Effect of unilateral pre- and postganglionic lesioning of the trigeminal nerve on the development of cerebral vasospasm in the squirrel monkey: angiographic findings.
Bilateral carotid angiography was performed in the squirrel monkey before and after unilateral pre- and postganglionic trigeminal lesioning. A unilateral postganglionic lesion caused a significant constriction of about 27% of the ipsilateral cerebral arteries, while a preganglionic lesion did not change the baseline arterial diameter. Following a subarachnoid haemorrhage (SAH) the degree of vasoconstriction in the animals with a preganglionic lesion did not differ significantly from that seen in controls. In the postganglionically lesioned animals, the vasoconstriction was more pronounced (12% at both 10 min and 6 days post SAH) on the lesioned as compared with the non-lesioned side. At day 6 post SAH the degree of vasoconstriction was 19% more pronounced on the lesioned side in post- as compared with the preganglionically lesioned animals. There was no difference in the degree of spasm on the non-lesioned side between the two groups. The findings indicate that the trigeminal system has both a peripheral and a central function. The peripheral, or axon reflex mechanism, exerts a tonic effect on the cerebral vessels. Following a SAH the axon reflex seems to attenuate cerebral vasospasm.
Shiokawa
Y
Y
Neurosurgical Department, Karolinska Sjukhuset, Stockholm, Sweden.
Delgado-Zygmunt
T J
TJ
Arbab
M A
MA
Svendgaard
N A
NA
D000818:Animals; D001338:Autonomic Fibers, Postganglionic / Q000502:physiology*; D001339:Autonomic Fibers, Preganglionic / Q000502:physiology*; D002533:Cerebral Angiography; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000294:innervation; D004292:Dominance, Cerebral / Q000502:physiology*; D002546:Ischemic Attack, Transient / Q000503:physiopathology*; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000294:innervation; D012453:Saimiri; D013345:Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology; D014276:Trigeminal Nerve / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology