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DIFFERENTIAL ACTIONS OF THE MEDIAL REGION OF CAUDAL MEDULLA ON AUTONOMIC NERVE ACTIVITIES
Author(s) -
Yen C. T.,
Hwang J. C.,
Su C. K.,
Lin Y. F.,
Yang J. M.,
Chai C. Y.
Publication year - 1991
Publication title -
clinical and experimental pharmacology and physiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 103
eISSN - 1440-1681
pISSN - 0305-1870
DOI - 10.1111/j.1440-1681.1991.tb01392.x
Subject(s) - medulla , splanchnic nerves , vagus nerve , inhibitory postsynaptic potential , anatomy , chloralose , medicine , autonomic nervous system , endocrinology , stimulation , rostral ventrolateral medulla , chemistry , sympathetic nervous system , medulla oblongata , heart rate , central nervous system , blood pressure
SUMMARY 1. The inhibitory effects produced by activation of the medial region of caudal medulla on activities of the left and right cardiac sympathetic, vagus and greater splanchnic nerves were studied in chloralose‐urethane anaesthetized cats. 2. Electrical stimulation of the medial region produced an 80–92% inhibition of the sympathetic nerve activities, and a 45% and 58% inhibition of the left and right cardiac vagal nerve activities, respectively. There were no significant differences between effects elicited in the left and right autonomic nerves. Similar but smaller inhibitory effects were produced by micro‐injection of sodium glutamate (0.5 mol/L) or DL‐homocysteic acid (50 mmol/L) to the same medullary sites. 3. These data suggest that neurons residing in the medial medullary region exert strong inhibitory effects on autonomic nerve activities. Since the vasculature is principally innervated by sympathetic nerves, inhibition of sympathetic nerve activities might be the principal factor responsible for the depressor effects caused by activation of the medial region of caudal medulla. The heart is innervated both by sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves. Thus, their simultaneous inhibition during activation of the medial region elicits only a weak and variable inhibition of the heart.