Memoirs: The Autonomic Nervous System of Selachians

1933 ◽  
Vol s2-75 (300) ◽  
pp. 571-624
Author(s):  
JOHN Z. YOUNG

1. The rami cornmunicantes of Selachians contain only preganglionic fibres; there are no recurrent grey rami and therefore no sympathetic nerves to the skin, chromatophores, or somatic muscles. This probably accounts for the absence of the sympathetic from the head and tail regions. 2. In accordance with (1) it was found that cutting of the spinal nerves produced no local colour changes in the skin, neither was adrenaline found to have any action on the chromatophores. 3. There are no long pre- or post-ganglionic pathways in the sympathetic and therefore no true sympathetic chains, though the ganglia of adjoining segments are sometimes connected. The arrangement is thus more nearly segmental than that of Teleosts or Tetrapods. 4. No sympathetic ganglia were found in the tail of adult Scyllium or Torpedo, but in embryos of these forms scattered motor neurones were found in connexion with the caudal blood-vessels. 5. Stimulation of the vagus caused movements of the cardiac stomach, of the anterior splanchnic nerves movements of the pylorus and pyloric stomach. Stimulation of the middle and posterior splanchnic nerves caused movements of the intestine, colon, and rectum. Pinching the intestine evoked a characteristic progressive reflex contraction, ending in the extrusion of faeces. 6. The posterior suprarenal bodies differ in the two sexes, those of the male being much the larger, although the number of cells giving the chrome reaction is the same in both. 7. The suprarenal tissue is very plentifully supplied with post-ganglionic fibres, which could be seen actually in connexion with their cell-bodies. The hypothesis of Elliott that the chromophil cells themselves represent post-ganglionics is therefore disproved in this case. 8. The structure of the autonomic neurones is described in detail, especially the methods by which contacts are made between them. 9. No motor cells were found in the vagus ganglion of embryo or adult Scyllium, but they do occur on the post-trematic rami of all the branchial nerves. 10. A small profundus nerve was found to be present in Scyllium, though not in all individuals. 11. There is little evidence for the existence in fish of functionally antagonistic sympathetic and parasympathetic systems, and it is suggested that these systems in Tetrapods represent specializations within a single segmental set of visceral motor fibres, running primarily through the dorsal roots but coming to pass through the ventral roots in those segments in which the roots join.

Author(s):  
J. Z. Young

The extrinsic nerves of the stomach of dogfish and skates regulate the frequency and amplitude of contraction by inhibition followed by rebounds. By contrast the nerves of the spiral intestine are excitatory.Stimulation of the vagus nerve of the ray produced slight reduction in the amplitude of spontaneous contractions of the cardiac stomach. Much greater inhibition was produced by stimulation of the sympathetic nerves and was followed by large rebound contractions. These effects were imitated by adrenalin and serotonin which altered the frequency and amplitude of contraction in various ways. These actions were not blocked by either propranalol (1–5 × 10−5 M) or phentolamine (2 × 10−5 M) and indeed were often increased. The excitatory response to adrenalin was not blocked by TTX even after this had blocked the response to the nerve. Responses both to the nerve and adrenaline were blocked by trazodone. Acetyl choline caused some contraction of the stomach but only at high concentration.Muscles of the spiral intestine of Raja or Scyliorhinus were activated by stimulation of their sympathetic nerves and by adrenalin. These responses were not blocked by phentolamine and only reduced by propranalol They were blocked by trazodone. The response to adrenalin continued after the nerve was blocked by TTX. Acetyl choline had very little effect on the spiral intestine.The striking differences between the responses of the stomach and intestine are probably related to the fact that the plexus in the latter contains no nerve cells. The neurons in the stomach are therefore presumbly connected with the inhibition and large rebound contractions.


1980 ◽  
Vol 239 (6) ◽  
pp. H713-H720 ◽  
Author(s):  
E. Muscholl

Activation of muscarinic cholinergic receptors located at the terminal adrenergic nerve fiber inhibits the process of exocytotic norepinephrine (NE) release. This neuromodulatory effect of acetylcholine and related compounds has been discovered as a pharmacological phenomenon. Subsequently, evidence for a physiological role of the presynaptic muscarinic inhibition was obtained on organs known to be innervated by the autonomic ground plexus (Hillarp, Acta. Physiol. Scand. 46, Suppl. 157: 1-68, 1959) in which terminal adrenergic and cholinergic axons run side by side. Thus, in the heart electrical vagal stimulation inhibits the release of NE evoked by stimulation of sympathetic nerves, and this is reflected by a corresponding decrease in the postsynaptic adrenergic response. On the other hand, muscarinic antagonists such as atropine enhance the NE release evoked by field stimulation of tissues innervated by the autonomic ground plexus. The presynaptic muscarine receptor of adrenergic nerve terminals probably restricts the influx of calcium ions that triggers the release of NE. However, the sequence of events between recognition of the muscarinic compound by the receptor and the process of exocytosis still remains to be clarified.


