title: Does the ganglion of Ribes exist?
abstract: Some have included the ganglion of Ribes (Francois Ribes, 1765-1845), lying on the anterior communicating artery, as the most superior ganglion of the sympathetic nervous system. To verify the presence of this structure, the anterior communicating artery was harvested from 40 fresh adult cadavers and histological analysis and immunochemistry performed. Grossly and with magnification, no ganglion-like structures were found in or around the anterior communicating artery in any specimen. However, scattered neuronal cell bodies were found in the adventitia of the anterior communicating artery with histological immunochemical analysis. Based on the lack of vasoactive intestinal peptide staining and the positive reaction to tyrosine hydroxylase, these neurons are most likely sympathetic in nature. Based on our findings, a grossly visible ganglion of Ribes does not exist. However, neuronal cell bodies were found in the adventitia of the anterior communicating artery although the function of such cells remains speculative.
authors.affiliation: Pediatric Neurosurgery, Children's Hospital, Birmingham, AL 35233, USA. rstubbs@uab.edu
authors.forename: R Shane
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Tubbs
authors.forename: David R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Kelly
authors.forename: Mohammadali M
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Shoja
authors.forename: Amir A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Khaki
authors.forename: Marios
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Loukas
authors.forename: Rita
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Humphrey
authors.forename: Gina D
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Chua
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lott
authors.forename: E George
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Salter
authors.forename: W Jerry
authors.initials: WJ
authors.lastname: Oakes
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001158:Arteries / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D001921:Brain / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000098:blood supply*; D002102:Cadaver; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation; D005260:Female; D005728:Ganglia, Sympathetic / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D008297:Male; D009474:Neurons / Q000166:cytology