Ergoreflex
Ergoreflex (also known as the exercise pressor reflex) is a type of cardiovascular reflex that originates in the skeletal muscles during physical activity and helps regulate autonomic and cardiorespiratory responses—such as heart rate, blood pressure, and ventilation—in response to muscle activity.
Key Components of the Ergoreflex
It has two primary afferent arms (both activated by
exercise):
- Mechanoreflex
- Stimulated
by: Mechanical deformation/stretch of skeletal muscle during
contraction.
- Afferent
fibers: Group III muscle afferents (thinly myelinated).
- Effect:
Rapid increase in heart rate and blood pressure at the onset of exercise.
- Metaboreflex
- Stimulated
by: Accumulation of metabolic byproducts (e.g., lactic acid, K⁺,
adenosine, H⁺) during muscle activity.
- Afferent
fibers: Group IV muscle afferents (unmyelinated).
Effect: Sustained elevation in sympathetic activity, contributing to increased BP, HR, and ventilation.
The ergoreflex plays a crucial role in:
-
Matching cardiovascular output to the metabolic needs of muscles.
-
Preventing muscle ischemia during exertion.
-
Adjusting ventilation to remove CO₂ and maintain acid-base balance.
No comments:
Post a Comment