@article{3193453,
    title = "Sympathetic and Vagal Responses Elicited by Acute Stress in Rats",
    author = "Mouchtouri, Eleni-Taxiarchia and Lekkas, Panagiotis and Delis, Foteini and and Pantelakis, Emmanouil and Mourouzis, Iordanis and Pantos, and Constantinos and Kolettis, Theofilos M.",
    journal = "CUREUS",
    year = "2020",
    volume = "12",
    number = "11",
    publisher = "CUREUS INC",
    doi = "10.7759/cureus.11602",
    keywords = "acute stress; sympathetic response; vagal response; heart rate
variability; recovery",
    abstract = "Introduction
Acute emotional stress triggers autonomic responses that affect
sympathovagal balance. However, the temporal pattern of changes in each
autonomic arm during stress and recovery remains unclear. Therefore, we
analyzed separately sympathetic and vagal activity, elicited by acute
unpredictable stress in a rat model.
Methods
Continuous electrocardiographic recording was performed during (32
minutes) and after (two hours) successive use of restraint and air-jet
stress in 10 rats, whereas five rats served as controls. Sympathetic and
vagal indices were calculated non-invasively after heart rate
variability analysis. Voluntary motion was quantified during recovery,
as an index of continuing anxiety.
Results
The sympathetic nervous system index increased during stress and
remained elevated during the initial stage of recovery. The
parasympathetic nervous system index decreased immediately after the
onset of stress and remained low throughout the observational period.
During recovery, voluntary activity was more pronounced in the stress
group than in the controls.
Conclusion
Successive restraint and air-jet stress in rats increased sympathetic
activity and decreased vagal activity. These changes displayed only
partial recovery post-stress and were accompanied by enhanced voluntary
motion. Our findings may be important in the evaluation of the cardiac
electrophysiologic implications of autonomic changes elicited by acute
emotional stress."
}