In: Biology
. Describe with the aid of diagrams how the Baroreceptor Reflex System regulates cardiac output, heart rate and total peripheral resistance in order to restore changes in blood pressure
a) When mean arterial pressure is increased
b) When mean arterial pressure is decreased physiology
Please find the answers below:
The control of cardiac function is performed by a highly systematic and tightly regulated system of sensory and molecular events in the body. In this regard, various stressors/stimuli have been shown to act on activation or deactivation of the baroreceptor reflex system, which primarily measures and reacts to control the blood pressure, including mean arterial pressure of the cardiovascular system. In this regard, the role of sympathetic nervous system or SNS also plays a significant role.
Answer a) Under conditions of high arterial pressure, the baroreceptor complex system is immediately activated secondary to carotid artery sensitization. This causes the SNS to undergo immediate depression along with enhanced activity of the 10th cranial nerve vagus. This causes a sudden decrease in myocardial firing and hence the frequency of traversing the myocardium by electrochemical stimulus declines. This causes a decline in myocardial activity, hence stroke volume, cardiac output and immediately decreases the cardiac output. The total peripherial resistanace also decreases secondary to activation of SNS.This can be understood as shown below:
Answer b) A completely reverse condition is observed under the situation where the mean arterial pressure is decreased. Under this condition, the baroreceptor reflex system is immediately activated leading to activation of SNS and decrease in activity of vagus nerve. This causes immediate activation of the passage of the electrochemical stimulus from the SA node leading to enhanced myocardial activity, thus increasing the cardiac output, stroke volume and restoring the blood pressure. The total peripherial resistanace also increases secondary to activation of SNS.This can be understood as below: