Autonomic neuroscience : basic & clinical
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The rat L5/6 facet joint is innervated from L1 to L5 dorsal root ganglions (DRGs) multisegmentally. Sensory fibers from L1 and L2 DRGs were reported to innervate nonsegmentally through the paravertebral sympathetic trunks, while those from L3 to L5 DRGs segmentally innervate the L5/6 facet joint. The presence of substance P (SP) and calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) immunoreactive (ir) nerve fibers has been demonstrated in the lumber facet joints, but their ratios have not been determined. ⋯ Of the F-G labeled neurons, the ratios of SP-ir L1, L2, L3, L4 and L5 DRG neurons were 13, 15, 29, 31 and 30%, respectively, and those of CGRP-ir neurons were 17, 24, 44, 56 and 50%, respectively. The ratios of SP and CGRP-ir neurons in L1 and L2 DRGs were significantly less than those in L3, L4 or L5 DRGs. In conclusion, the neurons of L3, L4 and L5 DRGs may have a more significant role in pain sensation of the facets than L1 and L2 DRG neurons.
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The results of neural tracing studies suggest that vagal afferent fibers in cervical and thoracic branches innervate the esophagus, lower airways, heart, aorta, and possibly the thymus, and via abdominal branches the entire gastrointestinal tract, liver, portal vein, billiary system, pancreas, but not the spleen. In addition, vagal afferents innervate numerous thoracic and abdominal paraganglia associated with the vagus nerves. Specific terminal structures such as flower basket terminals, intraganglionic laminar endings and intramuscular arrays have been identified in the various organs and organ compartments, suggesting functional specializations. ⋯ There is also good evidence for a role of vagal afferents in nociception, as manifested by affective-emotional responses such as increased blood pressure and tachycardia, typically associated with the perception of pain, and mediated via central reflex pathways involving the amygdala and other parts of the limbic system. The massive central projections are likely to be responsible for the antiepileptic properties of afferent vagal stimulation in humans. Furthermore, these functions are in line with a general defensive character ascribed to the vagal afferent, paraventricular system in lower vertebrates.
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Beyond the fundamental pathogenetic importance of Helicobacter Pylori a possible additional role of vagal innervation in favouring or modulating the clinical history of duodenal ulcer (DU) has been suggested by old studies employing invasive methodologies. Aim of this study was to assess whether vagal prevalence in autonomic modulation was present in healed DU patients (n=20) as compared to controls,(n=50), using a validated non-invasive methodology, based on spectral analysis of cardiovascular variability. This approach provides markers of the sympathetic and vagal modulations of the SA node, respectively by way of the normalized low frequency (LF(RR)) and high frequency (HF(RR)) components of RR interval variability; LF/HF ratio furnishes a marker of sympatho-vagal balance. ⋯ Conversely the LF component of SAP variability, a marker of sympathetic vasomotor modulations, and the index alpha, a measure of baroreflex control of the SA node, as well as respiratory patterns, were similar in the two groups. SAO/BAO ratio was significantly correlated with markers of autonomic control of the SA node (r = -0.67, P<0.0083 with HF(RR)). In conclusion results suggest an enhanced vagal modulation of heart period in DU patients at rest, that appears linked to indices of neurally mediated gastric acid secretion response.