Autonomic NeuroscienceThis is an RSS file. You can use it to subscribe to this data in your favourite RSS reader, such as GoogleReader, or to display this data on your own website or blog. Subscribe to this data using MyMedWorm.Subscribe to this data using GoogleReader.Subscribe to this data using Bloglines.Subscribe to this data using MyYahoo.

This page shows you the latest items in this publication.

Pages: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8

388 records returned

Electrodermal complexity during the Stroop Colour Word Test.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Several recent studies suggest that quantitative description of signal complexity using algorithms of nonlinear analysis could uncover new information about the autonomic system that is not reflected using common methods applied to measures of autonomic activity. With this aim we have performed complexity analysis of electrodermal activity (EDA) assessed in 106 healthy university students during rest conditions and non-conflicting and conflicting Stroop task. Complexity analysis applied to EDA was performed using Skinner's algorithm for pointwise correlation dimension (PD2). Results have shown that EDA responses during...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - November 12, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Svetlak M, Bob P, Cernik M, Kukleta M Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Alterations in sympathetic neuroeffector transmission to mesenteric arteries but not veins in DOCA-salt hypertension.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We studied hypertension-associated changes in prejunctional alpha(2) adrenergic receptor (alpha(2)-AR) function using amperometry to monitor in vitro norepinephrine (NE) measured as oxidation currents. Vasoconstriction was measured using video imaging. NE release was induced by electrical stimulation of sympathetic nerves associated with mesenteric arteries (MA) and veins (MV) of sham and DOCA-salt hypertensive rats. NE oxidation currents were larger in DOCA-salt compared to sham MA; there were no differences between currents in sham and DOCA-salt MV. Increases in NE oxidation currents followed a multi-exponential time...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - November 12, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Park J, Galligan JJ, Fink GD, Swain GM Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Impairment of baroreflex control of heart rate in conscious transgenic mice of type 1 diabetes (OVE26).Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Baroreflex control of heart rate (HR) is impaired in human type 1 diabetes mellitus. The goal of this study is to use a transgenic mouse model of type 1 diabetes (OVE26) to assess the diabetes-induced baroreflex impairment in the conscious state. OVE26 transgenic mice (which develop hyperglycemia within the first three weeks after birth due to the specific damage of beta cells) and normal control mice (FVB) 5-6months of age were anesthetized, and the left femoral artery and both veins were catheterized. On the second day after surgery, baroreflex-mediated HR responses to arterial blood pressure (ABP) changes that were ...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - November 10, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Lin M, Harden SW, Li L, Wurster RD, Cheng ZJ Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

The effect of ketamine and nitrous oxide on the human pupillary light reflex during general anesthesia.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The neurotransmitters and receptor types involved in the afferent arm of the human pupillary light reflex are unknown. We hypothesized that the pupillary light reflex is mediated in part by NMDA receptors and that it would be depressed by the NMDA antagonists, nitrous oxide and ketamine. To study this question, sixteen patients received general anesthesia with desflurane, fentanyl, and muscular relaxation with rocuronium. After a stable level of general anesthesia had been obtained and at least 1h after the start of the surgical procedure, ketamine 1mg/kg (N=8) or saline (N=8) was injected intravenously by random selec...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - November 10, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Eilers H, Larson MD Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