1989 ◽  
Vol 67 (10) ◽  
pp. 1199-1204 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Armour

The augmentation of ventricular inotropism induced by electrical stimulation of acutely decentralized efferent sympathetic preganglionic axons was reduced, but still present, following administraiton of hexamethonium (10 mg/kg i.v.). While hexamethonium continued to be administered, the cardiac augmentations so induced were enhanced significantly following administration of the α-adrenergic receptor blocking agent, phentolamine myselate (1 mg/kg i.v.). Stimulation of the sympathetic efferent postganglionic axons in cardiopulmonary nerves induced cardiac augmentations that were unchanged following administration of these agents singly or together. The cardiac augmentations induced by stimulation of efferent preganglionic sympathetic axons were unchanged when phentolamine was administered alone. The augmentations of cardiac inotropism induced by efferent postganglionic sympathetic axonal stimulation were decreased following local administration of the β-adrenergic antagonist timolol into the ipsilateral stellate and middle cervical ganglia. Thereafter, these augmentations were unchanged following the subsequent intravenous administration of phentolamine. It is concluded that the activation of cardiac neurons in the stellate and middle cervical ganglia by stimulation of efferent preganglionic sympathetic axons can be modified by α-adrenergic receptors and that these effects are dependent upon β-adrenergic receptors, not nicotinic ones, in intrathoracic ganglia.Key words: α-adrenergic inotropism, sympathetic ganglia, hexamethonium, phentolamine.


1995 ◽  
Vol 198 (7) ◽  
pp. 1589-1601 ◽  
Author(s):  
F Kuenzi ◽  
M Burrows

The hair plate proprioceptors at the thoraco-coxal joint of insect limbs provide information about the movements of the most basal joint of the legs. The ventral coxal hair plate of a middle leg consists of group of 10-15 long hairs (70 microns) and 20-30 short hairs (30 microns). The long hairs are deflected by the trochantin as the leg is swung forward during the swing phase of walking, and their sensory neurones respond phasically during an imposed deflection and tonically if the deflection is maintained. Selective stimulation of the long hairs elicits a resistance reflex that rotates the coxa posteriorly and is similar to that occurring at the transition from the swing to the stance phase of walking. The motor neurones innervating the posterior rotator and adductor coxae muscles are excited, and those to the antagonistic anterior rotator muscle are inhibited. By contrast, selective stimulation of the short hairs leads only to a weak inhibition of the anterior rotator. The excitatory effects of the long hairs are mediated, in part, by direct connections between their sensory neurones and particular motor neurones. A spike in a sensory neurone elicits a short-latency depolarising postsynaptic potential (PSP) in posterior rotator and adductor motor neurones whose amplitude is enhanced by hyperpolarising current injected into the motor neurone. When the calcium in the saline is replaced with magnesium, the amplitude of the PSP is reduced gradually, and not abruptly as would be expected if an interneurone were interposed in the pathway. Several sensory neurones from long hairs converge to excite an individual motor neurone, evoking spikes in some motor neurones. The projections of the sensory neurones overlap with some of the branches of the motor neurones in the lateral association centre of the neuropile. It is suggested that these pathways would limit the extent of the swing phase of walking and contribute to the switch to the stance phase in a negative feedback loop that relieves the excitation of the hairs by rotating the coxa backwards.


1959 ◽  
Vol s3-100 (50) ◽  
pp. 183-198
Author(s):  
G. BURNSTOCK

1. In the trout gut a short oesophagus containing only striated circular muscles opens into a large cardiac stomach possessing inner circular and outer longitudinal smooth muscle-coats, as well as a musculsris mucosse. Ahout 45 pyloric caeca come off the intestine, which, while containing muscle-coats, does not possess a muscularis mucosae. In the rectum, the longitudinal muscle is as thick as the circular muscle-coat, hut in other regions the circular muscle is dominant, especially in the pyloric stomach where it is over 10 times as thick ss the longitudinal layer. 2. The mucosa is distinguished by the presence of a prominent layer of dense collagen, the stratum compactum, which is perforated only by nerves and blood-vessels. This layer forms a firm and relatively inextensible (approximately 10% extensibility) basis to the gut-wall. It limits the extensibility of the smooth muscle to 75% radially in the stomach and 25% radially and longitudinally in the intestine. In contrast, the stomachs of the pike and perch, which do not possess a stratum compactum, extend up so 200%. 3. A detailed description of the regional junctions and sphincters gives a basis for the interpretation of events occurring in the living system. Valves at the junction of the pneumatic duct with the oesophagus, and between the duodenum and pyloric stomach, serve to prevent the regurgitation of gas and semi-digested food respectively. A complex sphincter mechanism exists at the pylorus, and to a lesser extent at the antrum. A series of about five circular muscle-constrictors represents the anus. 4. It is suggested that the cells forming the stratum granulosum, a layer closely associated with the stratum compactum, are composed of active fibroblast cells producing collagen. 5. The rectum contains a muscular annulo-spiral septum of unknown function which protrudes into the lumen.


