Intrinsic vasomotor innervation of blood vessels in human ventrolateral medulla.

Medullae were obtained at autopsy from seven patients with no neurologic disease, and sections were processed for tyrosine hydroxylase (TH), nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate diaphorase (NADPH-d), or both. Both TH- and NADPH-d reactive neurons had close anatomical relationship with penetrating blood vessels in the ventrolateral medulla (VLM). Three patterns were identified: 1) processes arising from a neighboring neuron reaching the blood vessel; 2) direct appositions of cell bodies to blood vessels; and 3) fibers coursing parallel to the blood vessels. This intrinsic innervation may provide a mechanism of coupling among local metabolism, sympathetic activity, and blood flow in the VLM.