflex sensitivity (BRS, by the sequence method or the cross-spectral approach), heart rate variability analysis (HRV, both in the

Pure autonomic failure (PAF) is a progressive syndrome of neurogenic orthostatic hypotension, widespread anhidrosis, urinary retention, and constipation without other neurologic manifestations. It is generally considered a peripheral ganglionic synucleinopathy. Natural history studies have described risk factors for the conversion of PAF to Parkinson's disease, multiple system atrophy, or dementia