What question did this study set out to answer?

To determine whether single human cutaneous sympathetic vasoconstrictor and sudomotor neurons exhibit respiratory and cardiac modulation during thermal stress.

April 1, 1999The Journal of PhysiologyOpen Access

Respiratory and cardiac modulation of single sympathetic vasoconstrictor and sudomotor neurones to human skin

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Population

Awake humans undergoing recording of single sympathetic neurones and oligounitary recordings.

Design

Other

Authors

VMVaughan G. MacefieldElectrophysiology BWB. Gunnar WallinPreventive Cardiology

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

May indicate central cardiorespiratory integration of cutaneous sympathetic outflow; leaves open relevance to autonomic disease and requires larger validation.

Key Points

To determine whether single human cutaneous sympathetic vasoconstrictor and sudomotor neurons exhibit respiratory and cardiac modulation during thermal stress.
Recorded single-unit (17 vasoconstrictor during cold-induced vasoconstriction, 8 sudomotor during heat-induced sweating) and oligounitary activity (8 vasoconstrictor, 10 sudomotor sites) using tungsten microelectrodes in peroneal nerve fascicles of awake humans.
Assessed skin blood flow via laser Doppler flowmetry and sweat output via skin electrical resistance changes on the dorsum of the foot.
Respiratory modulation was identified in 65% (11/17) of vasoconstrictor and 50% (4/8) of sudomotor neurones, with peak firing probability during inspiration and oligounitary modulation indices of 67.7 ± 3.9% and 73.5 ± 5.7%, respectively.
Cardiac rhythmicity occurred in 41% (7/17) of vasoconstrictor neurones, with oligounitary cardiac modulation reaching 58.6 ± 4.9% in vasoconstrictor sites and 74.4 ± 6.4% in sudomotor sites.
Average firing rates were low (0.53 Hz for vasoconstrictor, 0.62 Hz for sudomotor), with active cardiac cycles eliciting a single spike in 66% and 67% of events, respectively, and rarely exceeding four spikes.

Structured PICO

Population

Awake humans (number of subjects not specified) undergoing recording of single sympathetic neurones (17 vasoconstrictor neurones, 8 sudomotor neurones) and oligounitary recordings (8 cutaneous vasoconstrictor sites, 10 sudomotor sites).

Outcome

Respiratory and cardiac modulation of single sympathetic vasoconstrictor and sudomotor neuronessurrogate

Human cutaneous vasoconstrictor and sudomotor neurones exhibit respiratory and cardiac modulation, suggesting that burst intensity is primarily governed by firing incidence and neuronal recruitment rather than increased spike frequency per unit.

Cite This Study

Macefield et al. (1999) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a7591de756843cacbb2162d https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-7793.1999.303aa.x

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Implication

May indicate central cardiorespiratory integration of cutaneous sympathetic outflow; leaves open relevance to autonomic disease and requires larger validation.

Respiratory and cardiac modulation of single sympathetic vasoconstrictor and sudomotor neurones to human skin

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Cite This Study

Respiratory and cardiac modulation of single sympathetic vasoconstrictor and sudomotor neurones to human skin

Discussion

Member takes

Implication

Key Points

Structured PICO

Cite This Study

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