Atsuko Seki1, Hunter R Green2, Thomas D Lee2, LongSheng Hong2, Jian Tan3, Harry V Vinters2, Peng-Sheng Chen3, Michael C Fishbein2. 1. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California. Electronic address: ASeki@mednet.ucla.edu. 2. Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California. 3. Krannert Institute of Cardiology, Division of Cardiology, Department of Medicine, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, Indiana.
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy has been used for chronic heart failure and is believed to improve imbalance of autonomic control by increasing parasympathetic activity. Although it is known that there is neural communication between the VN and the cervical sympathetic trunk, there are few data regarding the quantity and/or distribution of the sympathetic components within the vagus nerve (VN). OBJECTIVE: To examine the sympathetic components within the human VN and correlate them with the presence of cardiac and neurologic diseases. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemistry on 31 human cervical and thoracic VNs (total 104 VNs) from autopsies and reviewed the patients' records. We correlated the quantity of sympathetic nerve fibers within the VNs with cardiovascular and neurologic disease states. RESULTS: All 104 VNs contain tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive (sympathetic) nerve fibers; the mean TH-positive areas were 5.47% in the right cervical VN, 3.97% in the left cervical VN, 5.11% in the right thoracic VN, and 4.20% in the left thoracic VN. The distribution of TH-positive nerve fibers varied from case to case: central, peripheral, or scattered throughout nerve bundles. No statistically significant differences in nerve morphology were seen between diseases in which VNS is considered effective (depression and chronic heart failure) and other cardiovascular diseases or neurodegenerative disease. CONCLUSION: Human VNs contain sympathetic nerve fibers. The sympathetic component within the VN could play a role in physiologic effects reported with VNS. The recognition of sympathetic nerve fibers in the VNs may lead to better understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms of VNS.
BACKGROUND: Vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) therapy has been used for chronic heart failure and is believed to improve imbalance of autonomic control by increasing parasympathetic activity. Although it is known that there is neural communication between the VN and the cervical sympathetic trunk, there are few data regarding the quantity and/or distribution of the sympathetic components within the vagus nerve (VN). OBJECTIVE: To examine the sympathetic components within the human VN and correlate them with the presence of cardiac and neurologic diseases. METHODS: We performed immunohistochemistry on 31 human cervical and thoracic VNs (total 104 VNs) from autopsies and reviewed the patients' records. We correlated the quantity of sympathetic nerve fibers within the VNs with cardiovascular and neurologic disease states. RESULTS: All 104 VNs contain tyrosine hydroxylase (TH)-positive (sympathetic) nerve fibers; the mean TH-positive areas were 5.47% in the right cervical VN, 3.97% in the left cervical VN, 5.11% in the right thoracic VN, and 4.20% in the left thoracic VN. The distribution of TH-positive nerve fibers varied from case to case: central, peripheral, or scattered throughout nerve bundles. No statistically significant differences in nerve morphology were seen between diseases in which VNS is considered effective (depression and chronic heart failure) and other cardiovascular diseases or neurodegenerative disease. CONCLUSION:Human VNs contain sympathetic nerve fibers. The sympathetic component within the VN could play a role in physiologic effects reported with VNS. The recognition of sympathetic nerve fibers in the VNs may lead to better understanding of the therapeutic mechanisms of VNS.
Authors: Renato Galli; Ugo Limbruno; Chiara Pizzanelli; Filippo Sean Giorgi; Ludovico Lutzemberger; Giancarlo Strata; Luca Pataleo; Mario Mariani; Alfonso Iudice; Luigi Murri Journal: Auton Neurosci Date: 2003-08-29 Impact factor: 3.145
Authors: Mariko Kobayashi; Alex Massiello; Jamshid H Karimov; David R Van Wagoner; Kiyotaka Fukamachi Journal: Ann Thorac Surg Date: 2013-06-05 Impact factor: 4.330
Authors: Yuan Yuan; Jonathan L Hassel; Anisiia Doytchinova; David Adams; Keith C Wright; Chad Meshberger; Lan S Chen; Maria P Guerra; Changyu Shen; Shien-Fong Lin; Thomas H Everett; Vicenta Salanova; Peng-Sheng Chen Journal: Heart Rhythm Date: 2017-08-01 Impact factor: 6.343
Authors: Zhaolei Jiang; Ye Zhao; Wei-Chung Tsai; Yuan Yuan; Kroekkiat Chinda; Jian Tan; Patrick Onkka; Changyu Shen; Lan S Chen; Michael C Fishbein; Shien-Fong Lin; Peng-Sheng Chen; Thomas H Everett Journal: JACC Clin Electrophysiol Date: 2018-06-27
Authors: Eric Beaumont; Regenia P Campbell; Michael C Andresen; Stephanie Scofield; Krishna Singh; Imad Libbus; Bruce H KenKnight; Logan Snyder; Nathan Cantrell Journal: Am J Physiol Heart Circ Physiol Date: 2017-05-05 Impact factor: 4.733
Authors: Jeffrey L Ardell; Heath Nier; Matthew Hammer; E Marie Southerland; Christopher L Ardell; Eric Beaumont; Bruce H KenKnight; J Andrew Armour Journal: J Physiol Date: 2017-09-30 Impact factor: 5.182
Authors: Yuan Yuan; Ye Zhao; Johnson Wong; Wei-Chung Tsai; Zhaolei Jiang; Ryan A Kabir; Seongwook Han; Changyu Shen; Michael C Fishbein; Lan S Chen; Zhenhui Chen; Thomas H Everett; Peng-Sheng Chen Journal: Heart Rhythm Date: 2020-02-14 Impact factor: 6.343