title: Persistent alterations in heart rate variability, baroreflex sensitivity, and anxiety-like behaviors during development of heart failure in the rat.
abstract: Depressed heart rate variability and mood are associated with increased mortality in patients with congestive heart failure (CHF). Here autonomic indexes were assessed 3 and 7 wk after left coronary artery ligation in telemetered rats, after which anxiety-like behaviors were assessed in an elevated plus maze. Low frequency (LF) and high frequency (HF) heart rate variability were reduced in CHF rats 3 wk after infarction (LF, 1.60 +/- 0.52 vs. 6.97 +/- 0.79 ms(2); and HF, 1.53 +/- 0.39 vs. 6.20 +/- 1.01 ms(2); P < 0.01). The number of sequences of interbeat intervals that correlated with arterial pressure was decreased in CHF rats at 3 and 7 wk (week 3, 26.60 +/- 10.85 vs. 59.75 +/- 11.4 sequences, P < 0.05; and week 7, 20.80 +/- 8.97 vs. 65.38 +/- 5.89 sequences, P < 0.01). Sequence gain was attenuated in CHF rats by 7 wk (1.34 +/- 0.06 vs. 2.70 +/- 0.29 ms/mmHg, P < 0.01). Coherence between interbeat interval and mean arterial blood pressure variability in the LF domain was reduced in CHF rats at 3 (0.12 +/- 0.03 vs. 0.26 +/- 0.05 k(2), P < 0.05) and 7 (0.16 +/- 0.02 vs. 0.31 +/- 0.05 k(2), P < 0.05) wk. CHF rats invariably entered the open arm of the elevated plus maze first and spent more time in the open arms (36.0 +/- 15% vs. 4.6 +/- 1.9%, P < 0.05). CHF rats also showed a tendency to jump head first off the apparatus, whereas controls did not. Together the data indicate that severe autonomic dysfunction is accompanied by escape-seeking behaviors in rats with verified CHF.
authors.affiliation: Dept. of Pharmacology, Loyola Univ. Stritch School of Medicine, Maywood, IL 60153, USA.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Henze
authors.forename: Davin
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Hart
authors.forename: Allen
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Samarel
authors.forename: John
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Barakat
authors.forename: Laurie
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Eckert
authors.forename: Karie
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Scrogin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001007:Anxiety / Q000209:etiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D001341:Autonomic Nervous System / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017704:Baroreflex; D001522:Behavior, Animal; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D004924:Escape Reaction; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000523:psychology; D006339:Heart Rate; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D009203:Myocardial Infarction / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000523:psychology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013686:Telemetry; D013997:Time Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D016277:Ventricular Function, Left