Experiment 2: HEART RAE RESPONSE TO BARORECEPTOR FEEDBACK

i) Why the heart rate increased when the subject moved from a squatting to standing
position?
- When the subject changes positon from squatting to standing, there is an prompt
drop of the blood pressure (BP) due to decrease of venous return (from reduced
muscular pump and gravitational force), ventricular filling, stroke volume and
cardiac output (Scheen & J., 2012). The drop of the BP is detected by arterial
baroreceptor* activating sympathetic effect which brings increased heart rate
(HR) - reflex tachycardia (Scheen & J., 2012). This reflex response then leads to
normal BP and HR in 15-20 seconds of delay by the homeostasis mechanism
(Scheen & J., 2012).

*the stretch responses are inhibited allowing cardioacceleratory center and

vasomotor center in the medulla to be stimulated.

ii) What other physiological parameters would also be expected to change during this
process, and in what direction would the change occur?
- As the sympathetic activations take effect after the initial drop of BP, contractility
as well as vasoconstriction increase in addition to HR increase. Enhanced
contractility brings lower end diastolic volume (ESV) increasing stroke volume
and cardiac output (CO), and the CO and HR together bring BP increase.

iii) Why do some individuals feel “dizzy” when performing the experiment conducted
above? What is this phenomenon called?
- Orthostatic hypotension defined as a drop in systolic blood pressure of at least 20
mm/Hg and 10 mm/Hg diastolic blood pressure from a sudden position change, for
example, from sitting to standing position. From squatting to standing position,
gravity causes blood to stagnate in the lower extremities, and when less blood comes
back to the heart, CO is decreased. This decreased CO leads to low blood perfusion
to the cerebral region and the reduced oxygen volume in the brain can make an
 individual dizzy or even faint. And as the sympathetic response take effect by
baroreceptor intervention, the BP returns to homeostatic range due to increased CO
and HR.

References
Scheen, A. J., & J., P. (2012). Squatting test: a dynamic postural manoeuvre to study baroreflex
sensitivity. Clinical Autonomic Research, 22(1), 35-41.