The effects of chronic exercise on the autonomic balance of the cardiovascular system in hypertensive rats

S. Wang, Frank H K Fu, H. Zhu

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articlepeer-review

Abstract

Aim. The present study tested the hypothesis that plasticity of gabaergic nerves and glutamatergic nerves within ventrolateral medulla area contributed to exercise-induced change of autonomic balance of cardiovascular system in hypertensive individuals. Methods. Thirty male spontaneous hypertensive rats (SHR) were assigned into trained (T) and untrained (UT) groups. The T group performed swimming exercise for a period of 8 weeks with moderate exercise intensity. Heart rate variability (HRV), epinephrine (E), norepinephrine (NE), and acetylcholine (ACH) in different organs (plasma and cardiac muscle) were measured after 8 weeks. The levels of GABA and Glu in RVLM were analyzed through micro-dialysis and high performance liquid chromatography. Results. The results showed that chromic aerobic exercise could suppress the hypertensive state in hypertensive rats. The blunted hypertensive increase in resting arterial blood pressure was accompanied by an increased GABA level in RVLM, decreased NE in plasma and myocardium, increased ACH in myocardium, and a changed HRV (increased HF and HFnorm, decreased LFnorm and LF/HF). Conclusion. These results suggested chronic aerobic exercise could change the autonomic balance of cardiovascular system in hypertensive individuals, which was closely related to plasticity of gabaergic nerves in the ventrolateral medulla area.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)273-281
Number of pages9
JournalGazzetta Medica Italiana Archivio per le Scienze Mediche
Volume168
Issue number5
Publication statusPublished - Oct 2009

Scopus Subject Areas

  • Medicine(all)

User-Defined Keywords

  • Autonomic pathways
  • Exercise
  • Hypertension

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