Biomaterial Database

Cardiac vagal chemosensory afferents. Function in pathophysiological states. 2001

H D Schultz

Department of Physiology and Biophysics, University of Nebraska College of Medicine, Omaha, Nebraska 68198-4575, USA. hschultz@unmc.edu

Stimulation of cardiac vagal afferent endings evokes reflex hypotension and bradycardia, also known as a Bezold-Jarisch effect. The physiological importance of this reflex pathway remains uncertain today, but it is increasingly apparent that cardiac vagal afferents can play an important role in modulating cardiovascular control in pathophysiological states, particularly myocardial ischemia. The afferent endings that compose this vagal input are functionally diverse. Ventricular endings exist that are stimulated by wall motion. However, cardiac chemosensitive endings, stimulated by a variety of metabolically active substances known to be produced by the stressed myocardium (e.g., bradykinin, prostaglandins, reactive oxygen species), play a major role in mediating reflex adjustments during myocardial ischemia. Data are presented highlighting the importance of arachidonic acid metabolites and oxygen radicals in activating cardiac vagal endings during myocardial ischemia and reperfusion, and their role in modulating cardiac afferent sensitivity in the disease states of heart failure and insulin-dependent diabetes.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D009475	Neurons, Afferent	Neurons which conduct NERVE IMPULSES to the CENTRAL NERVOUS SYSTEM.	Afferent Neurons,Afferent Neuron,Neuron, Afferent
D002628	Chemoreceptor Cells	Cells specialized to detect chemical substances and relay that information centrally in the nervous system. Chemoreceptor cells may monitor external stimuli, as in TASTE and OLFACTION, or internal stimuli, such as the concentrations of OXYGEN and CARBON DIOXIDE in the blood.	Chemoreceptive Cells,Cell, Chemoreceptive,Cell, Chemoreceptor,Cells, Chemoreceptive,Cells, Chemoreceptor,Chemoreceptive Cell,Chemoreceptor Cell
D003920	Diabetes Mellitus	A heterogeneous group of disorders characterized by HYPERGLYCEMIA and GLUCOSE INTOLERANCE.
D006329	Heart Conduction System	An impulse-conducting system composed of modified cardiac muscle, having the power of spontaneous rhythmicity and conduction more highly developed than the rest of the heart.	Conduction System, Heart,Conduction Systems, Heart,Heart Conduction Systems,System, Heart Conduction,Systems, Heart Conduction
D006331	Heart Diseases	Pathological conditions involving the HEART including its structural and functional abnormalities.	Cardiac Disorders,Heart Disorders,Cardiac Diseases,Cardiac Disease,Cardiac Disorder,Heart Disease,Heart Disorder
D000818	Animals	Unicellular or multicellular, heterotrophic organisms, that have sensation and the power of voluntary movement. Under the older five kingdom paradigm, Animalia was one of the kingdoms. Under the modern three domain model, Animalia represents one of the many groups in the domain EUKARYOTA.	Animal,Metazoa,Animalia
D014630	Vagus Nerve	The 10th cranial nerve. The vagus is a mixed nerve which contains somatic afferents (from skin in back of the ear and the external auditory meatus), visceral afferents (from the pharynx, larynx, thorax, and abdomen), parasympathetic efferents (to the thorax and abdomen), and efferents to striated muscle (of the larynx and pharynx).	Cranial Nerve X,Pneumogastric Nerve,Tenth Cranial Nerve,Nerve X,Nervus Vagus,Cranial Nerve, Tenth,Cranial Nerves, Tenth,Nerve X, Cranial,Nerve Xs,Nerve, Pneumogastric,Nerve, Tenth Cranial,Nerve, Vagus,Nerves, Pneumogastric,Nerves, Tenth Cranial,Nerves, Vagus,Pneumogastric Nerves,Tenth Cranial Nerves,Vagus Nerves,Vagus, Nervus