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Physiology 12th Lecture - Control of Heart Activity

The document discusses extracardiac mechanisms that control cardiac activity, primarily the autonomic nervous system. It notes that the sympathetic nervous system activates adrenergic receptors through norepinephrine, producing positive chronotropic, dromotropic, inotropic, and bathmotropic effects. Meanwhile, the parasympathetic nervous system activates muscarinic receptors through acetylcholine, producing negative effects on heart rate and conduction. Other areas that can influence heart rate include the respiratory center, cerebellum, hypothalamus, and limbic system.

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570 views

Physiology 12th Lecture - Control of Heart Activity

The document discusses extracardiac mechanisms that control cardiac activity, primarily the autonomic nervous system. It notes that the sympathetic nervous system activates adrenergic receptors through norepinephrine, producing positive chronotropic, dromotropic, inotropic, and bathmotropic effects. Meanwhile, the parasympathetic nervous system activates muscarinic receptors through acetylcholine, producing negative effects on heart rate and conduction. Other areas that can influence heart rate include the respiratory center, cerebellum, hypothalamus, and limbic system.

Uploaded by

arikfischer
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Extracardiac mechanisms

NEURAL
most important for control of the cardiac activity
Autonomic nerves – sympathetic (from cervical and first 5 thoracic segments via the alpha- or beta-
adreno-receptors) and parasympathetic (vagus nerves via the muscarinic M2 receptors). Their effects:
• chronotropic (on heart rate, increase in the slow diastolic depolarization)
• dromotropic (on conduction, incresae in the conduction velocity)
• intropic (on contraction force, increase in contracted force)
• bathmotropic (on excitabillity or excitabillity threshold, increased excitability)
INNERVATION: SA node from the right nerves predominatly, AV node from the left nerves.
Physiologically the activity of vagus nerve is prevailing at rest. Therefor the resulting heart rate is
lower than the intrinsic SA rate.
Intrinsic SA rate = 118.1 (0.57 age)
1. Sympathetic nerves – the neurotransmitter is noradrenalin, activate the adrenergic α and β
receptors, stimulate input of Na+ and Ca+ ions into cardiomyocytes and their depolarization,
produce positive (stimulatory) chrono-, dromo-, ino-, bathmotropic effects.
2. Parasympathetic nerves – their neurotransmitter is acetylcholine, innervation of the atria and
conduction system, activate mostly cholinergic muscarinic M-receptors, stimulate input of K+
ions into cardiomyocytes and their hypopolarization, produce negative (inhibitory) those
effects.
3. Cardiomotor centre in the medulla oblongata:
its cardioexcitatory part – stimulates the cardiac sympathetic activity through activation of SY
nerves to the heart.
Its cardioinhibitory part – stimulates the cardiac parasympathetic activity through activation of
parasympathetic nerves to the heart.
4. Respiratory center – inspiration decreases the vagal activity, increase the sympathetic activity
and produces tachycardia, expiration decreases the sympathetic activity and produces
bradycardia.
5. Cerebellum – cardiac and vascular changes during movements.
6. Labyrinth (semicircular canals) – produces stimulation of vagal (parasympathetic) influences.
7. Hypothalamus – the subcortical autonomic center produces coordination of many autonomic
reactions with the cardiac activity (tachycardia or bradycardia)
8. Limbic system – influence of emotions on the heart (tachycardia or bradycardia).
9. Brain cortex – psychic influences (stress produces usually tachycardia, scaring sometimes
bradycardia).
10. Control by peripheral receptors: nervous endings --> reflexes from them acting on the heart.
• Baroreceptors:
• Carotic sinus (carotic sinus nerve from n. IX.) - bradycardia and hypotension
• Aortic arch (depressor nerve from X.) - in humans less important
• Oculo-cardiac reflex – pressing onto the eyeballs – (receptors of the n.V.) produces
bradycardia and hypotension
• Naso-cardiac reflex – nociceptive & chemical stimuli in the nasal cavity (receptors of
the n.V.) produce bradycardia.
• Hand-grip test – muscle receptors --> sympathetic activation. Tachycardia &
hypertension
• Volumoreceptors: in low pressure system (atrial A and B receptors, ventricular ones,
pulmonary vessels, v. cava)

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