INFLUENCE OF VENTRICULAR-FIBRILLATION ON SYMPATHETIC-NERVE ACTIVITY UNDER BIVENTRICULAR BYPASS CIRCULATION

Autonomic nerves play an important role in circulatory control. The ch aracteristics of sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) during artificial ci rculation, however, are not well understood. In this study, we examine d the influence of natural heart beating on the renal SNA (RSNA) using pulsatile 100% biventricular assistance and electrically induced vent ricular fibrillation in anesthetized goats, whose heart rate and size are similar to the human heart's. Following induction of the ventricul ar fibrillation, the pulse-synchronous discharges in the RSNA did not change their periodicity and quantity significantly, It was concluded that the beating of the heart had little influence on the RSNA and was presumably not essential for maintaining nervous control of circulati on as long as the circulation was maintained by an artificial heart.