Neonatal pre-ganglionic sympathectomy affects morphometrically defined architecture in rat cerebral arteries.
In order to clarify further the nature of the long-term influence on the cerebral vasculature by the sympathetic nerves, a bilateral cervical pre-ganglionic denervation was performed in 1-week-old rats. Four weeks later, morphometric determinations of the vascular dimensions revealed diminished media cross-sectional areas and luminal radii in the middle cerebral and posterior cerebral arteries, whereas these parameters were unaffected in the basilar artery. In the latter artery, however, a 40% increase in the cross-sectional area of the internal elastic membrane was found. No re-innervation of the denervated ganglia occurred during the course of the experiment. The results suggest that the long-term effect exerted by the sympathetic nerves is associated with the nerve activity, rather than being a true trophic influence.
Kåhrström
J
J
Department of Medical Cell Research, University of Lund, Sweden.
Hardebo
J E
JE
Nordborg
C
C
Owman
C
C
D000818:Animals; D000831:Animals, Newborn / Q000502:physiology*; D001339:Autonomic Fibers, Preganglionic / Q000502:physiology*; D001488:Basilar Artery / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000294:innervation / Q000502:physiology; D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D015171:Ganglionectomy; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D011921:Rats, Inbred WKY; D017783:Superior Cervical Ganglion / Q000502:physiology; D013562:Sympathectomy
D002795:Choline O-Acetyltransferase