Vagal determinants of exercise capacity

Asif Machhada, Stefan Trapp, Nephtali Marina, Robert C.M. Stephens, John Whittle, Mark F. Lythgoe, Sergey Kasparov, Gareth L. Ackland () and Alexander V. Gourine ()
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Asif Machhada: Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience, Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London
Stefan Trapp: Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience, Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London
Nephtali Marina: Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience, Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London
Robert C.M. Stephens: University College London Hospitals NIHR Biomedical Research Centre
John Whittle: University College London
Mark F. Lythgoe: UCL Centre for Advanced Biomedical Imaging, University College London
Sergey Kasparov: University of Bristol
Gareth L. Ackland: Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience, Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London
Alexander V. Gourine: Centre for Cardiovascular and Metabolic Neuroscience, Neuroscience, Physiology and Pharmacology, University College London

Nature Communications, 2017, vol. 8, issue 1, 1-7

Abstract: Abstract 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.

Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1038/ncomms15097

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