The medical management of urinary incontinence.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Urinary incontinence is the involuntary leakage of urine; it affects millions of people worldwide, causing significant detrimental effects on their quality of life. Direct expenses, such as containment products, long-term drug prescriptions and surgery, complemented by indirect costs, such as reduced employment productivity, result in overall expenditure running to billions of dollars. Stress urinary incontinence (SUI) occurs on physical exertion, and results from weakness of the bladder outlet. Urgency urinary incontinence (UUI) results from inability to resist a sudden compelling desire to pass urine, arising as a co...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - November 7, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Shaban A, Drake MJ, Hashim H Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Olfactory ensheathing cells reduce duration of autonomic dysreflexia in rats with high spinal cord injury.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Autonomic dysreflexia is a common complication in high spinal cord injury and can result in serious consequences and death. Here we have examined the effect of acute transplantation of olfactory ensheathing cells on cardiovascular functions in rats. After T4 transection, radio-telemetric recording in conscious animals was used to study blood pressure and heart rate at rest and during autonomic dysreflexia for up to 8weeks post-injury. Olfactory ensheathing cells from syngeneic rats were transplanted at the injury site; control animals received culture medium only. At the study end point, we examined morphometric featur...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - November 5, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Kalinčík T, Choi EA, Féron F, Bianco J, Sutharsan R, Hayward I, Mackay-Sim A, Carrive P, Waite PM Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Cytisine induces autonomic cardiovascular responses via activations of different nicotinic receptors.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study, we observed that different subtypes of nicotinic receptors were responsible for the sympathetic and parasympathetic cardiovascular responses. In urethane anesthetized mice, intravenous injection with cytisine, a non-selective nicotinic agonist, induced a brief but pronounced decrease in heart rate, followed by increases in heart rate and arterial blood pressure. The bradycardic response was blocked by atropine, and the pressor response was blocked by prazosin, confirming that these responses were parasympathetic and sympathetic activities, respectively. Hexamethonium, a ganglionic blocker, blocked both sympa...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - November 2, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Li YF, Lacroix C, Freeling J Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Cardiac autonomic responses to hyperinsulinemia are associated with skeletal muscle function in healthy human subjects.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Hyperinsulinemia related to obesity may result in activation of the sympathetic nervous system (SNS). Acute autonomic responsiveness to insulin is influenced by body composition, particularly obesity. However, it is unclear whether skeletal muscle mass or function determines autonomic responsiveness to insulin. While muscle function is associated with insulin sensitivity, there are no studies that have assessed if skeletal muscle function modulates autonomic responses to hyperinsulinemia. Fifty healthy men (aged 18-35years) were evaluated for skeletal muscle function (hand grip strength and static and dynamic endurance...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - October 31, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Vaz M, Sucharita S, Srivatsa DV, Unni US, Raj T, Kurpad AV Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Highlights in clinical autonomic neurosciences.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
PMID: 19850538 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - October 20, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Raj SR Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Cardiovascular autonomic dysfunction in a novel rodent model of polycystic kidney disease.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This study aimed to define the relationship between hypertension and autonomic function in a new rodent model of polycystic kidney disease (PKD). Using measures of heart rate and systolic blood pressure variability (HRV, SBPV), and time domain analysis of cardiac and sympathetic baroreflex function, we compared the Lewis PKD model (LPK) to a Lewis control. Systolic BP and SBPV were significantly higher in LPK vs. Lewis (168+/-7 vs. 131+/-8mm Hg, P</=0.01, total power: 11+/-3.1 vs. 1.3+/-0.3mm Hg/Hz(2), P</=0.05). LPK has a higher resting HR (437+/-17 vs. 330+/-11 beats per minute [bpm], P</=0.001) associated with ...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - October 11, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Harrison JL, Hildreth CM, Callahan SM, Goodchild AK, Phillips JK Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Response to "To the Editor"Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
