Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Effect of dimenhydrinate on autonomic activity in humans

  • RESEARCH ARTICLE
  • Published:
Clinical Autonomic Research Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of dimenhydrinate on resting muscle sympathetic nerve activity (MSNA), the vestibulosympathetic reflex, and the baroreflexes. Sixteen subjects participated in two double-blinded studies that measured mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and MSNA responses before and after oral administration of dimenhydrinate (100 mg) or a placebo. In study one, 3 min of head-down rotation (HDR) was performed to engage the otolith organs. Dimenhydrinate (n = 10) did not alter resting MSNA, MAP, or HR. HDR increased MSNA before (Δ5 ± 1 bursts/min; P < 0.01) and after (Δ4 ± 1 bursts/min; P < 0.01) drug administration, but these responses were not different from the placebo (n = 6). In study two, 4 min of lower body negative pressure (LBNP) at −30 mmHg was performed. During the third min of LBNP, HDR was performed. MSNA increased during the first 2 min of LBNP before (Δ13 ± 2 bursts/min; P < 0.01) and after (Δ14 ± 2 bursts/min; P < 0.01) dimenhydrinate. HDR combined with LBNP increased MSNA further during the third min of LBNP (Δ18 ± 2 bursts/min before and Δ17 ± 2 bursts/min after dimenhydrinate; P < 0.01). These responses were not significantly different from the placebo. In contrast, HR responses to LBNP during the dimenhydrinate trial were increased when compared to all other trials (Δ5 ± 1 beats/min; P < 0.01). These results indicate that dimenhydrinate augments heart rate responses to baroreceptor unloading, but does not alter resting MSNA, the sympathetic baroreflexes, or the vestibulosympathetic reflex.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Fig. 1
Fig. 2
Fig. 3

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Brizzee KR, Igarashi M (1986) Effect of macular ablation on frequency and latency of motion-induced emesis in the squirrel monkey. Aviat Space Environ Med 57:1066–1070

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  2. Brown TE, Eckberg DL (1997) Promethazine affects autonomic cardiovascular mechanisms minimally. J Pharmacol Exp Ther 282:839–844

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Burke D, Sundlof G, Wallin G (1977) Postural effects on muscle nerve sympathetic activity in man. J Physiol 272:399–414

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Cheung BS, Howard IP, Money KE (1991) Visually-induced sickness in normal and bilaterally labyrinthine-defective subjects. Aviat Space Environ Med 62:527–531

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Convertino VA (1998) Interaction of semicircular canal stimulation with carotid baroreceptor reflex control of heart rate. J Vestib Res 8:43–49

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  6. Convertino VA, Previc FH, Ludwig DA, Engelken EJ (1997) Effects of vestibular and oculomotor stimulation on responsiveness of the carotid-cardiac baroreflex. Am J Physiol 273:R615–R622

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  7. Cooke WH, Hoag JB, Crossman AA, Kuusela TA, Tahvanainen KU, Eckberg DL (1999) Human responses to upright tilt: a window on central autonomic integration. J Physiol 517(Pt 2):617–628

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Daunton NG (1990) Animal models in motion sickness research. In: Crampton GH (ed) Motion and space sickness. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp 87–104

    Google Scholar 

  9. Doba N, Reis DJ (1974) Role of the cerebellum and the vestibular apparatus in regulation of orthostatic reflexes in the cat. Circ Res 40:9–18

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Eckberg DL (2000) Physiological basis for human autonomic rhythms. Ann Med 32:341–349

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Gay LN, Carliner PE (1950) A subsequent report on dramamine: the prophylactic and therapeutic control of motion sickness. Bull Johns Hopkins Hosp 86:254–257

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Halpert AG, Olmstead MC, Beninger RJ (2002) Mechanisms and abuse liability of the anti-histamine dimenhydrinate. Neurosci Biobehav Rev 26:61–67

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  13. Igarashi M (1990) Role of the vestibular end organs in experimental motion sickness: a primate model. In: Crampton GH (ed) Motion and space sickness. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, pp 43–48

    Google Scholar 

  14. Igarashi M, Himi T, Kulecz WB, Kobayashi K (1987) Role of otolith endorgans in the genesis of vestibular-visual conflict sickness (pitch) in the squirrel monkey (first report). Aviat Space Environ Med 58:A207–A211

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Jian BJ, Cotter LA, Emanuel BA, Cass SP, Yates BJ (1999) Effects of bilateral vestibular lesions on orthostatic tolerance in awake cats. J Appl Physiol 86:1552–1560

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Johnson WH, Stubbs RA, Kelk GF, Franks WR (1951) Stimulus required to produce motion sickness. I. Preliminary report dealing with importance of head movements. J Aviat Med 22:365–374

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Kothari SN, Boyd WC, Bottcher ML, Lambert PJ (2000) Antiemetic efficacy of prophylactic dimenhydrinate (Dramamine) vs ondansetron (Zofran): a randomized, prospective trial inpatients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Surg Endosc 14:926–929

