The ability to sense the internal state of one's body is the process of interoception and is a marker for positive emotional outcomes. The last five years have seen burgeoning research interest in interoception, including a call for more integrative and predictive biomarkers for interoceptive ability. While there is a robust literature purporting to measure interoception, there is also significant research challenging the content validity of the current methodology. Beyond these published challenges, I offer a broader critique that suggests that the current reductionist approach fails to capture the integrative nature of interoception. I introduce an alternate methodology to assess interoceptive ability that leverages the integrative nature of the autonomic nervous system. Thirty-four undergraduates provided real-time feedback about their subjective state of arousal while watching three videos of varying intensity. Across subjects, arousal feedback did not positively correlate with physiological indices of sympathetic arousal including electrodermal activity and the inverse of pre-ejection period. However, each subject appeared to have an idiographic pattern of physiological variables that correlated strongly, although often negatively, with the subjective slider feedback. These physiological patterns provide the foundation for investigating a new biomarker for interoception that relies on the autonomic nervous system to surmise interoceptive states. / Doctor of Philosophy / A person's sense of their body is called interoception. Research has shown that people who are good at interoception tend to live happier and more fulfilling lives. But current research techniques don't do a great job measuring whether someone is good at interoception. These techniques have faced a lot of criticism for the errors they are known to make. I add my concerns that the current techniques don't reflect how we naturally sense into our bodies when we're not in a lab. I explain why I think we need a new way of measuring interoception that captures how holistic this process is. I introduce a new measure that is based on the energy in our body. I believe that people use this energy system naturally and will also be better able to reflect this is a lab setting. The people in this study used a slider dial to indicate how much energy they felt while they watched videos with different excitement levels. While they watched the videos and moved the dial, we measured their bodily readings from their heart, breathing, and sweat to see if these readings matched their dial ratings. We were surprised that the typical body readings for excitement were not directly related to the slider movements when we averaged across people, but we did find that each person had their own unique way of responding that was similar in both mind and body. This research is the basis for a new way to understand how people read their own body, and how accurate this reading is.

Autonomic nervous system activity is related to body weight regulation. Based on the MONA LISA hypothesis it has been suggested that most obese subjects and animals have low sympathetic nervous system activity. The aim of this study was to investigate whether there are differences in autonomic nervous system activity between lines of chickens selected for either high (HWS) or low body weight (LWS). In Exp. 1, various pharmacological agents were injected intravenously, and the changes in blood pressure (BP) and heart rate (HR) of both HWS and LWS chickens were compared. The results showed that the HWS birds had a greater increase in BP and HR than the LWS following injection of atropine, a muscarinic receptor blocker, and LWS birds had a greater decrease in BP and HR to propranolol, a beta- adrenergic receptor blocker than the HWS birds. These results suggested that HWS chickens have higher parasympathetic tone, whereas LWS chickens have a higher sympathetic nervous system tone regulating the cardiovascular system. HWS and LWS chickens displayed a similar response in BP and HR following injection of the ganglion blocker tetraethylammonium chloride. These results suggest that there is no significant difference in the central autonomic nervous system in the cardiovascular regulation between HWS and LWS together. Since there does not appear to be any differences in the activity of the autonomic nervous system activity at the level of the central nervous system, these findings imply that the difference in response to atropine and propranolol could be caused by differences in adrenal activity. The ratio of heart rate and blood pressure after the injection of phenylephrine showed significant difference between these two lines of