PMID: 19822460 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - October 9, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Yeh RG, Shieh JS, Chen GY, Kuo CD Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Nonlinear measures on heart rate variability: A clinical tool or not?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
PMID: 19819194 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - October 7, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Shiau YH Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Generating diversity: Mechanisms regulating the differentiation of autonomic neuron phenotypes.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Sympathetic and parasympathetic postganglionic neurons innervate a wide range of target tissues. The subpopulation of neurons innervating each target tissue can express unique combinations of neurotransmitters, neuropeptides, ion channels and receptors, which together comprise the chemical phenotype of the neurons. The target-specific chemical phenotype shown by autonomic postganglionic neurons arises during development. In this review, we examine the different mechanisms that generate such a diversity of neuronal phenotypes from the pool of apparently homogenous neural crest progenitor cells that form the sympathetic ...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - October 7, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Cane KN, Anderson CR Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Development of the autonomic nervous system: New perspectives and open questions.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
PMID: 19783224 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 24, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Ernsberger U, Rohrer H Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Electrical and chemical stimulation of the nucleus raphe magnus inhibits induction of retching by afferent vagal fibers.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In this study we examined this possibility in immobilized decerebrated dogs. Fictive retching was induced by the stimulation of abdominal afferent vagal fibers (stim-abdVAs) and identified by activity patterns of efferent discharges of the phrenic and abdominal muscle nerves. The induction of retching was suppressed by weak stimulation (20muA, 20Hz, 0.5ms duration) of the pontine area corresponding to the nucleus raphe magnus (NRM). Stronger suppressions were produced by stimulation of the rostral part of the NRM at the pontine level where the abducen nucleus exists. Pontamine sky blue, an excitatory neurotoxin, which was ...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 22, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Urayama Y, Yamada Y, Nakamura E, Koga T, Fukuda H Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Enteric nervous system development: Recent progress and future challenges.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The enteric nervous system is the largest subdivision of the peripheral nervous system that plays a critical role in digestive functions. Despite considerable progress over the last 15years in understanding the molecular and cellular mechanisms that control the development of the enteric nervous system, several questions remain unanswered. The present review will focus on recent progress on understanding the development of the mammalian enteric nervous system and highlight interesting directions of future research. PMID: 19783483 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 21, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Laranjeira C, Pachnis V Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Fos expression in the NTS in response to peripheral chemoreflex activation in awake rats.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Chemoreflex afferent fibers terminate in the nucleus tractus solitarii (NTS), but the specific location of the NTS neurons excited by peripheral chemoreflex activation remains to be characterized. Here, the topographic distribution of chemoreflex sensitive cells at the commissural NTS was evaluated. To reach this goal, Fos-immunoreactive neurons (Fos-ir) were accounted in rostro-caudal levels of the intermediate and caudal commissural NTS, after intermittent chemoreflex activation with intravenous injection of potassium cyanide [KCN (80mug/kg) or saline (0.9%, vehicle), one injection every 3min during 30min]. In respon...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 21, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Cruz JD, Bonagamba LG, Stern JE, Machado BH Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Very high frequency components of renal sympathetic nerve activity in conscious rats.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In conclusion, the RSNA of conscious rats contains very high frequency components that account for about 60% of the total spectral power and are modulated by the baroreceptor reflex. A reasonable approximation of this power can be obtained by computing spectra up to 25Hz. PMID: 19783485 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 21, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Chapuis B, Oréa V, Barrès C, Julien C Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

