Influence of selective autonomic decentralization on myocardial deoxyglucose uptake initiated by cardio-cardiac reflexes

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of autonomic reflexes as initiated by stimulation of the right recurrent cardiopulmonary nerve afferent axons on myocardial deoxyglucose uptake and to determine how such uptake can be modified by selective neural ablation. The afferent axon in the right recurrent cardiopulmonary nerve was stimulated 30 s/min for 1 h in five anesthetized open-chest dogs in which 14-C labeled deoxyglucose was i.v. injected at the beginning of the stimulation period. Three additional sham-operated dogs served as neurally intact controls. Concentrations of label and glucose were measured in plasma. Regional myocardial deoxyglucose concentration was measured by quantitative autoradiography, following the calibration of plasma samples autoradiographic density by β counting. Stimulation of right recurrent cardiopulmonary nerve afferent axons in the intact nervous system preparation did not significantly enhance deoxyglucose uptake as compared to neurally intact controls. When the right cervical vagosympathetic complex was cut a similar uptake was observed. Following decentralization of the right stellate ganglion, uptake was markedly reduced, as well as when the right cervical vagosympathetic was cut and the right stellate ganglion decentralized. Conclusions: Activation of afferent axons from cardiopulmonary receptors does not alter myocardial deoxyglucose uptake. Reducton in uptake occurs following unilateral stellate ganglion decentralization.