Left　ventricular　assist　devices　are　increasingly　used　for　long-term　support　in　heart　failure　patients.　To　promote　heart　recovery,　finding　an　optimum　operating　point　of　the　pump　that　is　appropriate　for　the　heart　function,　and　state　of　the　circulatory　system　is　important.　Therefore,　the　baroreflex　sensitivity　(BRS),　which　reflect　the　state　of　heart　function,　is　used　as　a　control　variable.　To　find　the　optimum　point　automatically,　an　extremum　search　algorithm　(ESA)　is　designed　to　find　the　mean　arterial　pressure　(MAP)　that　is　corresponding　to　the　maximum　value　of　BRS.　Then,　a　MAP　controller　based　on　model-free　adaptive　controller　(MFAC)　is　designed　to　maintain　the　measured　MAP　tracking　the　desired　one.　A　mathematical　model　of　the　cardiovascular　system　is　used　to　verify　the　feasibility　of　the　control　strategy　in　the　presence　of　left　ventricular　(LV)　failure,　physically　active,　and　a　recovery　of　cardiac　function.　The　simulation　shows　that　the　ESA　can　find　the　maximum　value　of　BRS　automatically.　When　the　peripheral　resistance　is　reduced　for　simulating　a　slight　physical　active,　the　rotational　speed　of　the　pump　is　automatically　increased　(6,800　rpm　vs.　8,000　rpm).　When　E-max　is　increased　from　0.6　to　1.8　mm　Hg/ml　to　mimic　a　heart　recovery,　the　speed　is　decreased　from　8000　to　7200　rpm,　which　may　avoid　the　damage　of　LV　contractility.　As　a　key　feature,　the　proposed　control　strategy　finds　the　optimum　operating　point　of　the　pump　without　the　need　to　set　reference　value　of　control　variable.　This　feature　is　benefit　for　heart　recovery.　ASAIO　Journal　2012;　58:197-203.