Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical This is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader or to display this data on your own website or blog.

The LC-NE system as a potential target of neuromodulation to ameliorate non-motor symptoms in Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease (PD) is associated with severe motor symptoms but also with several non-motor symptoms (NMS). A substantial reduction of norepinephrine (NE) levels in various brain regions reflecting an extensive loss of innervation from the LC has been assumed as causal for the development of NMS and specifically of attentional impairments in PD. Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) is a new, non-invasive neurostimulation method supposed to modulate the LC-NE system in humans. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - October 20, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tino Zaehle, Imke Galazky, Kerstin Krauel Source Type: research

The pathophysiology of vasovagal syncope: Novel insights
The pathophysiology of vasovagal syncope (VVS) is reviewed, focusing on hemodynamic aspects. Much more is known about orthostatic than about emotional VVS, probably because the former can be studied using a tilt table test (TTT). Recent advances made it possible to quantify the relative contributions of the three factors that control blood pressure: heart rate (HR), stroke volume (SV) and total peripheral resistance (TPR). Orthostatic VVS starts with venous pooling, reflected in a decrease of SV. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - October 18, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: J. Gert van Dijk, Ineke A. van Rossum, Roland D. Thijs Source Type: research

Reliance on vascular responses for the maintenance of blood pressure in healthy older adults – Insights from the Valsalva maneuver
Effective baroreflex-mediated cardiac and vascular resistance responses are crucial for homeostatic blood pressure control. We investigated the impacts of age and sex on arterial blood pressure regulation during a standard supine Valsalva maneuver (40  mmHg, 20s) in 46 healthy young and 25 older adults. Noninvasive, continuous cardiovascular parameters were recorded. In older adults, cardiac output (older: −58.4 ± 2.4%; young: −40.8 ± 1.4%; p  (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - October 17, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Brooke C.D. Hockin, Omnia M. Taha, Victoria E. Claydon Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research

Aberrant autonomic pattern during the post-exercise recovery phase in long QT syndrome patients
In this study we investigate the ANS response during and after exercise in LQTS patients and healthy age and sex matched controls. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - October 15, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Anna Lundstr öm, Urban Wiklund, Lucy Law, Steen Jensen, Marcus Karlsson, Annika Rydberg Source Type: research

Controlled breathing and autonomic rhythms: Influence of auditory versus visual cues
We compared standard metrics of autonomic control in 20 humans (10 female) during spontaneous and controlled breathing. Subjects controlled breathing at 0.25  Hz following a metronome (auditory) or scrolling waveforms (visual). Respiratory rates and heart rates were lower during spontaneous breathing compared with auditory and visual. One heart rate variability metric was higher during visual compared with spontaneous breathing, but baroreflex sensitiv ity and muscle sympathetic nerve activity were not affected by breathing cues. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - October 14, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Joshua E. Gonzalez, Stephanie R. Jewell, Steven P. Stelly, William H. Cooke Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research

Salt: The paradoxical philosopher's stone of autonomic medicine
Sodium chloride, or common table salt, for millennia has played a prominent role in human affairs. Salt is also a key molecule for regulating intravascular fluid volume in patients with orthostatic disorders. In this first article of a special issue of the journal focusing on salt and the autonomic nervous system, the historical and physiologic significance of salt is reviewed, highlighting its importance to society and to medicine. The relevance of salt both for civilization and for autonomic physiology penetrates into nearly every aspect of life and health. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - October 12, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: William P. Cheshire Source Type: research

Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation and heart rate variability: Analysis of parameters and targets
Transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation (taVNS) modulates central and peripheral neurophysiology. Specifically, taVNS increases heart rate variability (HRV) indicating a shift in autonomic function towards parasympathetic predominance. However, knowledge on the influence of stimulation parameters and targets is scarce. We hypothesized that the location and charge per phase of taVNS influences HRV. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - October 11, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Kathrin Machetanz, Levan Berelidze, Robert Guggenberger, Alireza Gharabaghi Source Type: research

Effects of transcutaneous auricular vagus nerve stimulation on cardiovascular autonomic control in health and disease
Autonomic nervous system (ANS) dysfunction is a well-known feature of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Studies on heart rate variability (HRV), a non-invasive method useful in investigating the status of cardiovascular autonomic control, have shown that a predominance of sympathetic modulation not only contributes to the progression of CVDs but has a pivotal role in their onset. Current therapies focus more on inhibition of sympathetic activity, but the presence of drug-resistant conditions and the invasiveness of some surgical procedures are an obstacle to complete therapeutic success. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - October 8, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Angelica Carandina, Gabriel Dias Rodrigues, Pietro Di Francesco, Annalisa Filtz, Chiara Bellocchi, Ludovico Furlan, Stefano Carugo, Nicola Montano, Eleonora Tobaldini Source Type: research

