ABSTRACT
This chapter explains the cardioactive regions of the nervous system into "pathways" of some functional meaning, such as the "postural adjustment" pathway. Historically, there have been two kinds of approaches to investigating central neural control of cardiovascular activity. The first has involved the stimulation or ablation of nervous tissue, with measurement of appropriate peripheral responses to indicate the state of the cardiovascular system. The second kind of approach, an analysis of peripheral responses to stimulation of specific areas of the nervous system, has then permitted characterization of how specific structures control cardiac dynamics or alter vascular function at the level of individual vascular beds. In a somewhat similar spirit, Manning concluded that the importance of medullary control had been overemphasized. The chapter discusses the medullary mechanisms of cardiovascular reflex activity and the supramedullary control of cardiovascular activity. The concept of reflex regulation of cardiovascular function apparently originated in Ludwig's laboratory, as did the hypothesis of a medullary vasomotor center.