The migration of autonomic precursor cells in the embryo.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The neural crest is an excellent model system to study cell fate and cell guidance signaling. Neural crest cells emerge from a common multipotent subpopulation and follow stereotypical migratory pathways to contribute to many diverse peripheral structures throughout the vertebrate embryo. The neural tube and diverse embryonic microenvironments from which the neural crest originate and migrate through are important sources of signals, yet it is still unclear how a common pool of neural crest stem and progenitor cells diversify and become distributed along specific stereotypical migratory paths. In the post-otic hindbrai...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 21, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Kulesa PM, Lefcort F, Kasemeier-Kulesa JC Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

The nucleus raphe magnus suppresses vomiting, and the solitary nucleus and 5-HT are not involved in this suppression.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In previous paper, we reported that stimulation of the nucleus raphe magnus (stim-NRM) inhibits the induction of retching by afferent vagal fibers (VAs). We performed the present study to identity the transmitter of inhibition and then the site. The following results were obtained in decerebrated and paralyzed dogs. 1) The induction of fictive retching was suppressed by i.v. injection of 5-HT, and by 4th ventricular administration of 5-HT or a 5-HT3-receptor (R) agonist, 1-(m-chlorophenyl)-biguanade hydrochloride (m-CPBG). 2) Both forms of suppression were antagonized by i.v. injection of ondansetron, a 5-HT3-R antagon...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 18, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Hattori Y, Hamaguchi C, Yamada Y, Urayama Y, Nakamura E, Koga T, Fukuda H Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Relationship between exercise capacity and heart rate variability: Supine and in response to an orthostatic stressor.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The study investigated whether supine-measured HRV indicators, and/or HRV indicators measured during orthostatic stress are related to conventional measures of exercise and performance ability such as VO(2max). Only two significant correlations (p<0.05) out of 30 tests were found between supine-determined HRV indicators and conventional measures. In contrast, fifteen of the 30 relationships calculated during orthostatic stress were significant. Relationships were at best low to moderate (0.2<|corr|<0.4). As expected, the relationships obtained during orthostatic stress were reversed from that obtained in the s...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 17, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Grant CC, Clark JR, van Rensburg DC, Viljoen M Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Frequency of slow oscillations in arterial pressure and R-R intervals during muscle metaboreflex activation.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Altered frequency of slow (0.04-0.15Hz) arterial pressure and R-R interval oscillations has been observed in various diseases but the mechanisms for this frequency shift are unclear. The median (Med) frequencies of slow R-R interval and blood pressure (BP) oscillations were recorded in 11 healthy subjects with paced breathing (0.25Hz) during muscle metaboreflex and baroreflex mediated sympathetic stimuli: 1) handgrip exercise (HG) followed by post-exercise circulatory occlusion (PECO), 2) handgrip exercise during ischemia by circulatory occlusion (IHG) and 3) passive head-up tilt (TILT). Med(BP) shifted to the higher f...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 17, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Kiviniemi AM, Tiinanen S, Hautala AJ, Seppänen T, Mäkikallio TH, Huikuri HV, Tulppo MP Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Nicotine stimulation of the medulla increases blood flow of the common carotid artery in cats.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In conclusion, activation of nAChRs primarily via alpha7-nAChR caused a release of glutamate, which in turn activated NMDA and AMPA receptors, while cholinergic substance was not released into the DFA to activate the nicotinic receptor. PMID: 19767248 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 17, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Kuo JS, Leung YM, Lin NN, Lee TJ, Gong CL Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