birds, but not when phenylephrine was injected following atropine. This result indicated that HWS are more dependent on the parasympathetic nervous system to regulate the baroreceptor reflex. The percentage of adrenal and sympathetic impact on the regulation of heart rate showed that LWS females required greater adrenal activity than the other birds. In Exp. 2, the body weight and food intake responses of HWS and LWS chickens to ip injections of reserpine were compared. Reserpine caused a transitory decrease in food intake and body weight in both lines of birds. However HWS chickens recovered more slowly from the depression caused by reserpine than the LWS chickens. This could be due to lower sympathetic nervous system activity. In conclusion, it appears that HWS may have lower sympathetic activity than LWS. Combining the results of both experiments, it appears that the HWS birds have lower sympathetic and higher parasympathetic activity. Furthermore central nervous system autonomic activity in BP and HR regulation is not different between HWS and LWS, but the activity of the adrenal gland may be different between these two lines of birds. / Master of Science

Thesis (DMed (Medicine. Internal Medicine))--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / Background Although great progress has been made in defining genes conferring the majority of genetic risk in Long QT Syndrome (LQTS) patients, there remains a substantial challenge to explain the widely observed variability in disease expression and phenotype severity, even among family members, sharing the same mutation. Identifying clinical and genetic variables capable of influencing/predicting the clinical phenotype of LQTS patients would allow a more accurate risk stratification, important for determining prognosis, selecting patients for the most appropriate therapy, and counseling asymptomatic mutation carriers (MCs). To address these questions an Italian LQT2 family and a South African Founder LQT1 population have been used. Methods and Results Italian LQT2 family. The proband, a 44-yr-old white woman, presented with ventricular fibrillation and cardiac arrest. Intermittent QT prolongation was subsequently observed and LQT2 was diagnosed following the identification of a missense KCNH2 mutation (A1116V). The proband also carried the common KCNH2 polymorphism K897T on the non-mutant allele. Relatives who carried A1116V without K897T were asymptomatic but some exhibited transient mild QTc prolongation suggesting latent disease. Expression studies in Chinese Hamster Ovary (CHO) cells, demonstrated that the presence of KCNH2-K897T is predicted to exaggerate the IKr reduction caused by the A1116V mutation. These data explain why symptomatic LQTS occurred only in the proband carrying both alleles. South African LQT1 population. The study population involved 320 subjects, 166 MCs and 154 non mutation carriers (NMCs). Off ß-blocker therapy, MCs had a wide range of QTc values (406-676 ms) and a QTc>500 ms was associated with increased risk for cardiac events (OR=4.22; 95%CI 1.12-15.80; p=0.033). We also found that MCs with a heart rate <73 bpm were at significantly lower risk (OR=0.23; 95%CI 0.06-0.86; p=0.035). In a subgroup of patients Baroreflex Sensitivity (BRS) was determined both in presence and absence of ß-blocker therapy. BRS, analyzed in subjects in the 2nd and 3rd age quartiles (age 26-47) to avoid the influence of age, was lower among asymptomatic than symptomatic MCs (11.8±3.5 vs 20.1±10.9 ms/mmHg, p<0.05). A BRS in the lower tertile carried a lower risk of cardiac events (OR 0.13, 95%CI 0.02-0.96; p<0.05). This study also unexpectedly determined that KCNQ1-A341V was associated with greater risk than that reported for large databases of LQT1 patients: A341V MCs were more symptomatic by age 40 (79% vs 30%) and became symptomatic earlier (7±4 vs 13±9 years), both p<0.001. Accordingly, functional studies of KCNQ1-A341V in CHO cells with KCNE1, identified a dominant negative effect of the mutation on wild-type channels. Conclusion Our findings indicate that risk stratification for LQTS patients must be more individually tailored and may have to take into account the specific mutation and probably additional clinical and genetic variables capable of influencing/predicting the clinical phenotype of LQTS patients. As a matter of fact, we have provided evidence that a common KCNH2 polymorphism may modify the clinical expression of a latent LQT2 mutation and the availability of an extended kindred with a common mutation allowed us to highlight that KCNQ1-A341V is associated with an unusually severe clinical phenotype and to identify two autonomic markers, HR and BRS, as novel risk factors.

