A novel computational model integrating the intrinsic cardiac nervous system successfully matched experimentally observed relationships between respiratory sinus arrhythmia and lung tidal volume.
A novel computational model integrating the intrinsic cardiac nervous system with central reflex circuits successfully simulates cardiovascular control and could be used to evaluate bioelectronic interventions for heart failure.
The baroreflex is a multi-input, multi-output control physiological system that regulates blood pressure by modulating nerve activity between the brainstem and the heart. Existing computational models of the baroreflex do not explictly incorporate the intrinsic cardiac nervous system (ICN), which mediates central control of the heart function. We developed a computational model of closed-loop cardiovascular control by integrating a network representation of the ICN within central control reflex circuits. We examined central and local contributions to the control of heart rate, ventricular functions, and respiratory sinus arrhythmia (RSA). Our simulations match the experimentally observed relationship between RSA and lung tidal volume. Our simulations predicted the relative contributions of the sensory and the motor neuron pathways to the experimentally observed changes in the heart rate. Our closed-loop cardiovascular control model is primed for evaluating bioelectronic interventions to treat heart failure and renormalize cardiovascular physiology.
Gee et al. (2023) studied Cardiovascular control. Computational model of closed-loop cardiovascular control integrating the intrinsic cardiac nervous system was evaluated on Relationship between respiratory sinus arrhythmia and lung tidal volume; contributions of sensory and motor neuron pathways to heart rate changes. A novel computational model integrating the intrinsic cardiac nervous system successfully matched experimentally observed relationships between respiratory sinus arrhythmia and lung tidal volume.