title: A morphometric study of the carotid sinus nerve in patients with diabetes mellitus and chronic alcoholism.
abstract: Morphometric studies were performed on the myelinated fibres of the carotid sinus nerve obtained at autopsy from 13 control subjects, 7 patients with diabetes mellitus and 11 with chronic alcoholism. The myelinated fibre-diameter distribution in control nerves was bimodal with peaks at 3-4 micron and at 8-10 micron. The mean myelinated fibre density was 14.8 X 10(3)/mm2 (SD 2.3 X 10(3)/mm2) in control nerves and was significantly reduced in the nerves of diabetics (mean, 11.7 X 10(3)/mm2; SD, 2.2 X 10(3)/mm2), and chronic alcoholics (mean, 12.7 X 10(3)/mm2; SD, 2.1 X 10(3)/mm2), although in 8 of 11 nerves from alcoholics, the density was within the control range. These findings demonstrate that autonomic afferent fibres are damaged in diabetes and chronic alcoholism, and provide a pathological basis for the disturbances of heart rate and blood pressure control in these conditions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine, University of Sydney, Australia.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Tamura
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baverstock
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: McLeod
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000437:Alcoholism / Q000473:pathology*; D002346:Carotid Sinus / Q000294:innervation*; D002908:Chronic Disease; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000473:pathology*; D005260:Female; D005930:Glossopharyngeal Nerve / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009413:Nerve Fibers, Myelinated / Q000473:pathology; D012016:Reference Values