Skip to main content
PMC home page
The Journal of Physiology logoLink to The Journal of Physiology
. 1972 Oct;226(2):289–309. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1972.sp009985

Reflex firing in the lumbar sympathetic outflow to activation of vesical afferent fibres*

William C de Groat, Peter M Lalley
PMCID: PMC1331182  PMID: 4508051

Abstract

1. Activation of vesical afferent fibres in the Aγδ range by electrical stimulation of the pelvic nerve or by bladder distension elicited reflex firing in hypogastric nerves and in preganglionic nerves to the inferior mesenteric ganglion.

2. The multisynaptic reflex was present in cats with an intact spinal cord and in acute and chronic spinal animals (transections at T10—T12). The reflex pathway was partially crossed in the sacral cord, and in the periphery at the level of the inferior mesenteric ganglia. In contrast, an inhibitory response to raised intravesical pressure was mediated by a supraspinal inhibitory mechanism which was activated in parallel with the micturition reflex.

3. Since enhancement as well as depression of sympathetic firing accompanied reflex micturition, it is concluded that at least two distinct populations of lumbar preganglionic neurones are responsive to vesical afferent activity: one population being excited, the other depressed, during micturition. The latter population may be involved in an inhibitory feed-back mechanism on to the bladder.

Full text

PDF
291

Selected References

These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.

  1. BEACHAM W. S., PERL E. R. BACKGROUND AND REFLEX DISCHARGE OF SYMPATHETIC PREGANGLIONIC NEURONES IN THE SPINAL CAT. J Physiol. 1964 Aug;172:400–416. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1964.sp007428. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  2. BEACHAM W. S., PERL E. R. CHARACTERISTICS OF A SPINAL SYMPATHETIC REFLEX. J Physiol. 1964 Oct;173:431–448. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1964.sp007466. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  3. Bradley W. E., Teague C. T. Hypogastric and pelvic nerve activity during the micturition reflex. J Urol. 1969 Oct;102(4):438–440. doi: 10.1016/s0022-5347(17)62168-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  4. Coote J. H., Downman C. B. Central pathways of some autonomic reflex discharges. J Physiol. 1966 Apr;183(3):714–729. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1966.sp007894. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  5. Coote J. H., Downman C. B., Weber W. V. Reflex discharges into thoracic white rami elicited by somatic and visceral afferent excitation. J Physiol. 1969 May;202(1):147–159. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008800. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  6. Coote J. H., Perez-Gonzalez J. F. The response of some sympathetic neurones to volleys in various afferent nerves. J Physiol. 1970 Jun;208(2):261–278. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1970.sp009118. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  7. De Groat W. C., Ryall R. W. Recurrent inhibition in sacral parasympathetic pathways to the bladder. J Physiol. 1968 Jun;196(3):579–591. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1968.sp008524. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  8. De Groat W. C., Saum W. R. Adrenergic inhibition in mammalian parasympathetic ganglia. Nat New Biol. 1971 Jun 9;231(23):188–189. doi: 10.1038/newbio231188a0. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  9. Edvardsen P. Nervous control of urinary bladder in cats. I. The collecting phase. Acta Physiol Scand. 1968 Jan-Feb;72(1):157–171. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1968.tb03838.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  10. Edvarsen P. Nervous control of urinary bladder in cats. 3. Effects of autonomic blocking agents in the intact animal. Acta Physiol Scand. 1968 Jan-Feb;72(1):183–193. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1968.tb03840.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  11. Franz D. N., Evans M. H., Perl E. R. Characteristics of viscerosympathetic reflexes in the spinal cat. Am J Physiol. 1966 Dec;211(6):1292–1298. doi: 10.1152/ajplegacy.1966.211.6.1292. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  12. Gjone R. Peripheral autonomic influence on the motility of the urinary bladder in the cat. I. Rhythmic contractions. Acta Physiol Scand. 1965 Dec;65(4):370–377. doi: 10.1111/j.1748-1716.1965.tb04287.x. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  13. KURU M. NERVOUS CONTROL OF MICTURITION. Physiol Rev. 1965 Jul;45:425–494. doi: 10.1152/physrev.1965.45.3.425. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  14. Langley J. N., Anderson H. K. On Reflex Action from Sympathetic Ganglia. J Physiol. 1894 May 29;16(5-6):410–440. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1894.sp000510. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  15. Langley J. N., Anderson H. K. The Innervation of the Pelvic and adjoining Viscera: Part VII. Anatomical Observations. J Physiol. 1896 Oct 19;20(4-5):372–406. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1896.sp000629. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  16. Lloyd D. P. The excitability states of inferior mesenteric ganglion cells following preganglionic activation. J Physiol. 1939 May 15;95(4):464–475. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1939.sp003743. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  17. Lloyd D. P. The transmission of impulses through the inferior mesenteric ganglia. J Physiol. 1937 Dec 14;91(3):296–313. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1937.sp003561. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  18. MUKHERJEE S. R. Effect of bladder distension on arterial blood pressure and renal circulation in acute spinal cats. J Physiol. 1957 Sep 30;138(2):300–306. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1957.sp005852. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  19. MUKHERJEE S. R. Effect of bladder distension on arterial blood pressure and renal circulation: role of splanchnic and buffer nerves. J Physiol. 1957 Sep 30;138(2):307–325. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1957.sp005853. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  20. Sato A., Kaufman A., Koizumi K., Brooks C. M. Afferent nerve groups and sympathetic reflex pathways. Brain Res. 1969 Aug;14(3):575–587. doi: 10.1016/0006-8993(69)90200-5. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  21. Sato A., Schmidt R. F. Spinal and supraspinal components of the reflex discharges into lumbar and thoracic white rami. J Physiol. 1971 Feb;212(3):839–850. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1971.sp009359. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  22. Talaat M. Afferent impulses in the nerves supplying the urinary bladder. J Physiol. 1937 Feb 19;89(1):1–13. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1937.sp003458. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
  23. de Groat W. C., Ryall R. W. Reflexes to sacral parasympathetic neurones concerned with micturition in the cat. J Physiol. 1969 Jan;200(1):87–108. doi: 10.1113/jphysiol.1969.sp008683. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]

Articles from The Journal of Physiology are provided here courtesy of The Physiological Society

RESOURCES