BACKGROUND Diminished cardiac vagal activity and higher heart rate predict a high mortality rate of chronic heart failure (CHF) after myocardial infarction. We investigated the effects of chronic electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve on cardiac remodeling and long-term survival in an animal model of CHF after large myocardial infarction. METHODS AND RESULTS Two weeks after the ligation of...

Vagal nerve stimulation is an emerging therapy for epilepsy, yet little is known regarding the effects of this stimulation on heart period variability. We selected 10 patients (two female, eight male) who were receiving high-frequency, high-intensity left vagal nerve stimulation for intractable epilepsy. Electrocardiogram data were recorded for a 7 min baseline, 2.5 min of stimulation and a 7 m...

Vagal control of heart rate (HR) is mediated by direct and indirect actions of ACh. Direct action of ACh activates the muscarinic K(+) (K(ACh)) channels, whereas indirect action inhibits adenylyl cyclase. The role of the K(ACh) channels in the overall picture of vagal HR control remains to be elucidated. We examined the role of the K(ACh) channels in the transfer characteristics of the HR respo...

The vagus nerve plays a central role in the regulation of gastric acid secretion and gastrin release. The current understanding of the mechanisms involved in vagal regulation of acid secretion and gastrin release is reviewed. Thyrotropin-releasing hormone from the medullary raphe nuclei appears to be the central excitatory mediator of vagal action in the dorsal motor nucleus. Vagal stimulation ...

Background In our model of mild food allergy, allergen encounter typically leads to mast cell degranulation, influx of Th2 immune cells together with increased levels of antigen specific antibodies. This leads to bowel function changes resulting in diarrhoea. Vagal nerve stimulation has immune-suppressive effects on innate immune responses. Here we tested whether vagal tone modulates adaptive i...

BACKGROUND Myocardial ischemia (MI) leads to derangements in cellular electrical stability and the generation of lethal arrhythmias. Vagal nerve stimulation has been postulated to contribute to the antifibrillatory effect. Here, we suggest a novel mechanism for the antiarrhythmogenic properties of vagal stimulation during acute MI. METHODS AND RESULTS Under anesthesia, Wistar rats underwent 3...

Alpha-1 adrenergic stimulation modulates ventricular automaticity via an alpha-1 adrenoceptor (AR) subtype blocked by the alpha-1B antagonist chloroethylclonidine (CEC) and alters repolarization via receptor subtype(s) (alpha-1A and alpha-1D) blocked by WB4101. Our objective was to determine alpha-1 AR subtype specific effects and vagal interactions on heart rate and ventricular repolarization....

Background: Opioid peptides and their receptors are present in the majority of body tissues including gastrointestinal tract.  Heroin is one of the opioid derivatives that abuse increasingly today.  So far, there is no study on the effect of acute heroin administration on gastric acid and pepsin secretion. Objective:  To define the effect of the acute heroin consumption on basal and vagal-stimu...