title: Autonomic elements within the ligament of Marshall and inferior left ganglionated plexus mediate functions of the atrial neural network.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We sought to systematically investigate the role of the ligament of Marshall (LOM) and inferior left ganglionated plexi (ILGP) in modulating electrophysiological functions.
  
  
  METHODS
  The following structures were exposed in 36 dogs: (1) LOM, (2) superior left GP (SLGP) near the junction of left superior pulmonary vein (LSPV) and left atrium, (3) ILGP near the left inferior pulmonary vein-atrial junction, (4) anterior right GP (ARGP) near the sino-atrial node, and (5) inferior right GP (IRGP) at the junction of inferior vena cava and atria. High frequency stimulation (HFS; 0.6-8.0 V, 20 Hz, 0.1 msec in duration) was applied to the LOM, SLGP, ILGP, ARGP, IRGP, or vagosympathetic trunk. Ventricular rate (VR) during atrial fibrillation (AF) was compared before and after ablation of GP in different sequences.
  
  
  RESULTS
  ARGP + ILGP ablation but not ARGP ablation alone eliminated the VR slowing response induced by LOM stimulation, suggesting that all the autonomic innervation from the LOM to AV node passes the ILGP. LOM ablation attenuated the VR slowing response caused by SLGP or left vagosympathetic stimulation, suggesting that LOM modulates the autonomic innervation between the AV node and the left vagosympathetic trunk or SLGP. ARGP attenuated while ARGP + ILGP ablation eliminated the VR slowing response induced by left vagosympathetic stimulation, suggesting that both ARGP and ILGP modulate the AV nodal innervation of the extrinsic and intrinsic cardiac autonomic nervous system (ANS).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The LOM and ILGP function as the "integration centers" that modulate the autonomic interactions between extrinsic and intrinsic cardiac ANS on AV nodal function.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, Shanghai, China.
authors.forename: Jiaxiong
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Benjamin J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Scherlag
authors.forename: Guodong
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Niu
authors.forename: Zhibing
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Lu
authors.forename: Eugene
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Patterson
authors.forename: Shaowen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Liu
authors.forename: Ralph
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lazzara
authors.forename: Warren M
authors.initials: WM
authors.lastname: Jackman
authors.forename: Sunny S
authors.initials: SS
authors.lastname: Po
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D016275:Atrial Function / Q000502:physiology*; D004285:Dogs; D005725:Ganglia, Autonomic / Q000502:physiology*; D006325:Heart Atria / Q000294:innervation*; D006329:Heart Conduction System / Q000502:physiology*; D008022:Ligaments / Q000502:physiology*; D009415:Nerve Net / Q000502:physiology