Transmission of impulses from pre- to postganglionic vasoconstrictor and sudomotor neurons

doi:10.1016/0165-1838(82)90026-1

Journal of the Autonomic Nervous System

Volume 6, Issue 1, July 1982, Pages 95-106

Journal of the Auton...

https://doi.org/10.1016/0165-1838(82)90026-1 Get rights and content

Abstract

Transmission of impulses from pre- to postganglionic neurons supplying skeletal muscle and skin of the cat's hindlimb and tail was investigated. The objective of the study was to determine whether these postganglionic neurons can be influenced from the preganglionic side by non-nicotinic synaptic mechanisms in the lumbar sympathetic chain ganglia. The activity of the postganglionic neurons was recorded from their axons being isolated from peripheral skin and muscle nerves.

1.
(1) Vasoconstrictor neurons can be activated by muscarinic action of released acetylcholine and by a non-cholinergic synaptic mechanism. This type of non-nicotinic excitation of postganglionic vasoconstrictor neurons requires the activation of thin, probably unmyelinated preganglionic axons and considerable summation. Postganglionic sudomotor and pilomotor neurons cannot be activated in this way.
2.
(2) Ongoing activity in postganglionic vasoconstrictor neurons, but not in sudomotor neurons, can be enhanced for up to 60 min by brief trains of stimuli applied to the preganglionic site. Also this enhancement requires the activation of thin preganglionic axons.
3.
(3) Stimulation of thin preganglionic axons leads to an activation of muscle vasoconstrictor neurons via non-nicotinic synaptic mechanisms in the ganglia after complete block of nicotinic transmission.
4.
(4) Postganglionic vasoconstrictor neurons and sudomotor neurons may be inhibited by a catecholaminergic autogenic mechanism in the ganglia.
5.
(5) The results indicate that integration may take place in the sympathetic chain ganglia by other than divergent and convergent processes. In this integration muscarinic actions of released acetylcholine and non-cholinergic synaptic mechanisms may be involved.

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Intracellular recording from sympathetic preganglionic neurons in cat lumbar spinal cord
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Sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPN) are responsible for the control of many autonomic targets including the heart and blood vessels. Previous intracellular studies have examined the morphology of SPN in the thoracic spinal cord, but there are no intracellular studies of SPN in the lumbar spinal cord. In this study we identified lumbar SPN using intracellular recording and dye-filling so that we could study their entire soma-dendritic tree, as well as their axons. At the same time, axonal conduction velocity was measured, and any evidence of an input in phase with phrenic nerve discharge was noted. Intracellular recordings were made from SPN in the L₃ (n = 125) and T₃ (n = 17) segments of the cat spinal cord. Axonal conduction velocities ranged from 0.6−8.4 m/s. In 85 lumbar SPN, the recordings lasted long enough to assess respiratory-related modulation. A respiratory-related modulation of the membrane potential was seen in 7 of these 85 neurons. All 7 respiratory-related neurons had a conduction velocity of 2.0 m/s or less, while none of the SPN with conduction velocities of more than 2.0 m/s had a respiratory rhythmicity. Histological analysis of 50 biocytin-filled SPN, including 3 with a respiratory-related modulation of their membrane potential, revealed that they occurred mostly in the principal part of the intermediolateral cell column and tended to be elongated in the rostro-caudal direction. Dendrites ramified in the intermediolateral cell column, the dorsolateral white matter and the ventral and medial gray matter. Axons arose either from cell bodies or from primary dendrites and did not bifurcate or have varicose intraspinal collaterals. This is the first report of the morphology of intracellularly filled SPN in the lumbar spinal cord.
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Transmission of impulses from pre- to postganglionic vasoconstrictor and sudomotor neurons

Abstract

J. auton. Nerv. Syst.

J. ultrastruct. Res.

Brain Res.

J. auton. Nerv. Syst.

Brain Res.

J. auton. Nerv. Syst.

Cardiac sympathetic adrenergic pathways in which synaptic transmission is blocked by atropine sulphate

J. Physiol. (Lond.)

Sympathetic ganglionic transmission and the cardiovascular changes of the defence reaction in the cat

Circulat Res.

Effect of adrenaline on nerve terminals in the superior cervical ganglion of the rabbit

Brit. J. Pharmacol.

Role of ganglionic norepinephrine in sympathetic synaptic transmission

Science

Inhibition and facilitation in parasympathetic ganglia of the urinary bladder

Sympathetic inhibition of the urinary bladder and of pelvic ganglionic transmission in the cat

J. Physiol. (Lond.)

Synaptic transmission in parasympathetic ganglia in the urinary bladder of the cat

J. Physiol. (Lond.)

The actions of the catecholamines on transmission in the superior cervical ganglion of the cat

J. Pharmacol. exp. Ther.

Effect of tilting on the pressor responses to McN-A-343, a muscarinic sympathetic ganglion stimulant

Brit. J. Pharmacol.