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Cited by 383Cardiovascular and exercise physiologyDiabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and LipoproteinsBlood Pressure and Hypertension Studies

Body fat and sympathetic nerve activity in healthy subjects.

Scherrer, U, Randin, D, Tappy, L, Vollenweider, P, Jéquier, E, Nicod, P·1994·Circulation
DOI 10.1161/01.cir.89.6.2634
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Abstract

BACKGROUND: Obesity is associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular complications, but the underlying mechanism is unknown. In experimental animals, overfeeding is associated with sympathetic activation, and there is evidence that adrenergic mechanisms contribute to cardiovascular complications. METHODS AND RESULTS: We recorded resting postganglionic sympathetic nerve discharge (using intraneural microelectrodes) to skeletal muscle blood vessels in 37 healthy subjects covering a broad spectrum of percent body fat. To assess potential functional consequences of sympathetic nerve discharge, we simultaneously measured calf vascular resistance and energy expenditure. The resting rate of sympathetic nerve discharge to skeletal muscle was directly correlated with body mass index (r = .67, P < .0001) and percent body fat (r = .64, P < .0001). In addition to body fat, muscle sympathetic nerve activity was correlated with age (r = .40, P < .02), plasma insulin concentration (r = .34, P < .04), and plasma lactate concentration (r = .35, P < .04). Together, these four covariates accounted for 58% of the variance of muscle sympathetic nerve activity (P < .0001). The rate of sympathetic nerve discharge to calf blood vessels was directly correlated with calf vascular resistance (r = .40, P < .02) but did not predict energy expenditure (r = .22, P = .19). CONCLUSIONS: In healthy humans, body fat is a major determinant of the resting rate of muscle sympathetic nerve discharge. Overweight-associated sympathetic activation could represent one potential mechanism contributing to the increased incidence of cardiovascular complications in overweight subjects.

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  • Sophisticated studies using microneurography and/or radiolabeled norepinephrine spillover have unequivocally supported Landsberg's concept of sympathetic overactivity in most human obesity.

    “Sophisticated studies using microneurography and/or radiolabeled norepinephrine spillover have unequivocally supported Landsberg’s concept of sympathetic overactivity in most human obesity3,60–61,64.”

    From The Sympathetic Nervous System Alterations in Human Hypertension (2015) · cites this paper as [64]

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Authors
Scherrer, U., Randin, D., Tappy, L., Vollenweider, P., Jéquier, E., & Nicod, P.
Affiliations
Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois (CH)
ORCID
Venue
Circulation
Publisher
Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health)
Published
1994-06
Volume
89
Issue
6
Pages
2634-2640
ISSN
  • 0009-7322 (ISSN-L)
  • 1524-4539
DOI
10.1161/01.cir.89.6.2634
OpenAlex
W2030030872
Cited by
383
References
8
Citations by year
2026: 1 · 2025: 2 · 2024: 5 · 2023: 4 · 2022: 5 · 2021: 8 · 2020: 8 · 2019: 7 · 2018: 2 · 2017: 11 · 2016: 14 · 2015: 18 · 2014: 18 · 2013: 8 · 2012: 13
FWCI
26.47
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
closed
Locations
  • Circulation (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • IRIS (submittedVersion)
  • SERVAL (Université de Lausanne) (submittedVersion)
Funders
Schweizerischer Nationalfonds zur Förderung der Wissenschaftlichen Forschung
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Complementary and alternative medicine › Cardiovascular and exercise physiology
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Blood Pressure and Hypertension Studies
Keywords
fat mass, muscle sympathetic nerve activity, sympathetic nerve discharge, obesity, cardiovascular complications, body mass index, energy expenditure, insulin, lactate, sympathetic activation
MeSH terms
Adolescent, Adult, Cardiovascular Diseases, Energy Metabolism, Female, Humans, Insulin, Lactates, Male, Middle Aged, Muscles, Obesity, Sympathetic Nervous System, Lactic Acid

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