Cardiac Innervation and Sudden Cardiac Death

The heart's function is intricately controlled by its nerve supply, which sends and receives signals influencing heart rate, strength, and rhythm. This nerve system maintains a delicate balance between stimulating (sympathetic) and calming (parasympathetic) effects, crucial for short-term and long-term heart health. Understanding how these nerves control the heart at a cellular level could lead to new treatments for preventing sudden cardiac death and other dangerous arrhythmias.

• 1
  Cardiac injury leads to abnormal signaling in the nervous system, resulting in excessive sympathetic activity and potentially fatal arrhythmias.
• 2
  Semaphorin 3A (sema3A) is crucial for proper sympathetic nerve development in the heart; abnormalities can lead to increased susceptibility to arrhythmias and sudden death.
• 3
  Nerve growth factor (NGF) plays a critical role in nerve sprouting and sensory innervation. Dysregulation of NGF contributes to neuropathy, silent ischemia, and lethal arrhythmias.