The Role of the Autonomic Nervous System in the Mechanism Triggering the Adaptive Phenomenon of Remote Preconditioning

Data on the role of the autonomic nervous system in the mechanism of transmission of cardioprotective signals associated with remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPre) are contradictory. Most investigators refer to the important role of the autonomic nervous system in transmitting the defensive signal from the ischemic organ to the heart. Thus, blockade of autonomic ganglia or impairments to the integrity of the conducting nerves have been found to prevent the development of the infarct-limiting effect of RIPre. At the same time, the authors of other studies have not seen a role for the autonomic nervous system in the mechanism of the cardioprotective effect of RIPre, assigning the major role to humoral factors. Some studies have demonstrated a contribution to the cardioprotective effect of RIPre via both humoral factors and the autonomic nervous system. Analysis of these data showed that there is still no clear answer to the question of why in some cases the autonomic nervous system plays an important role in remote preconditioning while in others it does not.