Rinsho Shinkeigaku (Clinical Neurology)

Symposium 08

The evaluation of autonomic nervous function by assessing baroreceptor reflex

Toshimasa Yamamoto, M.D., Ph.D.1)

1)Department of Neurology, Faculty of Medicine, Saitama Medical University

The autonomic nervous functional tests assessing baroreceptor reflex (BR) were described. I. Head-up tilt test: Sympathetic nervous function is activated and alginine-vasopressin is secreted through the BR. Orthostatic hypotension is induced by BR dysfunction. II. Spectral analysis of heart and blood pressure: High-frequency power in R-R interval variability indicates parasympathetic function and low-frequency power may reflect BR function. Low-frequency power in blood pressure may indicate sympathetic nervous function. However, spectral analysis of them can not detect a sympathetic nervous hyperfunction. III. Baroreceptor sensitivity during the Valsalva maneuver: Baroreceptor sensitivity is obtained from the correlation of systolic blood pressure and RR interval. It decreases in early stage of Parkinson's disease. IV. Correlation of heart rate and blood pressure: The correlation of them may reflect qualitative differences in the central autonomic dysfunction.
Full Text of this Article in Japanese PDF (570K)

(CLINICA NEUROL, 54: 1034|1037, 2014)
key words: baroreceptor reflex, baroreceptor sensitivity, orthostatic hypotension, spectral analysis, relationship between heart rate and blood pressure

(Received: 22-May-14)