In vivo direct monitoring of interstitial norepinephrine levels at the sinoatrial node.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We assessed in vivo interstitial norepinephrine (NE) levels at the sinoatrial node in rabbits, using microdialysis technique. A dialysis probe was implanted adjacent to the sinoatrial node of an anesthetized rabbit and dialysate was sampled during sympathetic nerve stimulation. Atrial dialysate NE concentration correlated well with heart rate. Desipramine significantly increased dialysate NE concentrations both before and during sympathetic nerve stimulation compared with the absence of desipramine. However, desipramine did not affect the relation between heart rate and dialysate NE concentration. These results suggest...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 17, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Shimizu S, Akiyama T, Kawada T, Shishido T, Mizuno M, Kamiya A, Yamazaki T, Sano S, Sugimachi M Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Heart rate variability of young men with idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
CONCLUSIONS: Deficiency in the male hypothalamo-pituitary-gonadal axis seems to adversely affect cardiac autonomic modulation with increased sympathetic and decreased parasympathetic components of HRV. PMID: 19766543 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 16, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Ermis N, Deniz F, Kepez A, Kara B, Azal O, Kutlu M Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Enteric co-innervation of esophageal striated muscle fibers: A phylogenetic study.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We examined the bat Glossophaga soricina and the shrew Suncus murinus as representatives for phylogenetically old mammals. As ruminants the antelope Tragelaphus imberbis, the he-goat Capra falconeri and the sheep Ovis aries were selected. As non-mammals the clawed frog Xenopus laevis as representative for the taxon amphibian and the rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss as representative for the taxon fish were included. Histochemistry for nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-diaphorase and acetylcholinesterase as well as immunofluorescence for vasoactive intestinal peptide and alpha-bungarotoxin were used to demonstrat...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 11, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Hempfling C, Seibold R, Shiina T, Heimler W, Neuhuber WL, Wörl J Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Neurotrophins and target interactions in the development and regulation of sympathetic neuron electrical and synaptic properties.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The electrical and synaptic properties of neurons are essential for determining the function of the nervous system. Thus, understanding the mechanisms that control the appropriate developmental acquisition and maintenance of these properties is a critical problem in neuroscience. A great deal of our understanding of these developmental mechanisms comes from studies of soluble growth factor signaling between cells in the peripheral nervous system. The sympathetic nervous system has provided a model for studying the role of these factors both in early development and in the establishment of mature properties. In particul...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 11, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Luther JA, Birren SJ Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Vagal afferent nerves with the properties of nociceptors.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Vagal afferent nerves are essential for optimal neural regulation of visceral organs, but are not often considered important for their defense. However, there are well-defined subsets of vagal afferent nerves that have activation properties indicative of specialization to detect potentially harmful stimuli (nociceptors). This is clearly exemplified by the vagal bronchopulmonary C-fibers that are quiescent in healthy lungs but are readily activated by noxious chemicals and inflammatory molecules. Vagal afferent nerves with similar activation properties have been also identified in the esophagus and probably exist in oth...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 11, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Kollarik M, Ru F, Brozmanova M Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Effects of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptor signaling on rates of apoptosis in retina of dopamine beta hydroxylase (Dbh(-/-)) knockout mice.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We have investigated whether insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptor signaling alters rates of apoptosis in dopamine beta-hydroxylase (Dbh(-/-)) knockout mice. Retinal lysates from Dbh(-/-) and their heterozygote littermates (Dbh(+/-)) were used to examine the role of norepinephrine in the regulation of IGF-1 receptor signaling and apoptosis in the retina. Western blot analysis was done for protein levels of total and phosphorylated IGF-1 receptor, insulin receptor substrate-1 (IRS-1), insulin receptor substrate-2 (IRS-2), and Akt. A caspase 3 ELISA and dopamine ELISA were done on retinal lysates. To verify which...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 10, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Panjala SR, Thomas SA, Steinle JJ Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

