title: Intrinsic vasomotor innervation of blood vessels in human ventrolateral medulla.
abstract: Medullae were obtained at autopsy from seven patients with no neurologic disease, and sections were processed for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d), or both. Both TH- and NADPH-d reactive neurons had close anatomical relationship with penetrating blood vessels in the ventrolateral medulla (VLM). Three patterns were identified: 1) processes arising from a neighboring neuron reaching the blood vessel; 2) direct appositions of cell bodies to blood vessels; and 3) fibers coursing parallel to the blood vessels. This intrinsic innervation may provide a mechanism of coupling among local metabolism, sympathetic activity, and blood flow in the VLM.
authors.affiliation: Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota 55905, USA.
authors.forename: E E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Benarroch
authors.forename: I L
authors.initials: IL
authors.lastname: Smithson
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001808:Blood Vessels / Q000294:innervation*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D006651:Histocytochemistry; D006801:Humans; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000098:blood supply* / Q000502:physiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009131:Muscle, Smooth, Vascular / Q000294:innervation*; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase / Q000378:metabolism; D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D014446:Tyrosine 3-Monooxygenase; D009252:NADPH Dehydrogenase