Sympathetic skin response and R-R interval variation in chronic administration of salmon calcitonin

Abstract

The distribution of calcitonin and CGRP-producing cells and pathways in the brain and other tissues suggests functions for the peptide in nociception, ingestive behaviour and modulation of the autonomic and endocrine systems. Sympathetic skin response (SSR), is a reliable indicator of autonomic dysfunctions. The heart rate variability termed as R-R interval variation (RRIV) is another simple and reliable test which can be used to determine vagal autonomic dysfunction. Twenty female patients with active osteoporosis aged between 46-58 and for a control group 20 age-matched healthy female volunteers with no history or evidence of any other disease were included in this study. The study results show that long term therapy with salmon calcitonin does not effect any SSR and RRIV parameters. It can be speculated that though human calcitonin and CGRP have discrete functions in the human autonomic nervous system, replacement therapy with salmon calcitonin does not interfere normal autonomic functions.