The Hurst exponent of cardiac response to positive and negative emotional film stimuli using wavelet.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
We examined the Hurst exponent of heart rate time series and its relation with the subjective measures of valence and arousal in two groups of subjects. The electrocardiogram (ECG) and the subjective valence and arousal were measured during the administration of emotional film stimuli (happiness, sadness, anger and fear). The results showed that there is a difference in the Hurst exponent for the happiness and sadness conditions but not between the negative emotion conditions (sadness, anger and fear). This seems to indicate that the Hurst exponent is an indicator of subjective valence. PMID: 19747885 [PubMed - as supp...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 8, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Costa T, Galati D, Rognoni E Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Multifunctional mechanosensitive neurons in the enteric nervous system.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
One of the most intriguing abilities of the gut is to function in isolation. This is possible because the gut's own nervous system, the enteric nervous system, contains the necessary elements to control reflex behaviors. Much progress has been made in identifying those neurons that encode mechanical or chemical stimuli. Thus, muscle behaviors in the small and large intestines depend on mechanosensitive neurons which encode a variety of mechanical stimuli, ranging from brief deformation of the neurons soma or processes to sustained tissue stretch. Mechanosensitivity has been recorded in a wide variety of neurons which b...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 7, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Schemann M, Mazzuoli G Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Development of neurotransmitter phenotypes in sympathetic neurons.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This review summarizes the current understanding of neurotransmitter phenotype specification of postganglionic sympathetic neurons, focusing, in particular, on the cellular processes of induction versus trans-differentiation. The emerging evidence is discussed that the noradrenergic and cholinergic neurotransmitter phenotypes are co-induced during early development and that the mature phenotypes develop by positive and negative selection of cellular properties in initially bimodal neurons, depending on extracellular signals during migration and after target contact. PMID: 19734109 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 3, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Apostolova G, Dechant G Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Age-related changes in functional NANC innervation with VIP and substance P in the jejunum of Lewis rats.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Age-related changes in non-adrenergic, non-cholinergic (NANC) neurotransmission might contribute to differences in gastrointestinal motility. Our aim was to determine age-related changes in functional innervation with vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP) and substance P (Sub P) in rat jejunum. We hypothesized that maturation causes changes in neurotransmission with these two neuropeptides. Longitudinal and circular jejunal muscle strips from young (3 months) and middle-aged (15 months) rats (total: 24 rats) were studied; the response to exogenous VIP and Sub P and the effect of their endogenous release from the ente...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - September 3, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Kasparek MS, Fatima J, Iqbal CW, Duenes JA, Sarr MG Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Preface.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
PMID: 19726239 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 31, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Blackshaw LA, Grundy D Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Serotonin release and uptake in the gastrointestinal tract.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The afferent innervation of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract consists of intrinsic and extrinsic sensory neurons that respond to nutrients, chemicals or mechanical stimuli within the gut lumen. Most stimuli do not interact directly with the afferent nerves but instead activate specialised cells in the epithelium in a process of sensory transduction. It is thought that one of the first steps in this process is the release of serotonin (5-HT) from the enterochromaffin (EC) cells. The EC cells are a sub-type of enteroendocrine (EE) cells which are found among the enterocytes of the intestinal epithelium. The EC cells are r...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 31, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Bertrand PP, Bertrand RL Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Influence of bariatric surgery on indices of cardiac autonomic control.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
CONCLUSIONS: This pilot study suggests that the mechanism responsible for improving cardiac regulation following bariatric surgery might be the weight loss itself. Furthermore, post-surgery improvement in QTVI implies that weight loss reduces the risk of ventricular arrhythmic events. PMID: 19720569 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 28, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Alam I, Lewis MJ, Lewis KE, Stephens JW, Baxter JN Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Peripheral relays in stress-induced activation of visceral afferents in the gut.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Multiple organs are targeted by the stress response, but the focus of this article is on stress-induced activation of visceral afferents in the gut. During recent years it became apparent that mast cells are pivotal in this response. Peripheral corticotrophin releasing factor (CRF) induces their degranulation whereupon mast cell mediators activate visceral afferents. In addition, these mediators are responsible for gut barrier dysfunction and subsequent influx of luminal antigens and bacteria. Some research groups have begun to investigate the possible importance of barrier dysfunction for enhanced visceral sensitivity...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 25, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: van den Wijngaard RM, Klooker TK, de Jonge WJ, Boeckxstaens GE Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Interaction of purinergic and nitrergic mechanisms in the caudal nucleus tractus solitarii of rats.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
The interaction of purinergic and nitrergic mechanisms was evaluated in the caudal nucleus tractus solitarii (cNTS) using awake animals and brainstem slices. In awake animals, ATP (1.25 nmol/50 nL) was microinjected into the cNTS before and after the microinjection of a selective neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) inhibitor N-propyl-l-arginine (NPLA, 3 pmoles/50 nL, n=8) or vehicle (saline, n=4), and cardiovascular and ventilatory parameters were recorded. In brainstem slices from a distinct group of rats, the effects of ATP on the NO concentration in the cNTS using the fluorescent dye DAF-2 DA were evaluated. For t...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 25, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Granjeiro EM, Pajolla GP, Accorsi-Mendonça D, Machado BH Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Localization of NADPH oxidase in sympathetic and sensory ganglion neurons and perivascular nerve fibers.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Superoxide anion (O(2)(-*)) production was previously reported to be increased in celiac ganglia (CG) during DOCA-salt hypertension, possibly via activation of the reduced nicotinamide-adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase. This suggested a role for neuronal NADPH oxidase in autonomic neurovascular control. However, the expression and localization of NADPH oxidase in the peripheral neurons are not fully known. The purpose of this study was to examine the subcellular localization of NADPH oxidase in sympathetic and sensory ganglion neurons and perivascular nerve fibers. In rat CG, p22(phox) and neuropeptide Y (...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 25, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Cao X, Demel SL, Quinn MT, Galligan JJ, Kreulen D Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Molecular basis of mechanosensitivity.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
An organism's ability to perceive mechanical stimuli is vital in determining how it responds to environmental challenges. External mechanosensation is responsible for the senses of touch, hearing, proprioception and aspects of somatic pain. Internally, mechanosensation underlies the initiation of autonomic reflex control and all manner of visceral sensations including chronic pain. Despite our increased knowledge of the molecular identity of invertebrate proteins that convert mechanical stimuli into electrical signals, understanding the complete molecular basis of mammalian mechanotransduction is currently a major chal...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 13, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Brierley SM Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Direct and consensual murine pupillary reflex metrics: Establishing normative values.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Pupillometry is a non-invasive technique, based on well-established neurophysiologic principles, that can be utilized to objectively characterize pathophysiologic demyelinating and neurodegenerative changes involving the pupillary reflex pathway. In animal models of human disorders, pupillometry derived reflex metrics could potentially be used to longitudinally monitor disease activity and responses to pharmacotherapies. These investigations would have important implications for translational initiatives focused on the identification and application of novel neuroprotective and restorative treatments for human diseases...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 13, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Hussain RZ, Hopkins SC, Frohman EM, Eagar TN, Cravens PC, Greenberg BM, Vernino S, Stüve O Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

