CONICET | Buscador de Institutos y Recursos Humanos

Alterations in autonomic control and in myocardial nitric oxide (NO) production are linked to the development and progression of heart dysfunction. Focusing heart rate, the complexity of the actions of NO at distinct levels throughout the autonomic nervous system and its relationship with other modulators can be demonstrated. Given the multiple and opposing actions of NO on cardiac control, interpretation of a response after a global intervention of the NO system is difficult. Diversity of the intracellular pathways activated by NO and their differential sensitivity to different levels of NO might account for some aspects of specific and opposing effects. We discuss factors that might contribute to this diversity of action, and the effects of NO on metabolic pathways and/or energy generation are attractive targets of novel therapeutic strategies aimed at the prevention or early treatment of heart dysfunction. Key words: Nitric oxide, heart, heart rate, autonomic nervous system, mitochondria, adrenal gland, thyroid gland.