HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Thompson, G. W. Articles by Armour, J. A. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Thompson, G. W. Articles by Armour, J. A.

Functional interdependence of neurons in a single canine intrinsic cardiac ganglionated plexus

G. W. Thompson, K. Collier *, J. L. Ardell †, G. Kember * and J. A. Armour

1. To determine the activity characteristics displayed by different subpopulations of neurons in a single intrinsic cardiac ganglionated plexus, the behaviour and co-ordination of activity generated by neurons in two loci of the right atrial ganglionated plexus (RAGP) were evaluated in 16 anaesthetized dogs during basal states as well as in response to increasing inputs from ventricular sensory neurites.

2. These sub-populations of right atrial neurons received afferent inputs from sensory neurites in both ventricles that were responsive to local mechanical stimuli and the nitric oxide donor nitroprusside. Neurons in at least one RAGP locus were activated by epicardial application of veratridine, bradykinin, the ₁-adrenoceptor agonist prenaterol or glutamate. Epicardial application of angiotensin II, the selective ₂-adrenoceptor agonist terbutaline and selective -adrenoceptor agonists elicited inconsistent neuronal responses.

3. The activity generated by both populations of atrial neurons studied over 5 min periods during basal states displayed periodic coupled behaviour (cross-correlation coefficients of activities that reached, on average, 0·88 ± 0·03; range 0·71-1) for 15-30 s periods of time. These periods of coupled activity occurred every 30-50 s during basal states, as well as when neuronal activity was enhanced by chemical activation of their ventricular sensory inputs.

4. These results indicate that neurons throughout one intrinsic cardiac ganglionated plexus receive inputs from mechano- and chemosensory neurites located in both ventricles. That such neurons respond to multiple chemical stimuli, including those liberated from adjacent adrenergic efferent nerve terminals, indicates the complexity of the integrative processing of information that occurs within the intrinsic cardiac nervous system.

5. It is proposed that the interdependent activity displayed by populations of neurons in different regions of one intrinsic cardiac ganglionated plexus, responding as they do to multiple cardiac sensory inputs, forms the basis for integrated regional cardiac control.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				M. Waldmann, G. W. Thompson, G. C. Kember, J. L. Ardell, and J. A. Armour Stochastic behavior of atrial and ventricular intrinsic cardiac neurons J Appl Physiol, August 1, 2006; 101(2): 413 - 419. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				J. A. Armour Cardiac neuronal hierarchy in health and disease Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, August 1, 2004; 287(2): R262 - R271. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. L. Gray, T. A. Johnson, J. L. Ardell, and V. J. Massari Parasympathetic control of the heart. II. A novel interganglionic intrinsic cardiac circuit mediates neural control of heart rate J Appl Physiol, June 1, 2004; 96(6): 2273 - 2278. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Z.(J. Cheng, H. Zhang, S. Z. Guo, R. Wurster, and D. Gozal Differential control over postganglionic neurons in rat cardiac ganglia by NA and DmnX neurons: anatomical evidence Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, April 1, 2004; 286(4): R625 - R633. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				D. C. Randall, D. R. Brown, A. S. McGuirt, G. W. Thompson, J. A. Armour, and J. L. Ardell Interactions within the intrinsic cardiac nervous system contribute to chronotropic regulation Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, November 1, 2003; 285(5): R1066 - R1075. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. C. Arora, R. Cardinal, F. M. Smith, J. L. Ardell, L. J. Dell'Italia, and J. A. Armour Intrinsic cardiac nervous system in tachycardia induced heart failure Am J Physiol Regulatory Integrative Comp Physiol, November 1, 2003; 285(5): R1212 - R1223. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				F. M. Smith, A. S. McGuirt, D. B. Hoover, J. A. Armour, and J. L. Ardell Chronic decentralization of the heart differentially remodels canine intrinsic cardiac neuron muscarinic receptors Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol, November 1, 2001; 281(5): H1919 - H1930. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]