The development of the chromaffin cell lineage from the neural crest.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Chromaffin cells are neuroendocrine cells, which are highly specialized for the synthesis and release of multiple hormones. Like sympathetic neurons, which are essential, inter alia, for neural control of vascular tone, they are derivatives of the neural crest, a transient structure at the dorsal surface of the embryonic neural tube. Chromaffin cells and sympathetic neurons have many features in common, but are also distinct in several respects. This review provides a summary of similarities and differences regarding the development of chromaffin cells and sympathetic neurons, viewed from molecular and morphological pe...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 12, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Huber K, Kalcheim C, Unsicker K Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Structure-function relationship of sensory endings in the gut and bladder.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Visceral afferents play a key role in neural circuits underlying the physiological function of visceral organs. They are responsible for the detection and transmission of a variety of visceral sensations (e.g. satiety, urge, discomfort and pain) from the viscera to the central nervous system. A comprehensive account of the different functional types of visceral sensory neurons would be invaluable in understanding how sensory dysfunction occurs and how it might be diagnosed and treated. Our aim was to explore the morphology of different nerve endings of visceral afferents within the gastrointestinal tract and urinary bl...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 11, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Zagorodnyuk VP, Brookes SJ, Spencer NJ Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

The enhancing effect of propofol anesthesia on skeletal muscle mechanoreflex in conscious cats.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
To test the hypothesis that a muscle mechanosensitive reflex is suppressed in the conscious condition, we examined the effect of propofol anesthesia on the cardiovascular responses to passive mechanical stretch of the hindlimb triceps surae muscle in five conscious cats. The triceps surae muscle was manually stretched for 30 s by extending the hip and knee joints and subsequently by dorsiflexing the ankle joint. Mean arterial blood pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) slightly increased or decreased during passive mechanical stretch of the muscle in the conscious condition. At 5-17 min after intravenously administering p...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 11, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Matsukawa K, Nakamoto T, Kadowaki A, Shimizu M, Liang N, Endo K Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Differential control of collagen synthesis by the sympathetic and renin-angiotensin systems in the rat left ventricle.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
In the present study, we tested the hypothesis of the indirect (via the sympathetic nervous system (SNS)) and direct (via AT1 receptors) contributions of Angiotensin II (Ang II) on the synthesis of collagen types I and III in the left ventricle (LV) in vivo. Sympathectomy and blockade of the Ang II receptor AT1 were performed alone or in combination in normotensive rats. The mRNA and protein synthesis of collagen types I and III were examined by Q-RT-PCR and immunoblotting in the LV. Collagen types I and III mRNA were decreased respectively by 53% and 22% after sympathectomy and only collagen type I mRNA was increased ...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 10, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Dab H, Hachani R, Hodroj W, Sakly M, Bricca G, Kacem K Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Visceral organ cross-sensitization - An integrated perspective.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Viscero-somatic referral and sensitization has been well documented clinically and widely investigated, whereas viscero-visceral referral and sensitization (termed cross-organ sensitization) has only recently received attention as important to visceral disease states. Because second order neurons in the CNS have been extensively shown to receive convergent input from different visceral organs, it has been assumed that cross-organ sensitization arises by the same convergence-projection mechanism as advanced for viscero-somatic referral and sensitization. However, increasing evidence also suggests participation of periph...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 10, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Brumovsky PR, Gebhart GF Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Gut chemosensing: Interactions between gut endocrine cells and visceral afferents.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Chemosensing in the gastrointestinal tract is less well understood than many aspects of gut mechanosensitivity; however, it is important in the overall function of the GI tract and indeed the organism as a whole. Chemosensing in the gut represents a complex interplay between the function of enteroendocrine (EEC) cells and visceral (primarily vagal) afferent neurons. In this brief review, I will concentrate on a new data on endocrine cells in chemosensing in the GI tract, in particular on new findings on glucose-sensing by gut EEC cells and the importance of incretin peptides and vagal afferents in glucose homeostasis, ...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 9, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Raybould HE Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Visceral afferents - Determinants and modulation of excitability.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
This article will review some of the recent developments in the state of knowledge regarding mechanisms of increased excitability after inflammation, and pharmacological modulation of excitability, concentrating on afferent nerves innervating the GI tract and urinary bladder. PMID: 19674942 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 9, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Beyak MJ Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Highlights in basic autonomic neurosciences.Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
PMID: 19666241 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher] (Source: Autonomic Neuroscience)
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 7, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Galligan JJ, Brock JA Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals

Visceral afferents: What role in post-inflammatory pain?Email this article to a colleague. Save this article to My Clippings. Discuss or comment on this article.
Several weeks to several months after a bout of inflammation or an infectious event in a visceral organ, while inflammation or infection has resolved, defective nociceptive functions are sometimes still present, characterized by chronic pain symptoms, visceral hyperalgesia and allodynia. Visceral afferents which convey nociceptive messages have been shown to be hyperexcitable in inflammatory states. Only recently, studies have addressed visceral afferent electrical properties and neuroplastic changes in post-inflammatory situations. This review tries to appraise in post-inflammatory hypersensitive states, the most rece...
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience - August 7, 2009 Category: Neuroscience Authors: Vergnolle N Tags: Auton Neurosci Source Type: journals