Spinal Cord Injury-Induced Dysautonomia via Plasticity in Paravertebral Sympathetic Postganglionic

Abstract

Sympathetic postganglionic neurons (SPNs) located in sympathetic ganglia represent the final common sympathetic motor output. Even though spinal cord injury (SCI) produces a profound plasticity in sympathetic autonomic function, the extent that SCI-induced dysautonomiais based on SPN changes within thoracic sympathetic ganglia is unknown. Given their strategic site in autonomic signaling to body, any plasticity is likely to be of high significance, yet there few studies due to their relative inaccessibility. We solved the accessibility problem then leveraged whole-cell recordings and transgenic approaches to study their function then dysfunction after SCI. The two most significant findings during the funding period are: (i)Whole-cell recordings reveal thoracic SPNs have a dramatically amplified excitability than previously thought, with greater intrinsic capacity for synaptic integration and with an ability for maintained firing to support sustained actions on vasomotor tone and thermoregulatory function. (ii)Observed heterogeneity in responses of membrane and synaptic response properties after SCI is partly dependent on time after injury.SPNs are initially hypo-responsive with a trend toward becoming hyper-responsive after SCI.

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Document Details

Document Type
Technical Report
Publication Date
Dec 01, 2018
Accession Number
AD1095078

Entities

People

  • Shawn Hochman

Organizations

  • Emory University

Tags

Communities of Interest

  • Biomedical

DTIC Thesaurus Topics

  • Anatomy
  • Breeding
  • Cell Physiology
  • Cells
  • Data Analysis
  • Medical Personnel
  • Membrane Potentials
  • Membranes
  • Neurons
  • Neurosciences
  • Plastic Properties
  • Spinal Column
  • Spinal Cord
  • Spinal Injuries
  • Spine
  • Students
  • Tissues

Readers

  • Cardiovascular Physiology
  • Neural Network Machine Learning.
  • Neurotrauma and Rehabilitation Medicine.