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Background: The prevalence of smoking in patients with schizophrenia is higher than that in the general population and is an important medical issue. Short-term smoking cessation tends to worsen psychiatric symptoms in patients with schizophrenia but decreases sympathetic nervous system activity and improves plasma cholesterol levels in healthy people. Few studies have assessed the long-term effects of smoking cessation in patients with schizophrenia. Methods: Subjects were 70 Japanese patients with schizophrenia (38 smokers, 32 non-smokers). We compared the following clinical parameters between the two groups at baseline (before smoking cessation) and in each group separately between baseline and at three years after smoking cessation: autonomic nervous system activity, plasma cholesterol levels, body weight, drug therapy, and Global Assessment of Functioning scores. We also compared the mean changes in clinical parameters throughout this study between the groups at both time points. Autonomic nervous system activity was assessed by power spectral analysis of heart rate variability. Results: Parasympathetic nervous system activity and the doses of antiparkinsonian drugs in smokers were significantly higher than those in non-smokers at baseline. Smoking cessation was associated with significantly decreased sympathetic nervous system activity and decreased doses of antipsychotics and antiparkinsonian drugs at three years after smoking cessation. However, there was no significant difference in the mean change in clinical factors scores, except for Global Assessment of Functioning scores, between smokers and non-smokers at three years after smoking cessation. Conclusions: Our results suggest that smoking reduces both autonomic nervous system activity and the effectiveness of drug therapy with antipsychotics and antiparkinsonian drugs in patients with schizophrenia, but that both factors could be ameliorated over the long term by smoking cessation. Taken together with the findings of previous studies, smoking cessation in patients with schizophrenia has many long-term positive physiological effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study investigated the soothing effects of fragrance from yuzu, a Japanese citrus fruit ( Citrus junos Sieb. ex Tanaka), with salivary chromogranin A (CgA) used as an endocrinologic stress marker reflecting sympathetic nervous system activity. Methods: Twenty healthy women (mean age, 20.5±0.1 years) participated in a randomized, controlled, crossover study. Participants were examined on two separate occasions-once using the yuzu scent and once using unscented water as a control-in the follicular phase. This experiment measured salivary CgA and the Profile of Mood States (POMS) as a psychological index before and after the aromatic stimulation. Results: Ten-minute inhalation of the yuzu scent significantly decreased salivary CgA. At 30 minutes after the inhalation period, the salivary CgA level further decreased. In addition, POMS revealed that inhalation of the aromatic yuzu oil significantly decreased total mood disturbance, a global measure of affective state, as well as four subscores of emotional symptoms (tension-anxiety, depression-dejection, anger-hostility, and confusion), as long as 30 minutes after the olfactory stimulation. Conclusions: Yuzu's aromatic effects may alleviate negative emotional stress, which, at least in part, would contribute to the suppression of sympathetic nervous system activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unpleasant odors impair our mood and may affect physical health, even when the odorants are not toxic. A possible cause for such negative effects is stress induced by odors; however, whether the unpleasantness itself elicited stress or not has not been clear. Thus, we examined whether unpleasantness of odors induced the stress responses of emotion, the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis, and the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Six experiments were conducted, where salivary cortisol or salivary alpha amylase (sAA), markers for activities of the HPA and the SNS, respectively, were measured, along with subjective ratings of odors and emotion. First, the responses to three malodors listed in the Offensive Odor Control Law in Japan were examined. While these odors were rated as unpleasant, and exposure to them increased anxiety, no response of the HPA was observed (experiment 1, n = 69). In contrast, an increase of the SNS activity was observed after exposure to two of the three malodors, while the SNS did not respond to pleasant odors (experiments 2-4, n = 35, 34 and 30). To examine the effect of unpleasantness further, the SNS response was examined while subjective unpleasantness of odors was manipulated by adding negative verbal information (experiment 5, n = 92), or by mixing in a pleasant odor (experiment 6, n = 35). The SNS responses upon inhalation of the same odorous substances were found to be dependent on whether they were perceived as unpleasant. Finally, a correlation analysis on the pooled data from experiments 2-6 showed that the odor-elicited SNS activity and anxiety were strongly correlated with perceived unpleasantness of odors. These results suggest that subjective unpleasantness of odors per se can induce the stress response of emotion and the SNS., (Copyright © 2019. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Sympathoexcitation has an important role in the pathogenesis of hypertension. Previous studies have demonstrated that nitric oxide (NO) and/or oxidative stress in the brain are important for the regulation of the sympathetic nervous system. We have investigated the role of NO derived from an overexpression of endothelial NO synthase (eNOS) or oxidative stress in the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM), which is known as a vasomotor center in the brainstem, on the regulation of the sympathetic nervous system. Our results indicated that NO derived from an overexpression of eNOS in the RVLM caused sympathoinhibition via an increase in γ-amino butyric acid and that angiotensin II type 1 receptor (AT1R)-induced oxidative stress in the RVLM caused sympathoexcitation. We also demonstrated that oxidative stress in the RVLM caused sympathoexcitation via interactions with NO, effects on the signal transduction or apoptosis of the astrocytes. Furthermore, several orally administered AT1R blockers have been found to cause sympathoinhibition via a reduction in oxidative stress through the blockade of AT1R in the RVLM of hypertensive rats. In conclusion, our studies suggest that the increase in AT1R-induced oxidative stress and/or the decrease in NO in the RVLM mainly cause sympathoexcitation in hypertension.

