Vesico-sympathetic reflexes in cat vasoconstrictor neurones supplying skin and skeletal muscle depend on the integrity of the sacral bladder afferents

• Published in: Neuroscience letters Vol. 219; no. 2; pp. 99 - 102
• Main Authors: Michaelis, M., Häbler, H.-J., Boczek-Funcke, A., Jänig, W.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Shannon Elsevier Ireland Ltd 22.11.1996; Elsevier
• Subjects: Animals; Biological and medical sciences; Bladder afferents; Blood Vessels - innervation; Cat; Cats; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Hindlimb; Motor control and motor pathways. Reflexes. Control centers of vegetative functions. Vestibular system and equilibration; Muscle, Skeletal - blood supply; Muscle, Skeletal - innervation; Neurons - physiology; Neurons, Afferent - physiology; Reflex - physiology; Rhizotomy; Sacrococcygeal Region; Skin - blood supply; Skin - innervation; Sympathetic nervous system; Sympathetic Nervous System - physiology; Urinary bladder; Urinary Bladder - innervation; Vasoconstriction - physiology; Vertebrates: nervous system and sense organs; Urinary bladder; Sympathetic nervous system; Bladder afferents; Cat; Reflex; Fissipedia; Carnivora; Vasoconstriction; Striated muscle; Vertebrata; Mammalia; Urinary system; Autonomic nervous system; Afferent projection; Skin
• ISSN: 0304-3940; 1872-7972
• DOI: 10.1016/S0304-3940(96)13179-7

In anesthetized cats, distension of the urinary bladder induces powerful reflexes in postganglionic sympathetic neurones projecting to the hindlimb: muscle vasoconstrictor neurones (MVC) are excited and cutaneous vasoconstrictor neurones (CVC) are inhibited. We investigated these reflexes quantitatively before and after sacral rhizotomy. The reflex responses in MVC and CVC neurones were completely abolished after elimination of the pelvic afferent input demonstrating that these reflexes are generated exclusively by excitation of sacral bladder afferents. The activation of lumbar bladder afferents which are supposed to be able to elicit painful sensations did not contribute to vesico-sympathetic reflexes in MVC and CVC neurones.