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Research progress on brain regulatory mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases

TIAN Hua^1,2, GAO Hong-Li², FU Li-Yan², YU Xiao-Jing², KANG Yu-Ming^2,*

¹School of Basic Medicine, Shaanxi University of Chinese Medicine, Xi'an 712046, China；²Department of Physiology and Pathophysiology, Xi'an Jiaotong University School of Basic Medical Sciences, Xi'an 710061, China

Abstract

The cardiovascular center is widely distributed at all levels from the spinal cord to the cerebral cortex. It regulates the activity of the autonomic nervous system through various neurotransmitters, thereby further modulating cardiovascular functions. Recent studies have demonstrated that central regulation plays an important role in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. Among them, the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus is a key structure for maintaining cardiovascular activities, as it directly innervates sympathetic preganglionic neurons and participates in the regulation of peripheral sympathetic nerve activity. In addition, substances such as proinflammatory cytokines, reactive oxygen species, the renin-angiotensin system, neurotransmitters, and nuclear factor κB in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus have all been confirmed to be involved in the occurrence and development of cardiovascular diseases. However, the activation mechanisms of these substances in the hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus, their interactions, and the specific ways in which they regulate cardiovascular activities remain unclear. Therefore, in-depth exploration of the brain regulatory mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases will help improve the research on the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases.

Key words: cardiovascular diseases; brain regulation; autonomic nervous system; hypothalamic paraventricular nucleus

Received: 　　Accepted:

Corresponding author: 康玉明　　E-mail:

DOI: 10.13294/j.aps.2025.0090

Citing This Article：

TIAN Hua, GAO Hong-Li, FU Li-Yan, YU Xiao-Jing, KANG Yu-Ming. Research progress on brain regulatory mechanisms of cardiovascular diseases. Acta Physiol Sin 2025; 77 (6): 1001-1008 (in Chinese with English abstract).