1977 ◽  
Vol 232 (1) ◽  
pp. H44-H48
Author(s):  
L. D. Horwitz

The cardiovascular effects of ketamine hydrochloride and thiopental sodium were studied in 11 dogs. During anesthesia, mean heart rate rose to 185 beats/min with ketamine and 147 beats/min with thiopental. Cardiac output was increased with ketamine but unchanged by thiopental. The maximum first derivative of the left ventricular pressure (dP/dt max) fell by 14% with thiopental but did not change significantly with ketamine. Propranolol resulted in attenuation of the tachycardia and a fall of 10% in dP/dt max with ketamine but had little effect on the response to thiopental. Phentolamine had no consistent effects on either drug. With pentolinium both drugs decreased dP/dt max. Intracoronary injection of ketamine decreased dP/dt max. Adrenalectomy had little effect on the responses to either anesthetic. The results lead to the conclusion that both ketamine and thiopental have myocardial depressant effects, but, whereas thiopental does not alter sympathetic tone, the depressive effects of ketamine are obscured by stimulation of cardiac sympathetic nerves.


1977 ◽  
Vol 233 (5) ◽  
pp. H535-H540
Author(s):  
L. S. D'Agrosa

The effects of ventrolateral and ventromedial cardiac nerve (left sympathetics) stimulation on cardiac force, on rate, and on arrhythmogenic responses were characterized and quantitated. The stimulation of left sympathetic nerves produced augmentation in cardiac contraction in 45% of the experiments, an augmentation of both a cardiac rate and force in 47%, and in cardioacceleration alone in 8%. Two characteristic patterns of arrhythmogenic responses were elicited from stimulations of 100 sympathetic nerves. The two types of neurally induced arrhythmias were atrioventricular junctional or ventricular in origin. The onset and duration of the arrhythmias were quantitated. Both types of neurally induced arrhythmias were prevented either by blocking the beta receptors with propranolol or by preventing the neural release of norepinephrine with bretylium tosylate. The neurally induced arrhythmias were probably the result of enhanced automaticity in the atrioventricular junction area and in the ventricles produced by stimulating the sympathetic nerve fibers. This report thus implicates the ventromedial cardiac nerve in the genesis of cardiac arrhythmias.


2019 ◽  
Vol 316 (3) ◽  
pp. R235-R242 ◽  
Author(s):  
Davide Martelli ◽  
David G. S. Farmer ◽  
Michael J. McKinley ◽  
Song T. Yao ◽  
Robin M. McAllen

The splanchnic anti-inflammatory pathway has been proposed as the efferent arm of the inflammatory reflex. Although much evidence points to the spleen as the principal target organ where sympathetic nerves inhibit immune function, a systematic study to locate the target organ(s) of the splanchnic anti-inflammatory pathway has not yet been made. In anesthetized rats made endotoxemic with lipopolysaccharide (LPS, 60 µg/kg iv), plasma levels of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) were measured in animals with cut (SplancX) or sham-cut (Sham) splanchnic nerves. We confirm here that disengagement of the splanchnic anti-inflammatory pathway in SplancX rats (17.01 ± 0.95 ng/ml, mean ± SE) strongly enhances LPS-induced plasma TNF-α levels compared with Sham rats (3.76 ± 0.95 ng/ml). In paired experiments, the responses of SplancX and Sham animals were compared after the single or combined removal of organs innervated by the splanchnic nerves. Removal of target organ(s) where the splanchnic nerves inhibit systemic inflammation should abolish any difference in LPS-induced plasma TNF-α levels between Sham and SplancX rats. Any secondary effects of extirpating organs should apply to both groups. Surprisingly, removal of the spleen and/or the adrenal glands did not prevent the reflex splanchnic anti-inflammatory action nor did the following removals: spleen + adrenals + intestine; spleen + intestine + stomach and pancreas; or spleen + intestine + stomach and pancreas + liver. Only when spleen, adrenals, intestine, stomach, pancreas, and liver were all removed did the difference between SplancX and Sham animals disappear. We conclude that the reflex anti-inflammatory action of the splanchnic nerves is distributed widely across abdominal organs.


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