Increased Respiratory-Sympathetic Coupling Via C1 Neurons Contributes to the Development of Hypertension in the Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat

Abstract

An interaction between neurons in the central respiratory and sympathetic vasomotor networks leads to the generation of bursts of sympathetic nerve activity in phase with the respiratory cycle (RespSNA), which produce respiratory phase‐locked oscillations in blood pressure (BP) called Traube‐Hering waves (TH waves). RespSNA and TH waves are increased in Spontaneously Hypertensive (SH) rats at pre‐hypertensive ages and are proposed to contribute to the development of hypertension. In normotensive rats, pre‐sympathetic adrenergic C1 neurons are inspiratory modulated, and their inhibition decreases RespSNA. In SH rats, the inspiratory modulation of pre‐sympathetic neurons is exaggerated. To exa..