Vagal determinants of exercise capacity

Indirect measures of cardiac vagal activity are strongly associated with exercise capacity, yet a causal relationship has not been established. Here we show that in rats, genetic silencing of the largest population of brainstem vagal preganglionic neurons residing in the brainstem’s dorsal vagal mot...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Nature communications 2017-05, Vol.8 (1), p.15097-15097, Article 15097
Main Authors: Machhada, Asif, Trapp, Stefan, Marina, Nephtali, Stephens, Robert C.M., Whittle, John, Lythgoe, Mark F., Kasparov, Sergey, Ackland, Gareth L., Gourine, Alexander V.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
42
42/44
631/378/1959/1315
631/443/592
Aged
Animals
Blood pressure
Brain - metabolism
Brain - pathology
Brain Stem - physiology
Cardiac Output
Endurance
Exercise Test
Exercise Tolerance - physiology
Female
Heart rate
Heart Ventricles - metabolism
Heart Ventricles - pathology
Humanities and Social Sciences
Humans
Male
Medulla Oblongata - cytology
Medulla Oblongata - physiology
Metabolism
Middle Aged
multidisciplinary
Myocardial Contraction - physiology
Neurons - metabolism
Neurons - pathology
Neurons - physiology
Neurosciences
Optogenetics
Oxygen Consumption
Parasympathetic Nervous System - physiopathology
Physical Endurance - physiology
Physiology
Rats
Science
Science (multidisciplinary)
University colleges
Vagus Nerve - physiology
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Summary:Indirect measures of cardiac vagal activity are strongly associated with exercise capacity, yet a causal relationship has not been established. Here we show that in rats, genetic silencing of the largest population of brainstem vagal preganglionic neurons residing in the brainstem’s dorsal vagal motor nucleus dramatically impairs exercise capacity, while optogenetic recruitment of the same neuronal population enhances cardiac contractility and prolongs exercise endurance. These data provide direct experimental evidence that parasympathetic vagal drive generated by a defined CNS circuit determines the ability to exercise. Decreased activity and/or gradual loss of the identified neuronal cell group provides a neurophysiological basis for the progressive decline of exercise capacity with aging and in diverse disease states. Demonstrating a causal relationship between cardiac vagal tone and exercise capacity has been previously limited by methodological constraints. Using genetic targeting, silencing and optogenetic recruitment of vagal motor neuron activity in rodents, Machhada et al . provide direct evidence that vagal drive determines the ability to exercise.
ISSN:2041-1723
2041-1723
DOI:10.1038/ncomms15097