We have previously reported the unique regional responses of facial skin blood flow (SkBF) to oral application of the basic tastes without simultaneous systemic circulatory changes. In the present study, we determined whether a systemic circulatory challenge due to sympathetic activation induces regional differences in facial SkBF by observing the responses in facial SkBF and blood pressure to a 2-min cold pressor test (CPT) and static handgrip exercise (HG) by right hand in 20 healthy subjects. The CPT significantly increased SkBF in the forehead, eyelid, cheek, upper lip and lower lip by 6 ± 2 to 8 ± 2 % (mean ± SEM) as compared to resting baseline, with a significant simultaneous increase (13 ± 2 %) in mean arterial pressure (MAP), whereas it significantly decreased the SkBF in the nose by 5 ± 2 %. The HG significantly increased SkBF in the forehead, cheek and lower lip by 6 ± 3 to 10 ± 3 %, with a significant simultaneous increase in MAP (13 ± 2 %), while it induced no significant change in the other regions. Increases in SkBF were greater in the right than left cheek during CPT. These results demonstrate that a systemic circulatory challenge via sympathetic activation elicits regional differences in the facial SkBF response.

The Ambulatory Blood Pressure Control and Home Blood Pressure (Morning and Evening) Lowering By N-Channel Blocker Cilnidipine (ACHIEVE-ONE) trial is a large-scale clinical study on blood pressure (BP) and pulse rate (PR) in the real world with use of cilnidipine, a unique L/N-type Ca channel blocker, possessing a suppressive action on increased sympathetic activity in patients with essential hypertension. The effects of cilnidipine on morning hypertension were examined. The authors examined 2319 patients treated with cilnidipine for 12 weeks. Clinic systolic BP (SBP) decreased by 19.6 mm Hg from 155.0 mm Hg, whereas morning SBP decreased by 17.0 mm Hg from 152.9 mm Hg after 12-week cilnidipine treatment. Cilnidipine reduced both morning SBP and PR more markedly in patients with higher baseline morning SBP (-3.2 mm Hg and -1.3 beats per minute in the first quartile of morning SBP, -30.9 mm Hg and -3.2 beats per minute in the fourth quartile), and also reduced both morning PR and SBP more markedly in patients with higher baseline morning PR (0.6 beats per minute and -15.6 mm Hg in <70 beats per minute, and -9.7 beats per minute and -20.2 mm Hg in ≥85 beats per minute). Cilnidipine significantly reduced BP and PR in hypertensive patients at the clinic and at home, especially with higher BP and PR in the morning., (© 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

To clarify the links between ECG QT-related parameters and heart rate variability (HRV) and the covariates possibly distorting them, the averaged RR and QT intervals in a single lead ECG were measured for 64 male and 86 female subjects aged 18-26. The QT index, defined by Rautaharju et al., in the young adults was not significantly related to any HRV parameters nor heart rate, but the Bazett's corrected QT (QTc) interval was associated negatively with the parasympathetic activity and positively with heart rate. No significant differences in the QTc interval, QT index or heart rate were seen between the men and women, but they significantly differed between both sexes after adjustment for possible covariates such as age and body mass index (BMI). Significant sex differences in parasympathetic parameters of the HRV were unchanged before and after the adjustment, but significant differences observed in the unadjusted sympathetic parameters disappeared after adjusting for covariates. Age, BMI and body fat percentage also were significant covariates affecting these ECG parameters. Consequently, QT index, unaffected by heart rate and HRV parameters, appears to be a more useful indicator than the QTc interval. Instead, the QT index and HRV parameters are recommended to be simultaneously measured in epidemiological research because they are probably complementary in assessing autonomic nervous function. Also, these parameters should be analyzed in men and women separately., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

