Mechanism of rectal contraction mediated by sympathetic efferents from rectoanal pelvic afferents in guinea pigs.

In guinea pigs whose pelvic nerves were bilaterally sectioned, afferent stimulation of rectoanal branches of the pelvic nerve (PAS) could produce an intense contraction in the rectum similar to propulsive contractions elicited during defecation. The mechanism of this reflex was analyzed. Rectal contraction by PAS was abolished after transecting the spinal cord at T13 or sectioning the lumbar splanchnic nerves (LSN) or lumbar colonic nerves (LCN), but was unaffected by severing the intermesenteric and hypogastric nerves. Rectal contraction induced by PAS was abolished peripherally by atropine, guanethidine or yohimbine, while propranolol had no affect. Yohimbine antagonized the inhibitory effect of LSN or LCN stimulation on atropine-sensitive rectal contractions. It may, therefore, be concluded that PAS blocks the inhibition, by LCN efferents acting through alpha-adrenoreceptors, of cholinergic neurons in the myenteric plexus, thus facilitating recto-rectal propulsive contractions initiated by the defecation reflex.