Cited by 182Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic ControlVagus Nerve Stimulation ResearchCardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmias

Methods of assessing vagus nerve activity and reflexes

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Chapleau, Mark W., Sabharwal, Rasna·2011·Heart Failure Reviews

Abstract

The methods used to assess cardiac parasympathetic (cardiovagal) activity and its effects on the heart in both humans and animal models are reviewed. Heart rate (HR)-based methods include measurements of the HR response to blockade of muscarinic cholinergic receptors (parasympathetic tone), beat-to-beat HR variability (HRV) (parasympathetic modulation), rate of post-exercise HR recovery (parasympathetic reactivation), and reflex-mediated changes in HR evoked by activation or inhibition of sensory (afferent) nerves. Sources of excitatory afferent input that increase cardiovagal activity and decrease HR include baroreceptors, chemoreceptors, trigeminal receptors, and subsets of cardiopulmonary receptors with vagal afferents. Sources of inhibitory afferent input include pulmonary stretch receptors with vagal afferents and subsets of visceral and somatic receptors with spinal afferents. The different methods used to assess cardiovagal control of the heart engage different mechanisms, and therefore provide unique and complementary insights into underlying physiology and pathophysiology. In addition, techniques for direct recording of cardiovagal nerve activity in animals; the use of decerebrate and in vitro preparations that avoid confounding effects of anesthesia; cardiovagal control of cardiac conduction, contractility, and refractoriness; and noncholinergic mechanisms are described. Advantages and limitations of the various methods are addressed, and future directions are proposed.

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  1. [9]Levy MN 1971 Sympathetic-parasympathetic interactions in the heart Circ Res 29 437 445 4330524
  2. [24]Coote JH Bothams VF 2001 Cardiac vagal control before, during and after exercise Exp Physiol 86 6 811 815 11698978
  3. [135]Casadei B 2001 Vagal control of myocardial contractility in humans Exp Physiol 86 6 817 823 11698979

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Authors
Chapleau, M. W., & Sabharwal, R.
Affiliations
University of Iowa (US)
Corresponding author
Chapleau, Mark W.
Venue
Heart Failure Reviews
Published
2010-06-25
Volume
16
Issue
2
Pages
109-127
ISSN
  • 1382-4147 (ISSN-L)
  • 1573-7322
OpenAlex
W2075538930
Cited by
182
References
177
Citations by year
2026: 7 · 2025: 13 · 2024: 20 · 2023: 16 · 2022: 13 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 16 · 2019: 11 · 2018: 15 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 6 · 2015: 12 · 2014: 10 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 10
FWCI
1.29
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Heart Failure Reviews (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (HL-14388, P01HL014388)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic Control
  • Life Sciences › Neuroscience › Neurology › Vagus Nerve Stimulation Research
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmias
Keywords
vagus nerve activity, parasympathetic nervous system, heart rate variability, muscarinic receptor blockade, baroreceptors, chemoreceptors, pulmonary stretch receptors, vagal afferents, cardiac conduction, cardiac contractility
MeSH terms
Animals, Autonomic Fibers, Postganglionic, Autonomic Fibers, Preganglionic, Disease Models, Animal, Exercise Test, Heart Rate, Humans, Parasympathetic Nervous System, Pressoreceptors, Receptors, Muscarinic, Sympathetic Nervous System, Time Factors, Vagus Nerve, Exercise

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