Localization of vagal preganglionic somata controlling sinoatrial and atrioventricular nodes

• Published in: The American journal of physiology Vol. 255; no. 5 Pt 2; p. R703
• Main Authors: Plecha, D M, Randall, W C, Geis, G S, Wurster, R D
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.11.1988
• Subjects: Animals; Atrioventricular Node - physiology; Axonal Transport; Dogs; Electric Conductivity; Electrocardiography; Ganglia - anatomy & histology; Ganglia - physiology; Heart Atria - innervation; Heart Conduction System - physiology; Heart Rate; Horseradish Peroxidase; Pulmonary Veins - innervation; Sinoatrial Node - physiology; Vagus Nerve - anatomy & histology; Vagus Nerve - physiology; Vena Cava, Inferior - innervation
• DOI: 10.1152/ajpregu.1988.255.5.R703
• ISSN: 0002-9513

Canine cardiac vagal ganglia in the region of the inferior vena cava and inferior left atrium (IVC-ILA) and at the junction of the right pulmonary veins and left atrium (PVFP) control atrioventricular conduction and heart rate, respectively. After retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) injected separately into these ganglia in different dogs, the left and right and longitudinal distributions of brain stem somata terminating in these ganglia were compared with functional dominance of left and right vagal control of heart rate and atrioventricular conduction. Labeled somata innervating these ganglia had quite similar longitudinal distribution patterns. Although functional dominance of heart rate was found to be in either the right vagus or bilaterally in both vagi, a corresponding difference in somata innervating the PVFP ganglia was not found. Functional vagal dominance of atrioventricular conduction was found to be either right, bilateral, or left with correspondence between left-right distributions of somata after HRP injection into the IVC-ILA region. However, these results should be cautiously interpreted because these ganglia mediate other cardiac functions.