title: [Methods for assessing the autonomic nervous system in man].
abstract: Assessment of baroreflex sensitivity and spectral analysis of heart rate variability are two methods capable of providing relevant information on neural mechanisms controlling heart period and on their alterations during several pathophysiological conditions such as coronary artery disease and cardiac insufficiency. These techniques provide complementary information: the former is based on a stimulus-response model which has in the activation of vagal fibers directed to the heart its main efferent component; the latter, by quantifying the spontaneous harmonic oscillations of heart period, furnishes indices of sympathetic and vagal modulation of sinus node.
authors.affiliation: Centro Ricerche Cardiovascolari, CNR, Università degli Studi, Ospedale L Sacco, Milano.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lombardi
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malliani
mesh_terms: D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D011311:Pressoreceptors / Q000502:physiology
vernacular_title: Metodiche di valutazione del sistema neurovegetativo nell'uomo.