title: Effects of midbrain and spinal cord transections on sympathetic nerve responses to heating.
abstract: In the present study, we investigated the contributions of forebrain, brain stem, and spinal neural circuits to heating-induced sympathetic nerve discharge (SND) responses in chloralose-anesthetized rats. Frequency characteristics of renal and splenic SND bursts and the level of activity in these nerves were determined in midbrain-transected (superior colliculus), spinal cord-transected [first cervical vertebra (C1)], and sham-transected (midbrain and spinal cord) rats during progressive increases in colonic temperature (T(c)) from 38 to 41.6-41.7 degrees C. The following observations were made. 1) Significant increases in renal and splenic SND were observed during hyperthermia in midbrain-transected, sham midbrain-transected, C1-transected, and sham C1-transected rats. 2) Heating changed the discharge pattern of renal and splenic SND bursts and was associated with prominent coupling between renal-splenic discharge bursts in midbrain-transected, sham midbrain-transected, and sham C1-transected rats. 3) The pattern of renal and splenic SND bursts remained unchanged from posttransection recovery levels during heating in C1-transected rats. We conclude that an intact forebrain is not required for the full expression of SND responses to increased T(c) and that spinal neural systems, in the absence of supraspinal circuits, are unable to markedly alter the frequency characteristics of SND in response to acute heat stress.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas 66506, USA.
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kenney
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Pickar
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Weiss
authors.forename: C S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Saindon
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Fels
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001831:Body Temperature / Q000502:physiology*; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae; D003106:Colon; D004525:Efferent Pathways / Q000502:physiology; D006339:Heart Rate; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006979:Hyperthermia, Induced; D008297:Male; D008636:Mesencephalon / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000502:physiology* / Q000601:surgery; D013477:Superior Colliculi / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*