Open Access

Brain mechanisms of sympathetic activation in heart failure: Roles of the renin‑angiotensin system, nitric oxide and pro‑inflammatory cytokines (Review)

  • Authors:
    • Bin Xu
    • Hongli Li
  • View Affiliations

  • Published online on: October 13, 2015     https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2015.4434
  • Pages: 7823-7829
  • Copyright: © Xu et al. This is an open access article distributed under the terms of Creative Commons Attribution License.

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Abstract

Patients with chronic heart failure (CHF) have an insufficient perfusion to the peripheral tissues due to decreased cardiac output. The compensatory mechanisms are triggered even prior to the occurrence of clinical symptoms, which include activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) and other neurohumoral factors. However, the long‑term activation of the SNS contributes to progressive cardiac dysfunction and has toxic effects on the cardiomyocytes. The mechanisms leading to the activation of SNS include changes in peripheral baroreceptor and chemoreceptor reflexes and the abnormal regulation of sympathetic nerve activity (SNA) in the central nervous system (CNS). Recent studies have focused on the role of brain mechanisms in the regulation of SNA and the progression of CHF. The renin‑angiotensin system, nitric oxide and pro‑inflammatory cytokines were shown to be involved in the abnormal regulation of SNA in the CNS. The alteration of these neurohumoral factors during CHF influences the activity of neurons in the autonomic regions and finally increase the sympathetic outflow. The present review summarizes the brain mechanisms contributing to sympathoexcitation in CHF.
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December-2015
Volume 12 Issue 6

Print ISSN: 1791-2997
Online ISSN:1791-3004

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Copy and paste a formatted citation
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Spandidos Publications style
Xu B and Li H: Brain mechanisms of sympathetic activation in heart failure: Roles of the renin‑angiotensin system, nitric oxide and pro‑inflammatory cytokines (Review). Mol Med Rep 12: 7823-7829, 2015.
APA
Xu, B., & Li, H. (2015). Brain mechanisms of sympathetic activation in heart failure: Roles of the renin‑angiotensin system, nitric oxide and pro‑inflammatory cytokines (Review). Molecular Medicine Reports, 12, 7823-7829. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2015.4434
MLA
Xu, B., Li, H."Brain mechanisms of sympathetic activation in heart failure: Roles of the renin‑angiotensin system, nitric oxide and pro‑inflammatory cytokines (Review)". Molecular Medicine Reports 12.6 (2015): 7823-7829.
Chicago
Xu, B., Li, H."Brain mechanisms of sympathetic activation in heart failure: Roles of the renin‑angiotensin system, nitric oxide and pro‑inflammatory cytokines (Review)". Molecular Medicine Reports 12, no. 6 (2015): 7823-7829. https://doi.org/10.3892/mmr.2015.4434