Journal article

Central exogenous nitric oxide decreases cardiac sympathetic drive and improves baroreflex control of heart rate in ovine heart failure

Rohit Ramchandra, Sally G Hood, Clive N May

AMERICAN JOURNAL OF PHYSIOLOGY-REGULATORY INTEGRATIVE AND COMPARATIVE PHYSIOLOGY | AMER PHYSIOLOGICAL SOC | Published : 2014

Abstract

Heart failure (HF) is associated with increased cardiac and renal sympathetic drive, which are both independent predictors of poor prognosis. A candidate mechanism for the centrally mediated sympathoexcitation in HF is reduced synthesis of the inhibitory neuromodulator nitric oxide (NO), resulting from downregulation of neuronal NO synthase (nNOS). Therefore, we investigated the effects of increasing the levels of NO in the brain, or selectively in the paraventricular nucleus of the hypothalamus (PVN), on cardiac sympathetic nerve activity (CSNA) and baroreflex control of CSNA and heart rate in ovine pacing-induced HF. The resting level of CSNA was significantly higher in the HF than in the ..

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University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia


Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council/National Heart Foundation


Awarded by National Health and Medical Research Council


Funding Acknowledgements

This work was supported by National Health and Medical Research Council of Australia Grant 509204, and the Victorian Government's Operational Infrastructure Support Program. R. Ramchandra was the recipient of National Health and Medical Research Council/National Heart Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship 07M 3293, and C. N. May was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Research Fellowship 566819.