The influence of autonomic activation in response to controllable versus noncontrollable stress, anger imagery induction, and relaxation imagery was studied among 80 participants between the ages of 18 and 34. Participants differed in level of trait hostility as assessed by the Irritability Subscale of The Buss-Durkee Hostility Inventory (Buss & Durkee,1957) and the Ho scale of the Cook-Medley Hostility Inventory (Cook & Medley, 1954). Groups were further subdivided with regards to either having a positive family history of cardiovascular disease or having no significant history. Results were obtained through analyses of electrocardiograph R-R intervals which produced an index of autonomic nervous system activation. Findings supported hypotheses involving the relations between autonomic balance and stress and hostility for the female and male populations. Among both populations, parasympathetic regulation was diminished during anger induction for individuals with high levels of trait hostility and having a family history of cardiovascular disease. Similar results were obtained for men during relaxation imagery induction.

L’insomnie, une condition fréquemment retrouvée dans la population, se caractérise d’abord par une difficulté à initier ou à maintenir le sommeil et/ou par des éveils précoces le matin ou encore par un sommeil non-réparateur. Lorsqu’elle n’est pas accompagnée par des troubles psychiatriques ou médicaux ou un autre trouble de sommeil et qu’elle perdure plus de 6 mois on parle alors d’insomnie primaire chronique. Selon certains, cette condition serait associée à un état d’hyperéveil caractérisé par une augmentation de l’activité autonome sympathique durant le sommeil et l’éveil. Le baroréflexe est un important mécanisme de contrôle à court terme des fluctuations de la tension artérielle (TA) et de la fréquence cardiaque agissant sur le cœur et les vaisseaux sanguins par l’entremise du système nerveux autonome. On appelle sensibilité baroréceptive (SBR) la capacité du baroréflexe de réagir et de contrôler les fluctuations de TA en modulant le rythme cardiaque. De manière générale, la SBR serait augmentée durant la nuit par rapport à la journée. Aussi, il semblerait que le baroréflexe soit impliqué dans le phénomène de baisse physiologique de la TA pendant la nuit. Or, des données de notre laboratoire ont démontré une augmentation de la TA systolique au cours de la nuit ainsi qu’une atténuation de la baisse nocturne de TA systolique chez des sujets avec insomnie primaire chronique comparé à des témoins bons dormeurs. De plus, il a été démontré que le baroréflexe était altéré de façon précoce dans plusieurs troubles cardiovasculaires et dans l’hypertension artérielle. Or, il semblerait que l’insomnie soit accompagnée d’un risque accru de développement de l’hypertension artérielle. Ces études semblent aller dans le sens d’une altération des mécanismes de régulation de la TA dans l’insomnie. Par ailleurs, une réduction de la SBR serait aussi impliquée dans des états associés à une augmentation de l’activité autonome sympathique. Ainsi, nous nous sommes demandé si le baroréflexe pouvait constituer un des mécanismes de contrôle de la TA qui serait altéré dans l’insomnie et pourrait être impliqué dans l’augmentation de l’activité sympathique qui semble accompagner l’insomnie. Jusqu’à présent, le baroréflexe reste inexploré dans l’insomnie. L’objectif principal de ce mémoire était d’évaluer de façon non-invasive la SBR à l’éveil et en sommeil chez 11 sujets atteints d’insomnie primaire chronique comparé à 11 témoins bons dormeurs. L’évaluation du baroréflexe a été effectuée de façon spontanée par la méthode de l’analyse en séquence et par le calcul du coefficient alpha obtenu par l’analyse spectrale croisée de l’intervalle RR et de la TA systolique. De façon concomitante, les paramètres de la variabilité de l’intervalle RR en sommeil et à l’éveil ont aussi été comparés chez ces mêmes sujets. Aucune différence significative n’a été notée au niveau des index de la SBR entre le groupe d’insomniaques et celui des bons dormeurs, à l’éveil ou en sommeil. Cependant, on observe des valeurs légèrement plus faibles de la SBR chez les insomniaques ayant mal dormi (efficacité de sommeil (ES) < 85%) comparés aux insomniaques ayant bien dormi (ES≥ 