Blood pressure regulation in autonomic failure by dietary sodium, blood volume and posture
In normal subjects natriuresis is tightly coupled to dietary salt ingestion to maintain sodium balance. Likewise, blood pressure remains unchanged over a wide range of salt intake because of pressure natriuresis, whereby an increase in blood pressure stimulates renal sodium excretion to restore homeostasis. These sodium handling mechanisms are impaired in autonomic failure. When exposed to salt restriction, autonomic failure patients are unable to reduce renal sodium excretion, and their orthostatic hypotension worsens. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - October 5, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Italo Biaggioni Source Type: research

The “heart brain” and neuromodulation for vasovagal syncope
It is well known that the autonomic nervous system (ANS) is a major contributor in etiopathogenesis of vasovagal syncope (VVS). Catheter based neuromodulation (CNA) of the intrinsic cardiac ANS has evolved rapidly from being an experimental unproven procedure to its current status as an increasingly performed ablation procedure in many major hospitals worldwide. The present review aims to bring the anatomical elements of intrinsic cardiac ANS and clinical application of intrinsic cardiac neuromodulation together, by reviewing anatomical terminologies and clinical data, in order to provide a practical assistance to the elec...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - October 5, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Tolga Aksu, Andre Davila, Dhiraj Gupta Source Type: research

Autonomic nervous system dysfunction in Wilson's disease – A systematic literature review
In Wilson's disease (WD), copper accumulation can result in neurological manifestations, particularly extrapyramidal symptoms. There are some data that the autonomic nervous system (ANS) may also be affected, and we aimed to systematically review available studies evaluating ANS dysfunction in WD. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - October 4, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Bo żena Kłysz, Jan Bembenek, Marta Skowrońska, Anna Członkowska, Iwona Kurkowska-Jastrzębska Tags: Review Source Type: research

Stress and the “extended” autonomic system
This review updates three key concepts of autonomic neuroscience —stress, the autonomic nervous system (ANS), and homeostasis. Hans Selye popularized stress as a scientific idea. He defined stress variously as a stereotyped response pattern, a state that evokes this pattern, or a stimulus that evokes the state. According to the “homeostat” theory stress is a condition where a comparator senses a discrepancy between sensed afferent input and a response algorithm, the integrated error signal eliciting specific patterns of altered effector outflows. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - October 1, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: David S. Goldstein Source Type: research

Symptomatic use of carbidopa in autonomic disorders
This study retrospectively characterized patients in our autonomic clinic who were prescribed carbidopa for open label treatment of autonomic symptoms. 23 patients were included; approximately half had postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome. Those with documented plasma catecholamines had elevated standing norepinephrine. Patients typically had multiple comorbidities and multiple failed therapies. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - September 29, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Elisabeth P. Golden, Christine J. Park, Steven Vernino Tags: Short Communication Source Type: research

Transdermal auricular vagus stimulation for the treatment of postural tachycardia syndrome
Postural Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS) is a chronic disorder characterized by symptoms of orthostatic intolerance such as fatigue, lightheadedness, dizziness, palpitations, dyspnea, chest discomfort and remarkable tachycardia upon standing.Non-invasive transdermal vagal stimulators have been applied for the treatment of epilepsy, anxiety, depression, headache, and chronic pain syndromes. Anti-inflammatory and immunomodulating effects after transdermal vagal stimulation raised interest for applications in other diseases. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - September 28, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Andr é Diedrich, Vasile Urechie, Dana Shiffer, Stefano Rigo, Maura Minonzio, Beatrice Cairo, Emily C. Smith, Luis E. Okamoto, Franca Barbic, Andrea Bisoglio, Alberto Porta, Italo Biaggioni, Raffaello Furlan Source Type: research

Functional anatomy of the vagus system – Emphasis on the somato-visceral interface
Due to its pivotal role in autonomic networks, the vagus attracts continuous interest from both basic scientists and clinicians. In particular, recent advances in vagus nerve stimulation strategies and their application to pathological conditions beyond epilepsy provide a good opportunity to recall basic features of vagal peripheral and central anatomy. In addition to the “classical” vagal brainstem nuclei, i.e., dorsal motor nucleus, nucleus ambiguus and nucleus tractus solitarii, the spinal trigeminal and paratrigeminal nuclei come into play as targets of vagal afferents. (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - September 27, 2021 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Winfried L. Neuhuber, Hans-Rudolf Berthoud Source Type: research