title: The role of the neural sympathetic and parasympathetic systems in diurnal and sleep state-related cardiovascular rhythms in the late-gestation ovine fetus.
abstract: The efferent mechanisms mediating the well-known diurnal cardiovascular rhythms in the late-gestation fetus are only partially understood. In the present study, we evaluated the contribution of the parasympathetic and sympathetic nervous systems (SNS) to these rhythms. Chronically instrumented fetal sheep at a mean (SE) of 122 (1) days gestation (term is 147 days) underwent either chemical sympathectomy with 6-hydroxydopamine the day after surgery (n = 8), vagotomy at surgery (n = 8), or were sham controls (n = 8). Fetal heart rate (HR), fetal HR variability (HRV), mean arterial blood pressure (MAP), carotid blood flow (CaBF), electrocorticogram (ECoG) activity, and nuchal activity were measured continuously for 24 h. Changes between sleep states were determined in a 6-h interval. Control fetal sheep showed consistent diurnal rhythms in fetal HR, HRV, MAP, and CaBF, with maximal activity in the evening, but not in nuchal activity. Sympathectomy was associated with a significant reduction of both fetal HR and HRV, while vagotomy was associated with a fall in fetal HRV (P < 0.05) but no change in HR. Despite this, most animals in the two intervention groups still showed diurnal rhythms for fetal HR, HRV, MAP, and CaBF, although peak HR may have been delayed in the sympathectomy group (mean 02:22 vs. 23:54 h in controls, P = 0.06). There was no effect of either intervention on sleep state cycling, although state-related cardiovascular rhythms were significantly modulated. These data indicate that, neither the SNS nor vagal activity, in isolation at least, is essential for generating cardiovascular diurnal rhythms in the late-gestation fetus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physiology, Faculty of Medical and Health Sciences, The University of Auckland, Auckland, New Zealand.
authors.forename: Ellen C
authors.initials: EC
authors.lastname: Jensen
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Bennet
authors.forename: Sarah-Jane
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Guild
authors.forename: Lindsea C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Booth
authors.forename: Joanna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Stewart
authors.forename: Alistair J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Gunn
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001794:Blood Pressure; D002339:Carotid Arteries / Q000196:embryology / Q000294:innervation; D002940:Circadian Rhythm / Q000187:drug effects; D004562:Electrocardiography; D004569:Electroencephalography; D004576:Electromyography; D005260:Female; D005312:Fetal Blood / Q000378:metabolism; D005318:Fetal Heart / Q000294:innervation; D005333:Fetus / Q000294:innervation*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006340:Heart Rate, Fetal; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects; D016627:Oxidopamine / Q000494:pharmacology; D011247:Pregnancy; D012039:Regional Blood Flow; D012756:Sheep; D012890:Sleep; D013563:Sympathectomy, Chemical / Q000379:methods; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000196:embryology*; D013565:Sympatholytics / Q000494:pharmacology; D014628:Vagotomy; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000196:embryology* / Q000601:surgery
chemical_list: D015415:Biomarkers; D013565:Sympatholytics; D016627:Oxidopamine