Cardiac autonomic nervous system

The cardiac autonomic nervous system is a network of sympathetic and parasympathetic nerve fibers and ganglia that innervate the heart and regulate its function, including heart rate, myocardial contractility, and conduction velocity. It consists of both extrinsic components (sympathetic and parasympathetic fibers from outside the heart) and intrinsic components (intracardiac ganglia and neural networks within the heart). This system maintains cardiac homeostasis by dynamically balancing sympathetic (stimulating) and parasympathetic (inhibiting) influences on the heart. Dysregulation of this system contributes to various cardiovascular diseases, but the cardiac autonomic nervous system itself is not a druggable target; rather, specific components (e.g., beta-adrenergic receptors, muscarinic receptors) are molecular targets for pharmacological intervention[1][2][3][7].

Other names

Intrinsic cardiac nervous systemCardiac ANSIntracardiac nervous system