Civilization-Induced Neurogenic Degenerative Heart Disease

Neuroendocrine and Behavioral Response Patterns to Psychologic Stress and the Problem of the Target Tissue in Cerebrovisceral Pathology*

“…If vasopressin does exert these important influences on hemodynamics and endocrine functions, the animal types that release vasopressin in response to chronic nociceptive stimuli, and particularly to symbols of such stimuli, may be expected to develop different psychopathological patterns from those that exhibit responses involving adrenergic preponderance. These latter types may be subjeot to the type of disturbances described by Raab (1962) for sympathetic-adrenergic prepanderance, particularly with respect to myocardial function.…”

Personality Differences Between Potential Coronary and Noncoronary Subjects*

“…But these are, of course, closely interrelated issues. Raab (1962), assigning an important role in cardiac pathophysiology to disturbed function of the neurovegetative system, views coronary heart disease as a "civilization-induced disturbance of cardiac neurovegetative equilibrium." His "model" is broad enough to accommodate three sets of factors: (1) sympathetic overstimulation, emotional in origin; (2) deficiency of "sympathoinhibitory counterregulation," ascribed to lack of physical exercise; and (3) fat-rich diets (p. 139).…”

Prevention of Degenerative Heart Disease by Neurovegetative Reconditioning

“…Urban environment and sedentary living habits thus contribute to an unduly sustained cardiac sympatho-adrenergic preponderance, as shown in figure 3 (6). The high sympathetic tone of the short-lived domestic rabbit (4-5 years, 60-80 heartbeats per minute) in contrast to the field hare (10-14 years, 16-18 heartbeats per minute) seems to represent a suggestive analogy.…”