Emergence of a new paradigm in understanding the cardiovascular system Pulse synchronized contractions

■ The large conduit arteries undergo rhythmic smooth muscle activation
in synchrony with the cardiac cycle.
■ The contractions are neurogenic and are denoted as pulse synchronized
contractions (PSCs).
■ PSCs are not a movement artifact from the pulse wave or heartbeat.
■ The pacemaker for the PSCs is in the right atrium.
■ The smooth muscle wall of large arteries can contract as fast as
the heartbeat.

Mangel, A., & Lothman, K. (2018). Emergence of a new paradigm in understanding the cardiovascular system: Pulse synchronized contractions. In Top 10 Contributions on Cardiology (pp. 2-11). Avid Science.