85%) à la nuit expérimentale durant l’éveil et en sommeil. Par ailleurs, aucune différence n’a été notée entre le groupe d’insomniaques et celui des bons dormeurs au niveau des paramètres de la variabilité RR considérés (intervalle RR, PNN50, LF et HF en valeurs normalisées). En effet, les insomniaques tout comme les bons dormeurs semblent présenter une variation normale de l’activité autonome en sommeil, telle que représentée par les paramètres de la variabilité RR. Ces résultats préliminaires semblent suggérer que les mécanismes du baroréflexe sont préservés chez les sujets atteints d’insomnie primaire chronique tels que diagnostiqués de manière subjective. Cependant, il est possible qu’une altération des mécanismes du baroréflexe ne se révèle chez les insomniaques que lorsque les critères objectifs d’une mauvaise nuit de sommeil sont présents. / Insomnia, one of the most common sleep complaint in the general population, is characterised firstly by a difficulty initiating or maintaining sleep and/or early awakenings or non-restorative sleep. Insomnia is defined as primary when not principally due to another medical or psychiatric condition or other sleep disorder, whereas a minimum of 6 months duration is required to define chronic insomnia. Some authors have hypothesized that insomnia is associated with a state of hyperarousal characterized by increased sympathetic activity during sleep and wakefulness. The arterial baroreflex is an important mechanism providing continuous short term regulation of heart rate and blood pressure (BP) by means of the autonomic nervous system influences over the pacemaker and the peripheral circulation. Baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) is the baroreflex’s capacity to react and control BP changes by adjusting the heart rate. BRS is known to be heightened during the night compared to daytime. Also, it seems that the baroreflex could be involved in the physiological day-to-night BP fall. Previous data from our laboratory demonstrated in subjects with chronic primary insomnia, higher night-time systolic BP and a significant attenuation of the physiologic day-to-night systolic BP fall compared to good sleepers. Besides, the baroreflex has been shown to be altered early in several cardiovascular diseases and to precede hypertension. Subjects with insomnia have been shown to have a higher likelihood to develop daytime hypertension. All of these findings point in the direction of altered BP regulatory mechanisms in insomnia. Furthermore, a reduction of BRS could be implicated in states where higher sympathetic autonomic activity is observed. We hypothesised that the baroreflex could be one of the BP control mechanisms which are altered in insomnia and could be involved in the heightened sympathetic activity observed in insomnia. To our knowledge, the baroreflex has never been investigated previously in insomnia. The primary goal of this study was to investigate non-invasively BRS during wakefulness and sleep in 11 subjects with chronic primary insomnia compared to 11 good sleepers. Baroreflex was investigated spontaneously by the sequence method and by the calculation of the alpha coefficient obtained by cross spectral analysis of RR interval and systolic BP. Simultaneously, RR interval variability components were also compared during wakefulness and sleep between the two groups. No significant differences were found for indices of BRS between insomniacs and good sleepers during wakefulness and sleep. However, slightly lower values of BRS during wakefulness and sleep were noted in insomniacs with poor sleep (sleep efficiency (SE) <85%) versus those with good sleep (SE≥ 85%) at the experimental night. As a secondary finding, no differences were found between the insomniacs and the good sleepers for any of the RR variability components considered (RR interval, PNN50, LF and HF in their normalized units). Indeed, insomniacs like good sleepers exhibited normal variation of autonomic activity during sleep as depicted by the RR variability components. Our preliminary results suggest that baroreflex mechanisms are preserved in subjects with a subjective complaint of chronic primary insomnia. Nevertheless, certain impairment may occur in insomniacs as a function of objective measures of poor sleep.

