Manoeuvres Affecting Sympathetic Outflow in Human Muscle Nerves

Abstract Multi‐unit sympathetic activity was recorded in human muscle nerves, together with measurements of intra‐arterial blood pressure and forearm or calf blood flow, during manoeuvres causing circulatory adjustments. Manoeuvres causing an increased vascular resistance in the forearm or calf were regularly associated with an increase in sympathetic outflow, proving that the neural activity was dominated by vasoconstrictor impulses. The inverse changes of blood pressure and sympathetic activity observed during Valsalva's manoeuvre and mental stress are explicable in terms of baroreflex control of the neural outflow. However, during muscle work and hyperventilation the relation between blood pressure and sympathetic activity was more complex, indicating that the baroreflex influence was superimposed or modified by other regulatory mechanisms. Some manoeuvres known to affect sympathetic outflow in skin nerves caused no appreciable change in sympathetic muscle nerve activity.