Role of the heart and peripheral resistance in the reflex effect of group I afferent fibers on blood pressure.

Experiments were done on anesthetized and curarized cats to see whether the increase in blood pressure caused by electrical stimulation of group I afferent fibers is related to a direct reflex effect on the heart. The reflex effect of electrical stimulation of group I afferent fibers from the gastrocnemius-soleus muscles on the arterial pressure, the left ventricular pressure, the inotropic state of the left ventricle (dP50/dt) and the heart rate were compared before and after beta-blockade with propranolol (0.1 mg/kg intravenously) to reduce a possible direct effect on the heart. The same comparison was made before and after alpha-blockade with phentolamine (2.5 mg/kg intravenously) to keep the peripheral resistance constant. Electrical stimulation of group I afferent fibers caused an increase in the blood pressure, the left ventricular pressure and, to some extent, the inotropic state of the left ventricle and the heart rate. The beta-blockade had no significant effect on these increases, while the alpha-blockade abolished the increase in blood pressure. It is concluded that the effect of stimulation of group I afferent fibers on the blood pressure is not dependent on a direct reflex effect on the heart, but can be better explained by a reflex increase in the peripheral resistance.