Table 3.

Experimental approaches to investigate arterial baroreflex function

	Pros	Cons/Caveats
Indirect methods
Frequency/time domain analysis	Cost-effective/simple/straightforward Can be performed in conscious mice	Baroreflex-independent effects may influence the measured responses (i.e., respiration) Can only be used for evaluation of cardiovagal baroreflex control Reflects baroreflex sensitivity only around the prevailing heart rate and blood pressure
Direct methods
Pharmacological approaches	Provides insight into the entire baroreflex stimulus-response curve Can be performed in conscious mice Can be used to examine both cardiovagal and sympathetic baroreflex control	Need to infuse pharmacological agents several times to establish an average response Maintaining a patent venous line for long-term studies can be difficult
Analysis of afferent/central/efferent components	Allows for an assessment of the complexity of the individual baroreflex arcs Can be used to examine both cardiovagal and sympathetic baroreflex control	Limited to anesthetized preparations