Neurovegetative control is altered in transgenic mice expressing the prion protein mutation associated with fatal familial insomnia

after TBI; 4 women), 17 severe post-TBI-patients (GCS score ≤8; age 31 ± 10 years; 74-314 weeks after TBI; 4 women) and 18 healthy controls (age 29 ± 11 years; 8 women), we recorded RR-intervals (RRI), systolic and diastolic blood pressure (BPsys, BPdia), respiration (RESP) at rest and upon 27 Vanilla stimuli (1 second stimulation; 3 seconds interval). We determined parasympathetic RRI-RMSSDs, spectral powers and normalized units of mainly sympathetic low frequency (LF: 0.04-0.15Hz) and parasympathetic high frequency (HF: 0.15-0.50Hz) RRI-oscillations, RRI-LF/HF-ratios, sympathetic BP-LF-powers. We compared parameters between groups at rest and during stimulation (ANOVA, post-hoc analysis; significance: p b 0.05). Results: Values between groups neither differ at rest nor during Vanilla-stimulation. Vanilla-stimulation significantly decreased BPsys (138.0 ± 19.8 vs. 141.1 ± 19.0 mmHg) and BPdia (70.5 ± 12.2 vs. 72.7 ± 11.6 mmHg) in controls, and BPdia (71.3 ± 8.6 vs. 72.5 ±8,0 mmHg) in moderate post-TBI-patients. Vanillastimulation increased RRI-HF-powers (1524.54 ± 1887.12 vs. 1178.50 ±1302.33 ms2, P = 0.049) in controls only. Conclusion: In controls, Vanilla-stimulation increased parasympathetic cardiac modulation and decreased sympathetically mediated BP-levels. Vanilla-stimulation mitigated peripheral resistance and thus BPdia in moderate post-TBI-patients, but had no effect on heart rate or BP in severe post-TBI-patients.