Human Investigations into the Arterial and Cardiopulmonary Baroreflex: Exercise

University of Oxford (2011) Proc Physiol Soc 23, SA25

Research Symposium: Human Investigations into the Arterial and Cardiopulmonary Baroreflex: Exercise

P. Fadel1

1. Medical Pharmacology & Physiology, University of Missouri, Columbia, Missouri, United States.

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After considerable debate and key experimental evidence, the importance of the arterial baroreflex in mediating the appropriate neural cardiovascular adjustments to exercise is now well accepted. What may be less appreciated is the influence of the cardiopulmonary baroreceptors and its potential interaction with the arterial baroreflex during physical activity. Although the majority of research in humans regarding these low pressure receptors, which are located in the heart and lungs, has focused on neurohumoral adjustments to orthostatic stress, the limited information available regarding exercise and the cardiopulmonary baroreflex provides evidence for a role in mediating sympathetic nerve and arterial blood pressure responses. Indeed, studies have indicated that the removal of the inhibitory influence of the cardiopulmonary baroreceptors facilitated the exercise pressor and sympathetic nerve activity responses during exercise. In addition, recent investigations have demonstrated an interaction between cardiopulmonary baroreceptors and the arterial baroreflex during dynamic exercise. Increasing central blood volume and loading the cardiopulmonary baroreflex reduced the magnitude of exercise-induced increases in blood pressure as well as the resetting of the carotid baroreflex. These data are consistent with previous reports and strongly suggest that changes in cardiopulmonary baroreceptor load influences carotid baroreflex resetting during dynamic exercise. Furthermore, it is likely that neural inputs from the cardiopulmonary baroreceptors play an important role in establishing the operating point of the arterial baroreflex. Overall, several sets of data will be presented demonstrating that inputs from the cardiopulmonary baroreceptors can influence arterial baroreflex resetting and the neural cardiovascular adjustments to dynamic exercise.



Where applicable, experiments conform with Society ethical requirements.

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