Modeling low pressure baroreceptors and their contribution to blood pressure control

Abstract

The main mechanism for blood pressure (BP) control is coordinated by the central nervous system through the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems. In order to simulate this mechanism, different mathematical models are available, but they take into account only the high pressure receptors as sensing systems for BP. However, other receptors located in low pressure areas have not, as far as we know, been considered in the models described in the literature, despite their important role in the nervous BP control. This paper presents a mathematical model for the representation of low pressure receptors by means of the detection of atrial volume changes, and their contribution to immediate BP control through nervous stimulation of the heart rate. The proposed model was coupled to the sensor mechanism of a larger model. With this model it is possible to analyze the contribution and behavior of low pressure receptors, thus allowing a better understanding of this complex system under normal and pathological conditions, since it includes important variables in the immediate BP control, not included in previous models.

Keywords

• Autonomic Nervous System
• Blood Pressure
• Computer Simulation
• Presorreceptors