In this study the effects of age (18-55 years), differing levels of fitness (VO 2max ranging from 35.5 to 68.8ml.kg-1.min-1) and endurance training (10 weeks) on heart rate control were investigated. Fitness level was initially determined by a VO2max stress test, succeeded by cold hand and cold face pressor test of autonomic activity. Following these baseline measurements, the subjects (32 nonsmoking male volunteers) were endurance-trained three to four times a week for a 10-week period. The baseline tests were readministered following the 10-week dynamic exercise training period. These data suggest that a natural consequence of aging is a diminishment of autonomic heart rate control; however, endurance training appears to interrupt the aging influence. Individuals of low fitness level appear to have heart rate control dominated by the sympathetic system, while individuals with high fitness levels have a vagally dominated heart rate control system.

The primary aim of this study was to investigate whether the joint action of the parasympathetic (PNS) and sympathetic nervous system (SNS) influenced three distinct indicators of child adjustment. Although evidence suggests that patterns of reactivity in the PNS and SNS each contribute to adjustment in youth, a paucity of work has examined the interaction between the two systems. Moreover, much of the research on children's autonomic reactivity has overly relied on variable-centered analytic approaches, which aim to predict variance and assume homogeneity in the relations between predictors and outcome. This project also incorporated a person-centered approach to systematically identify individual differences in the interrelation between PNS and SNS reactivity and to classify children into homogeneous autonomic reactivity groups. The person-centered results were then applied to variable-centered analyses to examine how adjustment varied across homogeneous autonomic reactivity groups. Thus, the goal of this study was to apply both variable-centered and person-centered analyses to investigate whether children's autonomic reactivity was related to child adjustment. Children (N = 64, 8-10 years, M = 9.06, SD = 0.81) and one parent completed a psychophysiological laboratory assessment at Wave 1 during which each child's respiratory sinus arrhythmia reactivity (RSAR; an index of PNS reactivity) and skin conductance level reactivity (SCLR; an index of SNS reactivity) was assessed in response to a mirror tracing challenge task. At both Wave 1 and Wave 2, each parent reported on their child's internalizing symptoms, externalizing symptoms, and social competence. The variable-centered analyses revealed that, consistent with hypotheses, the two-way RSAR x SCLR interaction was significant predicting internalizing symptoms at Time 1 and at Time 2. In both cases, RSA withdrawal was associated with fewer internalizing symptoms when coupled with low SCLR. When coupled with high SCLR, RSA withdrawal was associated with more internalizing symptoms at Time 1; however, RSAR was unrelated to Time 2 internalizing when coupled with high SCLR. In addition, SCLR was associated with more social competence and (marginally) fewer externalizing problems over time. The person-centered analyses (i.e., a model-based cluster analysis) identified two distinct clusters based on children's RSAR and SCLR. Children in Cluster 1 showed slight RSA withdrawal combined with SCL activation (modest reciprocal SNS activation) and exhibited marginally more internalizing and less social competence, as compared to children in Cluster 2 who, as a group, showed heightened RSAR (either withdrawal or augmentation) and SNS activation. When a 3-cluster model was examined, results indicated that children who showed modest reciprocal SNS activation (Cluster 1) showed marginally more internalizing symptoms then children who showed strong reciprocal SNS activation (Cluster 2A) and marginally less social competence then children who showed coactivation (Cluster 2B). This study offers important evidence that person-centered analyses can identify differences in autonomic reactivity that are relevant to children's adjustment. Cluster analysis identified only two (i.e., reciprocal SNS activation, coactivation) of the four autonomic profiles assumed to be represented in simple slope analyses in previous work. Thus, incorporating person-centered techniques in future research is an important and likely fruitful approach to investigating how autonomic reactivity contributes to child development.

