Cardioregulatory nerves in the spider Eurypelma marxi Simon.

The objective of this study was to locate nerves arising from the CNS that have a cardioregulatory function in the tarantula, Eurypelma marxi Simon. Ramifications of the paired abdominal nerve VIIIb merge with the cardiac ganglion within the first heart segment. Electrical stimulation of the branches of nerve VIIIb that connect with the cardiac ganglion produce changes in heartbeat rate and amplitude. Nerve cutting experiments indicate that no other cardioregulatory nerves are present. Both increases and decreases in heart activity can be produced upon electrical stimulation of nerve VIIIb on each side of the heart. Only one action potential associated with the response of each type could be recorded in each member of the nerve pair. Therefore, we conclude that there are two inhibitory and two acceleratory neurons that arise in the central nervous system to modulate heartbeat activity. The inhibitory effect becomes maximal at a stimulation frequency of 20-30 Hz and the accelerator effect at 30-40 Hz. The aftereffect of acceleratory nerve activity exceeds that of inhibitory nerve activity. When the inhibitor and accelerator are activated simultaneously, the inhibitor dominates. The regulatory nerves interact with neurons in the cardiac ganglion. During inhibition, the number of externally recorded spikes in each ganglionic burst is decreased. The rate and magnitude of the heartbeat are decreased concomitantly. Stimulation of the accelerator enhances electrical activity in the cardiac ganglion at the same time that the heartbeat rate and amplitude are increased.