Optogenetic manipulation in rats demonstrated that inhibitory and excitatory preBötzinger Complex neurons directly modulate cardiac parasympathetic and sympathetic vasomotor activity, respectively.
PreBötzinger Complex neurons directly drive respiratory modulation of heart rate and blood pressure, providing a central mechanism for cardiorespiratory coupling with potential implications for hypertension and heart failure.
Heart rate and blood pressure oscillate in phase with respiratory activity. A component of these oscillations is generated centrally, with respiratory neurons entraining the activity of pre-sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiovascular neurons. Using a combination of optogenetic inhibition and excitation in vivo and in situ in rats, as well as neuronal tracing, we demonstrate that preBötzinger Complex (preBötC) neurons, which form the kernel for inspiratory rhythm generation, directly modulate cardiovascular activity. Specifically, inhibitory preBötC neurons modulate cardiac parasympathetic neuron activity whilst excitatory preBötC neurons modulate sympathetic vasomotor neuron activity, generating heart rate and blood pressure oscillations in phase with respiration. Our data reveal yet more functions entrained to the activity of the preBötC, with a role in generating cardiorespiratory oscillations. The findings have implications for cardiovascular pathologies, such as hypertension and heart failure, where respiratory entrainment of heart rate is diminished and respiratory entrainment of blood pressure exaggerated.
Menuet et al. (2020) studied Cardiorespiratory oscillations. Optogenetic inhibition and excitation of preBötzinger Complex neurons was evaluated on Modulation of cardiovascular activity (heart rate and blood pressure oscillations). Optogenetic manipulation in rats demonstrated that inhibitory and excitatory preBötzinger Complex neurons directly modulate cardiac parasympathetic and sympathetic vasomotor activity, respectively.