Sympatho-effector transduction

Sympathoeffector transduction is a complex process that is critical for maintaining tissue perfusion and blood pressure homeostasis. A precise patterning of sympathetic efferent fiber activity ensures the appropriate neurotransmitter quantity and composition release to evoke an appropriate vascular response. Methodological advances have greatly improved our understanding of the integrative physiology of the sympathetic and vascular systems. Studies have indicated that sympathoeffector transduction can be modified within an individual and between groups. For example, during exercise, sympathetic vasoconstriction is blunted within active skeletal muscle to facilitate perfusion. In healthy aging, sympathoeffector transduction appears attenuated, while it is augmented in patients with type II diabetes. In sum, sympathoeffector transduction is a fundamental component of integrative cardiovascular control and when altered can contribute to the cardiovascular risk profile of disease states. In this chapter we will discuss the mechanisms underpinning sympathoeffector transduction, methods of assessment, and the influence of health and disease.