Comparison of cardiovascular reflexes of the newborn and adult opossum.
Neural control of the cardiovascular system was compared in the newborn and adult opossum by measuring changes in blood pressure and heart rate following carotid arterial occlusion and vagal stimulation. The percent change in blood pressure of the newborn was not significantly different from that of the adult following these procedures. This would indicate that even though the newborn opossum is incompletely developed for some time after birth, its neural development was adequate for control of the cardiovascular system.
D000367:Age Factors; D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002320:Cardiovascular Physiological Phenomena; D002319:Cardiovascular System / Q000254:growth & development / Q000294:innervation*; D002346:Carotid Sinus / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006339:Heart Rate; D008297:Male; D009893:Opossums / Q000502:physiology*; D011311:Pressoreceptors / Q000502:physiology*; D012018:Reflex; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology*