General characteristics of sympathetic activity in human muscle nerves

W Delius, KE Hagbarth, A Hongell… - Acta Physiologica …, 1972 - Wiley Online Library
W Delius, KE Hagbarth, A Hongell, BG Wallin
Acta Physiologica Scandinavica, 1972Wiley Online Library
Multiunit sympathetic activity was recorded from muscle nerve fascicles in the median or
peroneal nerve of resting, relaxed human subjects. The impulses, which were reversibly
abolished by a Sympathetic ganglion blocking agent, were grouped in the pulse rhythm, and
series of such pulse rhythmic bursts of impulses regularly appeared during spontaneously
occurring blood pressure reductions, whereas temporary blood pressure elevations were
associated with neural silence. The findings agree with the notion that the sympathetic …
Abstract
Multiunit sympathetic activity was recorded from muscle nerve fascicles in the median or peroneal nerve of resting, relaxed human subjects. The impulses, which were reversibly abolished by a Sympathetic ganglion blocking agent, were grouped in the pulse rhythm, and series of such pulse rhythmic bursts of impulses regularly appeared during spontaneously occurring blood pressure reductions, whereas temporary blood pressure elevations were associated with neural silence. The findings agree with the notion that the sympathetic muscle nerve activity recorded consists of vasoconstrictor impulses, the outflow of which is modulated by a strong phasic and tonic inhibitory baroreflex influence. The reflex delay from an arterial pulse wave to the corresponding inhibition of efferent sympathetic activity was 0.9–1.4 seconds, depending on the recording site. Several stimuli, such as sudden chest compression, a rapid deep breath or an electrical shock against the skin, caused a transient inhibition of the sympathetic discharges lasting a few seconds.
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