Fig. 4.

MI rats show increased cardiac sympathetic activity that is attenuated by deafferentation of forelimb skin where referred mechanical sensitivity develops after MI. A Schematic of electrophysiological recording of post-ganglionic sympathetic nerve activity (SNA), vagal nerve activity (VNA), and heart rate (HR) in rats. Deafferentation of forearm is induced by clipping the brachial plexus. B Representative traces of SNA recorded from the superior cervical nerve (SCG) and VNA in the cervical vagus in control rats, and in MI rats before and after brachial plexus deafferentation. C Frequency of SNA and VNA in each group. D Quantification of HR. Deafferentation of the brachial plexus in MI rats attenuated the increased frequency of SNA and HR. (n = 8/group, *P <0.05, **P <0.01, ***P <0.001). One-way ANOVA with the least significant difference multiple comparison tests.