The Denervated Heart

Abstract

PHYSIOLOGISTS have long been interested in the role of cardiac nerves in modulating cardiac performance. During the last few years, the effects of denervating the heart have also become important for the understanding of cardiac function in clinical conditions in which the neural control of the heart is impaired or absent. Removing the innervation of the heart leaves the heart dependent on other regulating systems. However, complete denervation is difficult to accomplish.Cannon¹ meticulously attempted to destroy each element of cardiac innervation and concluded that complete denervation of the heart without sacrificing the function of other viscera was virtually impossible. . . .