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Cardiopulmonary baroreflex inhibition of sympathetic nerve activity is preserved with age in healthy humans

1 We tested the hypothesis that the ability of the cardiopulmonary baroreflex to produce sympathoinhibition is reduced with age in humans. Eleven young (23 ± 1 years, mean ± s.e.m.) and ten older (64 ± 1) healthy adult males were studied under supine conditions (control) and in response to cardiopulmonary baroreflex stimulation evoked by acute central circulatory hypervolaemia (10 deg head‐down tilt). The two groups were normotensive and free of overt cardiovascular disease. 2 Supine baseline (control) levels of efferent muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA) burst frequency were twice as high in the older men (41 ± 2 vs. 21 ± 2 bursts min−1, P < 0.05). In both groups in response to head‐down tilt arterial blood pressure and heart rate were unchanged, peripheral venous pressure (PVP) increased (P < 0.05), MSNA total activity decreased (P < 0.05), antecubital venous plasma noradrenaline concentrations did not change significantly, and forearm blood flow and vascular conductance increased (vascular resistance decreased) (all P < 0.05). The mean absolute ΔMSNA/ΔPVP was similar in the young and older men, although the higher control levels of MSNA in the older men resulted in a smaller percentage ΔMSNA/ΔPVP (P < 0.05). Per ΔPVP, the reduction in forearm vascular resistance was smaller in the older men, but there were no age group differences when expressed as increases in forearm vascular conductance. 3 These results indicate that the ability of the cardiopulmonary baroreflex to inhibit MSNA is well preserved with age in healthy adult humans. As such, these findings are not consistent with the concept that this mechanism plays a role in the age‐associated elevation in basal MSNA.