Research Opportunities in Autonomic Neural Mechanisms of Cardiopulmonary Regulation: A Report From the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute and the National Institutes of Health Office of the Director Workshop.

This virtual workshop was convened by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, in partnership with the Office of Strategic Coordination of the Office of the National Institutes of Health Director, and held September 2 to 3, 2020. The intent was to assemble a multidisciplinary group of experts in basic, translational, and clinical research in neuroscience and cardiopulmonary disorders to identify knowledge gaps, guide future research efforts, and foster multidisciplinary collaborations pertaining to autonomic neural mechanisms of cardiopulmonary regulation. The group critically evaluated the current state of knowledge of the roles that the autonomic nervous system plays in regulation of cardiopulmonary function in health and in pathophysiology of arrhythmias, heart failure, sleep and circadian dysfunction, and breathing disorders.

Life-long serotonin reuptake deficiency results in complex alterations in adrenomedullary responses to stress.

This study examined whether serotonin transporter (SERT) deficiency influences adrenal serotonin (5-HT), catecholamine and Angiotensin II (Ang II) systems, and the hormonal response to acute restraint stress. Control SERT mice (+/+) expressed high numbers of SERT binding sites in adrenal medulla. Fifteen minutes of restraint stress increased adrenal 5-HT, adrenomedullary tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) mRNA expression and plasma epinephrine (EPI), and norepinephrine levels without alterations in adrenal catecholamine content.

Exaggerated adrenomedullary response to immobilization in mice with targeted disruption of the serotonin transporter gene.

This study examined whether serotonin transporter (5-HTT) gene knockout influences adrenomedullary, sympathoneural, or hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal responses to acute immobilization. In conscious, cannulated mice, arterial plasma concentrations of catecholamines, ACTH, and corticosterone were measured at baseline and after 15 min of immobilization. Tissue levels of serotonin (5-HT), catecholamines, and hormones were also measured in pituitary and adrenal glands.