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. Kranke P, Morin AM, Roewer N, Eberhart LH (2002) Dimenhydrinate for prophylaxis of postoperative nausea and vomiting: a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. Acta Anaesthesiol Scand 46:238–244

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. McCall JE, Stubbs K, Saylors S, Pohlman S, Ivers B, Smith S, Fischer CG, Kopcha R, Warden G (1999) The search for cost-effective prevention of postoperative nausea and vomiting in the child undergoing reconstructive burn surgery: ondansetron versus dimenhydrinate. J Burn Care Rehabil 20:309–315

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Monahan KD, Ray CA (2002) Vestibulosympathetic reflex during orthostatic challenge in aging humans. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 283:R1027–R1032

    PubMed  Google Scholar 

  21. Money KE (1970) Motion sickness. Physiol Rev 50:1–39

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  22. Money KE, Friedberg J (1964) The role of the semicircular canals in causation of motion sickness and nystagmus in the dog. Can J Physiol Pharmacol 42:793–801

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  23. Money KE, Lackner JR, Cheung RS (eds) (1996) The autonomic nervous system and motion sickness. CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL

    Google Scholar 

  24. Previc FH (1993) Do the organs of the labyrinth differentially influence the sympathetic and parasympathetic systems? Neurosci Biobehav Rev 17:397–404

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  25. Ray CA (2000) Interaction of the vestibular system and baroreflexes on sympathetic nerve activity in humans. Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol 279:H2399–H2404

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  26. Ray CA, Carter JR (2003) Vestibular activation of sympathetic nerve activity. Acta Physiol Scand 177:313–319

    Article  PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  27. Ray CA, Hume KM, Shortt TL (1997) Skin sympathetic outflow during head-down neck flexion in humans. Am J Physiol 273:R1142–R1146

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  28. Ray CA, Hume KM, Steele SL (1998) Sympathetic nerve activity during natural stimulation of horizontal semicircular canals in humans. Am J Physiol 275:R1274–R1278

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  29. Shaw CC (1950) Dramamine trials in the United States Navy. Mil Surg 106:441–449

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  30. Shortt TL, Ray CA (1997) Sympathetic and vascular responses to head-down neck flexion in humans. Am J Physiol 272:H1780–H1784

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  31. Sundlof G, Wallin BG (1978) Effect of lower body negative pressure on human muscle nerve sympathetic activity. J Physiol 278:525–532

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  32. Wallin BG (2006) Regulation of sympathetic nerve traffic to skeletal muscle in resting humans. Clin Auton Res 16:262–269

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  33. Wallin BG, Esler M, Dorward P, Eisenhofer G, Ferrier C, Westerman R, Jennings G (1992) Simultaneous measurements of cardiac noradrenaline spillover and sympathetic outflow to skeletal muscle in humans. J Physiol 453:45–58

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  34. Wilson TE, Kuipers NT, McHugh EA, Ray CA (2004) Vestibular activation does not influence skin sympathetic nerve responses during whole body heating. J Appl Physiol 97:540–544

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  35. Wood CD, Graybiel A (1968) Evaluation of sixteen anti-motion sickness drugs under controlled laboratory conditions. Aerosp Med 39:1341–1344

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  36. Wood CD, Graybiel A (1970) A theory of motion sickness based on pharmacological reactions. Clin Pharmacol Ther 11:621–629

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  37. Wood CD, Manno JE, Wood MJ, Manno BR, Redetzki HM (1987) Mechanisms of antimotion sickness drugs. Aviat Space Environ Med 58:A262–A265

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

  38. Yates BJ, Miller AD (1994) Properties of sympathetic reflexes elicited by natural vestibular stimulation: implications for cardiovascular control. J Neurophysiol 71:2087–2092

    PubMed  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Acknowledgments

We thank Charity Sauder and Erica McHugh for their technical assistance with in this project. This study was supported by grants from the National Institutes of Health (DC006549 and P01 HL077670; C.A. Ray), the National Space and Biomedical Research Institute (CA00404; C.A. Ray), and the Michigan Tech Research Excellence Fund (REF060605; J.R. Carter). Additional support was provided by a National Institutes of Health sponsored General Clinical Research Center with National Center for Research Resources Grant (M01 RR10732 and C06 RR016499).

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Dept. of Exercise Science, Health and Physical Education, Michigan Technological University, 1400 Townsend Drive, Houghton, MI, 49931, USA

    Jason R. Carter PhD

  2. Heart and Vascular Institute, Pennsylvania State University College of Medicine, Hershey, PA, USA

    Chester A. Ray PhD

Authors
  1. Jason R. Carter PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Chester A. Ray PhD
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Jason R. Carter PhD.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Carter, J.R., Ray, C.A. Effect of dimenhydrinate on autonomic activity in humans. Clin Auton Res 17, 186–192 (2007). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-007-0417-0

Download citation

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10286-007-0417-0

Keywords

Search

Navigation