Sympathetic Regulation of Cardiac Function & Arrhythmias
We examine the role sympathetic nerves play in arrhythmia susceptibility and cardiac function after myocardial infarction. Loss of sympathetic nerves in the heart (denervation) leads to rhythm instability. Restoring sympathetic nerves to damaged tissue reverses this problem.
Paradoxically, too many sympathetic nerves in the heart (hyperinnervation) can also increase arrhythmia risk. We are investigating how nerves in the heart affect myocyte function, and damage to myocytes alters nerve distribution and function.