This preclinical study demonstrates that cardiac vagal efferent fibres are reflexly activated by increases in blood pressure and chemoreceptor/baroreceptor stimulation, providing insight into the neural control of heart rate.
Unit activity was recorded from single and few fibre preparations in a cardiac branch of the right vagus nerve of the cat.2. Increases in blood pressure mediated solely by the right carotid sinus nerve produced bradycardia when all other nerves to the heart had been cut. Myelinated fibres in the cardiac branch of the right vagus nerve were reflexly activated by the same procedure.3. The fibres were silent when blood pressure was below 140-150 mm Hg. As the pressure began to rise, they discharged phasically with the cardiac cycle. At pressures greater than 180 mm Hg, the discharge was continuous attaining maximum rates of 40/sec.4. Stimulation of carotid body chemoreceptors also reflexly excited these fibres, as did stimulation of baroreceptors in both the left carotid sinus and aortic arch. Afferent fibres in the left vagus discharging in response to changes in blood pressure reflexly excited the cardiac efferent fibres. Increases in phrenic motoneurone discharge coincided with inhibition of these fibres. Electrical stimulation of the glossopharyngeal nerve also produced inhibition.
Diana L. Kunze (Sat,) studied this question.