Median nerve stimulation reduces ventricular arrhythmias induced by dorsomedial hypothalamic stimulation.
BACKGROUND
This study tested the hypothesis that median nerve stimulation (MNS) prevents ventricular arrhythmias (VAs) induced by dorsomedial hypothalamus stimulation (DMHS) and investigated the electrophysiological mechanisms underlying the anti-arrhythmic effects of MNS by recording left stellate ganglion activity (LSGA).


METHODS
Eighteen rabbits were anesthetized, the median nerve was anchored by stimulating electrodes, and a bipolar electrode was implanted into the LSG to record nerve activity. The DMH was stimulated to induce arrhythmia. All animals underwent six repetitions of DMHS (30 s). The 18 rabbits were divided into the following 3 groups: a control group, which underwent only DMHS (n = 6); an MNS group, which underwent MNS during both the third and fourth DMHS repetitions (n = 6); and an LSGA-recording group, for which LSGA was recorded at baseline, immediately following DMHS and again immediately following MNS and DMHS (n = 6).


RESULTS
Repeated DMHS-induced multiple VAs, in the rabbits. Compared with the DMHS-only group, the concurrent administration of MNS during DMHS significantly reduced the incidence of VAs (7 ± 3 and 9 ± 2 beats for the third and fourth DMHS + MNS repetitions vs. 29 ± 8 and 27 ± 9 beats for the first two DMHS repetitions, p < 0.05). The total duration of the abnormal discharges of the LSG (ADLSG) following MNS and DMHS was significantly reduced compared with that of the DMHS-only group (40 ± 18 vs. 14 ± 6 s, p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
MNS reduced VAs induced by DMHS, which is thought to be mediated through suppressing of ADLSG.
Median nerve electrical stimulation prevented ventricular arrhythmias induced by DMHS through the mechanism of suppressing abnormal discharges of left stellate ganglion.
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Shuang
S
Zhao
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Min
M
Tang
Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Kexin
K
Yuan
Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Jingli
J
Gu
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China.
Jun
J
Yu
Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Xiaoyang
X
Long
Department of Biomedical Engineering, School of Medicine, Tsinghua University, Beijing, China.
Miaomiao
M
Liu
Department of Physiology, Institute of Basic Medical Sciences Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, School of Basic Medicine Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. caojimin@126.com.
Ji-Min
JM
Cao
State Key Laboratory of Cardiovascular Disease, Arrhythmia Center, Fuwai Hospital, National Center for Cardiovascular Diseases, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences and Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, China. zhangshufw@163.com.
Shu
S
Zhang
D000818:Animals; D004302:Dorsomedial Hypothalamic Nucleus / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004599:Electric Stimulation Therapy / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000503:physiopathology; D006339:Heart Rate; D008297:Male; D008475:Median Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011817:Rabbits; D013233:Stellate Ganglion / Q000503:physiopathology*; D017180:Tachycardia, Ventricular / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000517:prevention & control*; D016896:Treatment Outcome
Emotional stress; Left stellate ganglion; Median nerve stimulation; Ventricular arrhythmias