Orientador: Marlos Gonçalves Sousa / Resumo: A doença valvar mitral tem alta prevalência em todo o mundo e é a enfermidade cardiovascular mais diagnosticada em cães. A referida enfermidade cardíaca possui caráter progressivo, que frequentemente leva à insuficiência cardíaca congestiva. Por sua vez, a insuficiência cardíaca congestiva é uma síndrome clínica complexa que leva a um baixo débito cardíaco, hipotensão e hipoperfusão tecidual, fazendo com que as demandas de diversos órgãos não sejam devidamente supridas. Com o intuito de ajustar a falha do coração como bomba, o organismo ativa uma série de mecanismos compensatórios que, em curto prazo, normalizam a pressão arterial. Dentre esses mecanismos, se destaca como um dos mais importantes, ativação do sistema nervoso autônomo simpático. Todavia, a ativação desses mecanismos, em logo prazo, resulta em progressão da disfunção ventricular, morte dos cardiomiócitos, desenvolvimento de sinais clínicos e óbito. Quando o débito cardíaco é prejudicado pela falha da função ventricular, a hipotensão relativa estimula os barorreceptores a ativar o sistema nervoso autônomo simpático, conduzindo ao aumento da concentração sérica de noradrenalina na insuficiência cardíaca congestiva. A noradrenalina é uma catecolamina endógena sintetizada pelas células cromafins na medula adrenal, que age em receptoresα1-adrenérgicos, promovendo o aumento da resistência vascular sistêmica, e em receptores β1-adrenérgicos, exercendo atividade inotrópica e cronotrópica positivas. No tratamento da insu... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: Mitral valve disease has a high prevalence worldwide and is the most diagnosed cardiovascular disease in dogs. The referred cardiac disease presents a progressive character, which often leads to congestive heart failure. In turn, congestive heart failure is a complex clinical syndrome that leads to low cardiac output, hypotension and tissue hypoperfusion, causing the demands of various organs not to be adequately met. In order to adjust heart failure as a pump, the body activates a series of compensatory mechanisms that, in the short term, normalize blood pressure. Among these mechanisms, it stands out as one of the most important, sympathetic autonomic nervous system activation. However, the activation of these mechanisms, in the long term, results in progression of ventricular dysfunction, death of cardiomyocytes, development of clinical signs and death. The main mechanism is the activation of sympathetic autonomic nervous system. When cardiac output is impaired by failure of ventricular function, relative hypotension stimulates baroreceptors to activate the sympathetic autonomic nervous system, leading to increased serum noradrenaline concentration in congestive heart failure. Noradrenaline is an endogenous catecholamine synthesized by chromaffin cells in the adrenal medulla, which acts at α1 -adrenergic receptors, promoting the increase of systemic vascular resistance, and at β1 -adrenergic receptors, exerting positive inotropic and chronotropic activity. In the treatment... (Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Mestre

O sistema nervoso (SN) autonômico é fundamental na regulação cardiovascular. A análise da variabilidade da freqüência cardíaca (VFC), no domínio do tempo e da freqüência, expressa a modulação autonômica cardíaca, pois reflete a atividade do SN simpático (receptores adrenérgicos) e do SN parassimpático (receptores muscarínicos) sobre Nó Sinoatrial. As variantes genéticas funcionais (polimorfismos) do receptor adrenérgico beta2 vêm sendo associadas a diferentes estados funcionais do receptor e a diversos fenótipos cardiovasculares. Investigamos em 218 de jovens normotensos (entre 18 a 30 anos) a associação dos polimorfismos do receptor adrenérgico beta2 tipo Gln27Glu (Gln/Gln, Gln/Glu e Glu/Glu) e tipo Arg16Gly (Arg/Arg, Arg/Gly e Gly/Gly) com o perfil antropométrico e com os fenótipos cardiovasculares: o balanço autonômico para o coração (análise da VFC), a noradrenalina sérica, e variáveis hemodinâmicas, que foram registradas durante o repouso (5min) e o tilt test (teste