The autonomic nervous system controls all basic body functions including whole body metabolism, blood pressure and body temperature regulation. The autonomic centers receive information about the status of the body, process and integrate the information than govern the autonomic function through the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Furthermore, autonomic dysfunction during pathophysiological conditions, including diabetes mellitus and hypertension, is a well described phenomenon. Autonomic dysfunction is generally associated with increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity; however, the mechanisms responsible for these changes are poorly understood. Since the activity of preautonomic neurons determines the tone of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system; there has been a concerted push to identify mechanisms involved in the regulation and maintenance of these neurons and thus autonomic function. The scope of this special research topic is around central control of autonomic functions for which relevant research papers and review articles are sought. We aim to attract new research findings and reviews of recent findings regarding central autonomic control and we will discuss these data with specific consideration of the complex systems underlying autonomic disease mechanisms. We welcome investigators to submit original research articles and review articles related to central control of autonomic functions including (but not limited to) synaptic control of preautonomic neurons; cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in autonomic regulation; novel modulators for autonomic regulations; cellular mechanisms for understanding autonomic dysfunction; system levels investigations around central autonomic control and their alterations in pathophysiological conditions.
In summary, this research topic aims to increase our understanding of central autonomic control; the complexity of autonomic systems needs to be considered in addressing disease mechanisms to facilitate the development of the most advanced therapeutic approaches in the future.
The autonomic nervous system controls all basic body functions including whole body metabolism, blood pressure and body temperature regulation. The autonomic centers receive information about the status of the body, process and integrate the information than govern the autonomic function through the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system. Furthermore, autonomic dysfunction during pathophysiological conditions, including diabetes mellitus and hypertension, is a well described phenomenon. Autonomic dysfunction is generally associated with increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic activity; however, the mechanisms responsible for these changes are poorly understood. Since the activity of preautonomic neurons determines the tone of the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous system; there has been a concerted push to identify mechanisms involved in the regulation and maintenance of these neurons and thus autonomic function. The scope of this special research topic is around central control of autonomic functions for which relevant research papers and review articles are sought. We aim to attract new research findings and reviews of recent findings regarding central autonomic control and we will discuss these data with specific consideration of the complex systems underlying autonomic disease mechanisms. We welcome investigators to submit original research articles and review articles related to central control of autonomic functions including (but not limited to) synaptic control of preautonomic neurons; cellular and molecular mechanisms involved in autonomic regulation; novel modulators for autonomic regulations; cellular mechanisms for understanding autonomic dysfunction; system levels investigations around central autonomic control and their alterations in pathophysiological conditions.
In summary, this research topic aims to increase our understanding of central autonomic control; the complexity of autonomic systems needs to be considered in addressing disease mechanisms to facilitate the development of the most advanced therapeutic approaches in the future.