AccScience Publishing / BH / Online First / DOI: 10.36922/BH026210023
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REVIEW ARTICLE

Autonomic dysfunction in pulmonary arterial hypertension: Neurocardiological mechanisms and clinical implications

Ilma Nascimento1* Victor Cavalcanti Medeiros1 Ricely Almeida Tenório Rezende1 Vitor Abreu Barreiro1 Maria Júlia Torres Lira1 Sergio Roberto Pereira da Silva Júnior2 Caio Julio Cesar Santos Fernandes1
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1 Pulmonary Circulation Unit, Heart Institute (InCor), Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo , Brazil
2 Department of Neurology, Hospital das Clínicas, University of São Paulo Medical School, São Paulo , Brazil
Brain & Heart, 026210023 https://doi.org/10.36922/BH026210023
Received: 23 May 2026 | Revised: 30 June 2026 | Accepted: 17 August 2026 | Published online: 28 August 2026
© 2026 by the Author(s). This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License ( https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ )
Abstract

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive cardiopulmonary disease characterized by pulmonary vascular remodeling, increased pulmonary vascular resistance, and right ventricular dysfunction. Although PAH is primarily defined by hemodynamic and vascular abnormalities, growing evidence suggests that autonomic nervous system dysregulation may contribute to its broader clinical phenotype. This narrative review examines the available evidence on autonomic dysfunction in PAH from a neurocardiological perspective, with emphasis on sympathetic and parasympathetic imbalance, cardiovascular reflexes, central autonomic regulation, neuropsychiatric manifestations, and potential clinical implications. Current evidence suggests that autonomic dysfunction may represent a relevant but still exploratory component of PAH pathophysiology. Heart rate variability and baroreflex sensitivity may provide complementary information beyond conventional hemodynamic assessment, but methodological heterogeneity and limited prospective data preclude routine clinical use. Similarly, autonomic-targeted interventions remain investigational. A more integrated brain–heart–lung framework may help clarify the relationship between pulmonary vascular disease, right ventricular adaptation, autonomic regulation, and patient-centered outcomes in PAH.

Keywords
Pulmonary arterial hypertension
Autonomic nervous system
Heart rate variability
Sympathetic overactivity
Neuropsychiatric manifestations
Brain–heart–lung axis
Funding
None.
Conflict of interest
The authors declare no competing interests.
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Brain & Heart, Electronic ISSN: 2972-4139 Published by AccScience Publishing