de estresse postural, 5 min). Resultados: polimorfismo beta2 tipo Gln27Glu - comparados aos portadores do genótipo Gln/Gln, os indivíduos com genótipos Glu/Glu e Gln/Glu apresentaram uma menor relação cintura/quadril (p=0,008) e uma maior atividade simpática em resposta ao tilt teste, ou seja, maior aumento do componente LF (p=0,027) e maior relação LF/HF (p=0,014); polimorfismos beta2 tipo Arg16Gly - portadores do genótipo Arg/Arg apresentaram maior queda do índice alfa durante o tilt test, comparados aos outros genótipos; associação de polimorfismos (haplótipos) - portadores do haplótipo Gln27Gln/Arg16Gly apresentaram maior incremento da FC quando comparados aos portadores dos haplótipos Gln27Gln/Gly16Gly (p=0,06). Conclusão: foi possível detectar que os polimorfismos do receptor adrenérgico beta2 tipo Gln27Glu e tipo Arg16Gly têm impacto sobre o balanço autonômico cardíaco, respectivamente, aumentando a atividade simpática para o coração e diminuindo a atividade baroreflexa durante manobra de estresse postural, em indivíduos jovens normotensos / The autonomic nervous system (NS) has a pivotal role in cardiovascular control. Time domain and spectral analyzes of heart rate variability (HRV) indicates cardiac autonomic modulation, since it reflects the sympathetic (adrenergic receptors) and parasympathetic (muscarinic receptors) nerve activity over the Sinoatrial Node. Polymorphisms of the adrenergic receptor beta2 have been associated to different functional state of receptor and cardiovascular phenotypes. We analyzed in 218 young normotensive subjects (18-30 years old) the association of polymorphisms of the adrenergic receptor type Gln27Glu (Gln/Gln, Gln/Glu e Glu/Glu) and type Arg16Gly (Arg/Arg, Arg/Gly e Gly/Gly) with anthropometric data and cardiovascular phenotypes: cardiac autonomic balance (HRV), norephinefrine levels, and hemodynamic parameters, which were registered during rest (5min) and tilt test (5 min). Results: beta2 polymorphism type Gln27Glu - compared to subjects with genotype Gln/Gln, subjects with genotype Glu/Glu e Gln/Glu showed a lower WHR (p=0,008) and a higher increase in sympathetic activity during tilt teste, i.e., a higher increase in LF component (p=0,027) and LF/HF relation (p=0,014); beta2 polymorphism type Arg16Gly - subjects with genotype Arg/Arg demonstrated a higher decrease in alpha index during tilt test, compared to other genotypes; polymorphism association (haplotype) - subjects with Gln27Gln/Arg16Gly had a higher increase in hear rate compared to subjects with haplotype Gln27Gln/Gly16Gly (p=0,06). Conclusion: it was possible to detect in young normotensive subjects that polymorphisms of the adrenergic receptor type Gln27Glu and type Arg16Gly have an impact over cardiac autonomic balance, respectively, increasing the cardiac sympathetic activity and decreasing the baroreflex sensibility during tilt test

Estudo comparativo entre o tratamento farmacológico, o treinamento físico moderado e o treinamento postural passivo em pacientes portadores de síncope neurocardiogênica. A síncope neurocardiogênica é uma disfunção autonômica que leva a hipotensão e perda de consciência. Setenta pacientes foram randomizados em 4 grupos: controle, treinamento físico, treinamento postural e tratamento farmacológico. Avaliou-se recorrência clínica, índices de ansiedade e a sensibilidade barorreflexa para a freqüência cardíaca e atividade nervosa simpática muscular. Ocorreu diminuição da recorrência nos 4 grupos. Diminuição da ansiedade foi observada em 3 grupos, exceto no grupo controle. O treinamento físico melhorou a sensibilidade barorreflexa / Neurocardiogenic syncope is an autonomic disfunction that leads to hypotension and loss of conciousness. Seventy patients were randomized in 4 groups: control, physical training, tilt training and pharmacological treatment. Clinical outcome, anxiety levels and baroreflex sensitivity for heart rate and muscle sympathetic nervous activity were evaluated. Lower recurrence rates were obtained in all groups. Anxiety levels decrease was achieved in 3 groups, except controls. Physical training improved baroreflex sensitivity