title: Sympathetic and parasympathetic regulation of rectal motility in rats.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The colon and rectum are regulated by the autonomic nervous system (ANS). Abnormalities of the ANS are associated with diseases of the colon and rectum while its modulation is a putative mechanism for sacral nerve stimulation. The purpose of this study is to establish a rat model elucidating the role of the efferent ANS on rectal motility.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rectal motility following transection or stimulation of parasympathetic pelvic nerves (PN) or sympathetic hypogastric nerves (HGN) was measured with rectal strain gauge transducers and quantified as a motility index (MI). Colonic transit was measured 24 hours after transection by calculating the geometric center (GC) of distribution of (51)Cr
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Transection of PN and HGN decreased MI to 518 +/- 185 g*s (p < 0.05) and increased MI to 5,029 +/- 1,954 g*s (p < 0.05), respectively, compared to sham (975 +/- 243 g*s). Sectioning of PN and HGN decreased transit with GC = 4.9 +/- 0.2 (p < 0.05) and increased transit with GC = 8.1 +/- 0.7 (p < 0.02), respectively, compared to sham (GC = 5.8 +/- 0.3). Stimulation of PN and HGN increased MI to 831 +/- 157% (p < 0.01) and decreased MI to 251 +/- 24% (p < 0.05), respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Rectal motility is significantly altered by sectioning or stimulating either HGN or PN. This model may be useful in studying how sacral nerve stimulation exerts its effects and provide insight into the maladies of colonic motility.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin and Zablocki VA Medical Center, 5000 West National Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53295, USA.
authors.forename: Timothy J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Ridolfi
authors.forename: Wei-Dong
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Tong
authors.forename: Toku
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Takahashi
authors.forename: Lauren
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Kosinski
authors.forename: Kirk A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Ludwig
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003106:Colon / Q000502:physiology; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005769:Gastrointestinal Motility; D005772:Gastrointestinal Transit / Q000502:physiology; D007001:Hypogastric Plexus / Q000502:physiology; D008297:Male; D023421:Models, Animal; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D010388:Pelvis / Q000294:innervation; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D012007:Rectum / Q000502:physiology*; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*