Fluctuations of the sympathetic nerve discharges in animals without natural heartbeat.
To assess the effect of artificial circulation on the circulatory regulatory system, rhythmical fluctuations in the cardiovascular system and autonomic nerve discharges were analyzed in animal experiments using adult mongrel dogs. Two pneumatically actuated ventricular assist devices were implanted as total biventricular bypass (BVB) under general anesthesia; then, the natural heart was electrically fibrillated to constitute the BVB part of the complete prosthetic circulation model. All hemodynamic data and sympathetic nerve discharges were recorded and calculated in the computer system by the use of spectral analyzing methods. In the power spectrum of the arterial blood pressure waveform during prosthetic circulation, the Mayer wave peak was significantly decreased though the respiratory wave peak was not significantly changed. However, the Mayer wave peak in sympathetic nerve discharges was significantly increased though the respiratory wave peak was not significantly changed. These results suggest that rhythmical fluctuations are a necessary response of the circulatory regulatory system including the autonomic nervous system. However, sympathetic nerve discharges respond to the artificial heart without rhythmical fluctuations.
Department of Medical Engineering and Cardiology, Tohoku University, Sendai, Japan.
T
T
Yambe
S
S
Nitta
S
S
Naganuma
Y
Y
Kakinuma
K
K
Izutsu
H
H
Akiho
T
T
Naganuma
Y
Y
Kikuchi
S
S
Kobayashi
N
N
Ohsawa
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002315:Cardiopulmonary Bypass; D004285:Dogs; D006353:Heart-Assist Devices; D007668:Kidney / Q000294:innervation; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*