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Cited by 87Heart Rate Variability and Autonomic ControlVagus Nerve Stimulation ResearchCardiac electrophysiology and arrhythmias

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Cardiac vagal preganglionic neurones: An update

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Gourine, Alexander V., Machhada, Asif, Trapp, Stefan, Spyer, K. Michael·2016·Autonomic Neuroscience
DOI 10.1016/j.autneu.2016.06.003
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Abstract

The autonomic nervous system controls the heart by dynamic recruitment and withdrawal of cardiac parasympathetic and sympathetic activities. These activities are generated by groups of sympathoexcitatory and vagal preganglionic neurones residing in a close proximity to each other within well-defined structures of the brainstem. This short essay provides a general overview and an update on the latest developments in our understanding of the central nervous origins and functional significance of cardiac vagal tone. Significant experimental evidence suggests that distinct groups of cardiac vagal preganglionic neurones with different patterns of activity control nodal tissue (controlling the heart rate and atrioventricular conductance) and the ventricular myocardium (modulating its contractility and excitability).

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  • In a normal homeostatic state, dorsal vagal pathways have a protective ionotropic role on the myocardia.

    “Research suggests that in a normal ‘homeostatic’ state, dorsal vagal pathways have a protective ionotropic role on the myocardia (See Refs. [[5], [6], [7], [8], [9]]).”

    From The vagal paradox: A polyvagal solution (2023) · cites this paper as [5]

    The section on dorsal vagal motor nucleus neurones reports that tonically active pathways restrain left ventricular inotropy and that DVMN activity can protect the heart against arrhythmia and ischaemia/reperfusion injury. It does not establish that the inotropic effect itself is protective in a normal homeostatic state. The paper uses “inotropic”; the claim’s “ionotropic” appears to be a terminology error. (LLM, conf=0.83)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Chronotropic influence through ventral vagal pathways distinctly has a respiratory rhythm, while chronotropic influences through dorsal vagal pathways do not.

    “Documentation for this possibility comes from the observation that chronotropic influence through ventral vagal pathways distinctly has a respiratory rhythm [5], while chronotropic influences through the dorsal vagal pathways do not.”

    From The vagal paradox: A polyvagal solution (2023) · cites this paper as [5]

    The 'Vagal innervation of the heart' section says heart-rate-controlling nucleus ambiguus neurones have respiratory-related activity, while cardiac-projecting dorsal vagal motor nucleus (DVMN) neurones are unaffected by respiratory inputs. The DVMN section, however, describes their influence primarily as control of ventricular contractility and reports that inhibiting them did not change heart rate. The contrast in respiratory rhythm is supported, but describing the dorsal influence as chronotropic is not. (LLM, conf=0.85)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • Recent studies document important influences of cardioinhibitory inotropic vagal fibers originating from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus.

    “recent studies document the important influences of cardioinhibitory inotropic vagal fibers originating from the dorsal motor nucleus of the vagus [[5], [6], [7], [8], [9]].”

    From The vagal paradox: A polyvagal solution (2023) · cites this paper as [5]

  • The two vagal circuits evolved sequentially.

    “Through the study of comparative anatomy, it can be inferred that the two vagal circuits evolved sequentially (see Ref. [5]).”

    From The vagal paradox: A polyvagal solution (2023) · cites this paper as Ref. [5]

  • Spontaneous heart rate-respiratory interactions, known as RSA in mammals, are dependent on myelinated vagal fibers originating in the ventral vagal nucleus in nucleus ambiguus.

    “Third, spontaneous heart rate-respiratory interactions, known as RSA in mammals, are dependent on myelinated vagal fibers originating in the ventral vagal nucleus in a brainstem region, known as nucleus ambiguus.”

    From The vagal paradox: A polyvagal solution (2023) · cites this paper as [5]

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Metadata

Authors
Gourine, A. V., Machhada, A., Trapp, S., & Spyer, K. M.
Affiliations
University College London (GB)
Corresponding author
Gourine, Alexander V.
ORCID
Venue
Autonomic Neuroscience
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2016-08
Volume
199
Pages
24-28
ISSN
1566-0702 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1016/j.autneu.2016.06.003
OpenAlex
W2464981283
Cited by
87
References
1
Citations by year
2026: 4 · 2025: 12 · 2024: 11 · 2023: 20 · 2022: 4 · 2021: 6 · 2020: 10 · 2019: 5 · 2018: 9 · 2017: 6
FWCI
1.18
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Autonomic Neuroscience (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • UCL Discovery (University College London) (submittedVersion)
Funders
  • British Heart Foundation
  • The Wellcome Trust
  • Medical Research Council and The Rosetrees Trust
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
cardiac vagal tone, brainstem, heart rate regulation, atrioventricular conduction, ventricular contractility, ventricular excitability, autonomic nervous system
MeSH terms
Animals, Autonomic Fibers, Preganglionic, Heart, Heart Rate, Humans, Medulla Oblongata, Neurons, Vagus Nerve

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