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Biomedical subjects

N W Shock

Publications and source records attributed to N W Shock.

At least 55 records · Page 3Linked to original sources
PubMed1975

Diminished inotropic response of aged myocardium to catecholamines.

The effect of advanced age on the response of active tension, maximal rate of tension development (dT/dt), and contraction duration to catecholamines and to calcium was evaluated in isometric trabeculae carneae from young adult (6-month-old), middle-aged (12-month-old), and aged (25-month-old) rats. Control values were not age dependent except for that for contraction duration which was prolonged in the aged group. At a norepinephrine concentration of 8 times 10-5M, dT/dt increased to 163.8 plus or minus 5.3% of control in the young adult group and to 125.9 plus or minus 6.3% of control in the aged group (P smaller than 0.001). Active tension increased to 121.3 plus or minus 4.0% of control in the young adult muscles but did not increase in the aged muscles (P smaller than 0.01). Contraction duration shortened proportionately in both age groups. Similar results were obtained with isoproterenol. In contrast to the response to catecholamines, there was no age difference in the response of active tension and dT/dt to increasing concentrations of calcium. It is concluded that the intrinsic inotropic response to catecholamines is diminished in the aged myocardium. This finding does not appear to result from differences in tachyphylaxis, tissue uptake of catecholamines, or the ability of the contractile proteins to respond to increasing concentrations of calcium but instead may result from a decreased ability of catecholamines to increase the intracellular calcium available for contraction.

Aging↗
PubMed1975

Prolonged contraction duration in aged myocardium.

Isometric performance at 29degreesC was measured in left ventricular trabeculae carneae from young adult (6-mo) and aged (25-mo) rats (n equals 18 in each group). Active tension and maximal rate of tension development did not differ with age, but contraction duration was 255plus or minus6 ms in the young adult and 283plus or minus6 ms in the aged group (P less than0.001). Although catecholamine content per gram heart weight was less in the aged myocardium, additional experiments showed that neither 1 times 10-6 M propranolol nor pretreatment with 6-hydroxydopamine eliminated the age difference in contraction duration. To determine if this age difference resulted from a prolonged active state, electromechanical dissociation and the overshoot of contraction duration during recovery from hypoxia were measured. During paired stimulation greater mechanical refractoriness was found in aged muscles (P less than0.01), but intracellular action potential recordings showed no age difference in the electrical refractory period. On recovery from hypoxia, contraction duration overshoot was 117plus or minus 4percent of control in the young and 138plus or minus 4percent of control in the aged muscles (P less than0.01). The greater electromechanical dissociation and greater overshoot in contraction duration following hypoxia in aged myocardium suggests that prolonged contraction duration in aged myocardium results from a prolonged active state rather than changes in passive properties or myocardial catecholamine content.

Action Potentials↗