The present study is designed to investigate how and to what extent sympathovagal behavior in a balanced low-calorie diet relates to favorable changes of body mass, waist circumference, and/or metabolic risk factors. The study involved 28 mildly obese women without clinical complications, who underwent an 8-week calorie restriction program using a 1,200-kcal daily diet with an adequate nutrient content; including two regular meals, and one formula meal replacement. All subjects were examined before and after the dietary intervention. We measured anthropometric parameters, blood pressure, and biochemical blood profiles for lipid metabolism. Autonomic nervous system activity was evaluated by heart rate variability power spectral analysis. The dietary intervention induced moderate, but significant reduction of waist circumference (-5.3% +/- 0.8%), body fat percentage (-5.8% +/- 0.8%), and body mass (-6.6% +/- 0.5%). Linear regression analysis showed that Deltavery low frequency (VLF) power reflecting energy metabolic- and thermoregulatory sympathetic function significantly correlated to Deltawaist circumference (r = -0.53, P < 0.01), Deltabody fat percentage (r = -0.39, P < 0.05), Deltabody mass (r = -0.43, P < 0.05), DeltaHDL-cholesterol/total cholesterol ratio (HDL-C/TC) (r = 0.62, P < 0.001), and Deltanonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) (r = 0.56, P < 0.01). A stepwise multiple regression analysis additionally revealed that Deltawaist circumference (P = 0.024), DeltaHDL-C/TC (P = 0.013), and DeltaNEFA (P = 0.016) were significant and independent factors, which contributing to the variance in DeltaVLF power (r(2) = 0.61). Although causes and consequences of obesity continue to elude researchers, the present study indicates that thermoregulatory sympathetic activity relates to moderate waist-circumference reduction together with favorable changes of blood lipid profiles after short-term dietary modification in mildly obese women.

In Japan, forest-air bathing and walking (shinrin-yoku) has been proposed as a health-facilitating activity in which people spend a short period of time in a forest environment. Initially, we examined the usefulness of salivary amylase activity as an indicator of an individual's stress levels in a forest environment. The circadian rhythm of salivary amylase activity was measured in healthy young male subjects under stress-free conditions. The salivary amylase activity remained relatively constant throughout the day. Salivary amylase activity was then measured before and after walking in both urban and forest environments using a hand-held monitor. Our results indicated that (i) the circadian rhythm fluctuations in salivary amylase activity were much smaller than the stressor-induced variations; (ii) salivary amylase activity was an excellent indicator of the changes in sympathetic nervous activity; and (iii) the forest was a good environment in which people could experience much less environment-derived stress.

The aim of this study was to evaluate heart rate variation and urinary catecholamines in response to acute psychological stress in hand-arm vibration syndrome (HAVS) patients and healthy controls. LF% (indicator of both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous activity), HF% (indicator of the parasympathetic nervous activity) and their ratio LF/HF (indicator of sympathovagal balance) were calculated from short-term electrocardiographic data from 16 HAVS patients and 14 healthy controls before and immediately after exposure to acute psychological stress. Urinary catecholamines (norepinephrine, epinephrine and dopamine) were analyzed from urine samples collected from every subject during rest and after exposure. The LF% and LF/HF of the patients significantly increased after exposure. The after exposure LF/HF of the patients was significantly greater than that of the controls. The amount of norepinephrine in the patients significantly increased after exposure. The after exposure amount of norepinephrine and epinephrine in the patients were significantly greater than the respective amount of the controls. The results of the present study indicated the predominance of sympathetic tone in the cardiac sympathovagal balance and greater sensitivity of the sympathoadrenal medullary system in response to acute psychological stress in the patients than in the healthy controls.

For the development of a totally implantable ventricular assist system (VAS), we have been developing the vibrating flow pump (VFP), which can generate oscillated blood flow with a relative high frequency (10-50 Hz) for a totally implantable system. In this study, the effects of left ventricular assistance with this unique oscillated blood flow were analyzed by the use of nonlinear mathematics for evaluation as the whole circulatory regulatory system, not as the decomposed parts of the system. Left heart bypasses using the VFP from the left atrium to the descending aorta were performed in chronic animal experiments using healthy adult goats. The ECG, arterial blood pressure, VFP pump flow, and the flow of the descending aorta were recorded in the data recorder during awake conditions and analyzed in a personal computer system through an A-D convertor. By the use of nonlinear mathematics, time series data were embedded into the phase space, the Lyapunov numerical method, fractal dimension analysis, and power spectrum analysis were performed to evaluate nonlinear dynamics. During left ventricular assistance with the VFP, Mayer wave fluctuations were decreased in the power spectrum, the fractal dimension of the hemodynamics was significantly decreased, and peripheral vascular resistance was significantly decreased. These results suggest that nonlinear dynamics, which mediate the cardiovascular dynamics, may be affected during left ventricular (LV) bypass with oscillated flow. The decreased power of the Mayer wave in the spectrum caused the limit cycle attractor of the hemodynamics and decreased peripheral resistance. Decreased sympathetic discharges may be the origin of the decreased Mayer wave and fractal dimension. These nonlinear dynamic analyses may be useful to design optimal VAS control.