Strategic Autonomic Nervous Control Using Artificial Brainstem to Cope With Obstinate Cardiovascular Diseases

在这项研究中，我们证明了在缺血性心力衰竭模型中，通过使用电子人工脑干来任意控制自主神经张力可以降低死亡率并抑制心脏重构。在针对迷走神经的电疗中，电疗与β-肾上腺素能抑制相结合显示出更显著的改善，提示迷走神经效应不同于β-肾上腺素能抑制。在针对动脉压力感受性传入通路的电疗中，迷走神经切断术降低了急性心肌缺血后存活率的提高，提示迷走神经传入通路的重要性。接下来，我们推测通过腹部迷走神经的抗炎作用可能有助于心力衰竭的改善，并对腹部迷走神经切断的动物进行了电子治疗。结果表明，腹迷走神经有助于血流动力学的改善，但对…无明显影响。心肌缺血后存活率的提高越明显。在这些治疗实验的同时，我们确定了压力感受器转导的动态特征，并发展了一种新的识别动脉压力感受性反射中枢功能的方法。这些研究应该为人工脑干融入生物系统提供必要的基础。上述使用人工脑干的仿生医学是最先进的医学和尖端工程的融合，在医学史上是独一无二的。由于仿生医学能够通过不同于交感神经抑制的常规药物治疗机制来改善心力衰竭的预后，因此目前的治疗策略应该对当前的医学产生重大影响。在发达国家，心力衰竭在社会和经济上都是一个最大的医疗议程。本研究成果的临床应用不仅有望治愈患者，还将提高社会经济效益，直接导致知识产权和新产业的发明。较少

In this study we demonstrated that controlling the autonomic tone arbitrarily by using an electronic artificial brainstem reduced the mortality and inhibited cardiac remodeling in the ischemia-induced heart failure model. In the electronic therapy targeting the vagus, a combination of the electronic treatment with beta-adrenergic inhibition showed more significant improvement, suggesting that the vagal effects are different from the beta-adrenergic inhibition. In the electronic therapy targeting the arterial baroreflex afferent pathway, vagotomy reduced the improvement of survival rate after acute myocardial ischemia, suggesting the importance of the vagal efferent pathway. Next, we speculated that anti-inflammatory effects through the abdominal vagus might contribute to the improvement of heart failure, and performed the electronic therapy in animals with abdominal vagal transection. The results indicate that the abdominal vagi contribute to the improvement of hemodynamics but not to … More the improvement of survival after myocardial ischemia. In parallel with these therapeutic experiments, we identified the dynamic characteristics of baroreceptor transduction and developed a new identification method for the arterial baroreflex central function. These studies should provide a basis necessary for integration of the artificial brainstem into the biological systems.The above-mentioned bionic medicine using the artificial brainstem is a fusion of the state-of-the-art medicine and the cutting-edge engineering, and is unique in the medical history. Because the bionic medicine was able to improve the prognosis of heart failure via mechanisms different from ordinary pharmacological treatments of sympathetic inhibition, the present therapeutic strategy should have a great impact on the current medicine. Heart failure is a greatest medical agenda both socially and financially in advanced countries. Clinical application of the present research results is expected not only to cure patients but also to promote the economical efficiency in the society, directly leading to the invention of intellectual properties and new industries. Less