SYMPATHETIC NERVOUS SYSTEM-INDUCED CARDIAC DYSFUNCTION

Northeastern Ohio Universities
College of Medicine
4209 St. Rt. 44, P.O. Box 95
Rootstown, Ohio 44272-0095
Phone: (330) 325-6423
Fax: (330) 325-5912
E-mail: pc@neoucom.edu
Community of Science Expertise

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The sympathetic nervous system (SNS) plays a major role in maintaining cardiovascular homeostasis at rest as well as during physical activity. Although normal levels of SNS activity are essential, massive activation of the SNS can be detrimental to the heart. Seizures and various injuries to the brain are typical events that cause massive SNS activation. Under these conditions, large concentrations of sympathetic neurochemicals are released which can damage the heart and impair its pumping ability. In my laboratory, we are trying to find out why excessive concentrations of these neurochemicals cause cardiac depression and whether there are ways to protect the heart. This research is important because poor cardiac function would affect the outcome of patients with a variety of brain injuries that massively activate the SNS. Furthermore, this type of cardiac dysfunction has important implications regarding the success of transplanted hearts because these hearts are obtained from brain-dead donors, and massive SNS activation frequently occurs at the onset of brain death.

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