THE INTERRELATIONS OF VAGAL AND ACCELERATOR EFFECTS ON THE CARDIAC RATE

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Abstract
Exps. on cats show that the changes of heart rate at equilibrium on stimulation of the vagus at various frequencies, with and without a simultaneous constant accelerator tonic discharge, are similar for any frequency on the vagus when plotted as % of the corresponding basal rate. The max. percentile effects of a given vagal stimulation are likewise the same no matter what simultaneous activation of the accelerators is applied. The independence of the percentile effects on stimulation of either nerve from the simultaneous activation of the other exists not only at equilibrium, but throughout the time course of the responses. It is concluded that the effect of simultaneous excitation of the accelerators and decelerators is not the arithmetical mean, nor an algebraic summation, nor the geometrical mean of the responses to separate stimulation, but the resultant of the 2 influences. The 2 effects occur independently, as if each set of nerves was acting alone.

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