Central nervous system mechanisms mediating cardiac rate and rhythm

How do Cerebral Vascular Disorders Induce ECG Changes?

“…These authors concluded that in most of the experiments they reported it appeared that simultaneous activation of both systems, sympathetic and parasympathetic, are needed to evoke cardiac arrhythmias. This conclusion has been supported by the findings of other investigators [4,21].…”

“…Those areas where stimulation results in ectopic beats and alterations in the conducting system are primarily found in the limbic lobe, the hypothalamus, and the central gray [3,11,18]. With more drastic stimuli at levels that produce neuronal after-discharge or epileptictype activity in the same areas, nodal and ventricular extrasystoles, bigeminal rhythm, AV dissociation and ventricular tachycardia have been noted [1,7,11,15,20,21], In summary, there are a variety of cerebral foci, stimulation of which will result in aberrant patterns in the electrocardiogram. The extent of the EGG changes may be related to the intensity of cerebral stimulation; however, weak electrical stimulation of cortical and subcortical regions often evokes changes that are relatable to depolarization of the myo cardium as well as to cardiac automaticity.…”

Cardiac Arrhythmias and Sudden Death in Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

“…However, in recent years some physiological information has accumulated which sheds some light upon this subject. 30 " 36 An excellent review of this somewhat confusing topic was made recently by Mauck. 32 In the experimental animal, cardiac arrhythmias can be induced by electrical stimulation of several cortical and subcortical areas.…”

“…These include the frontal lobes, the limbic system, the amygdaloid nuclei, the hypothalamus, the mesencephalon and other areas in the brain stem. 30 These arrhythmias are in all likelihood mediated through the autonomic nervous system. 32 In another study, Hockman et al 34 induced a spectrum of ectopic ventricular rhythms by electrical stimulation of some areas of the mesencephalon and diencephalon.…”

Canine cardiac denervation: a structural, functional, and chemical study

“…The central nervous system's role in regulating the heart through the extrinsic cardiac nerves was reviewed by Mauck and Hockman (1967). The sympathetic nervous system's role in cardiac function in the dog was studied by Mizeres (1955Mizeres ( , 1957Mizeres ( , 1958.…”