Journal of Dental Research, Vol 80, 484-489, Copyright © 2001 by International & American Associations for Dental Research Online Journals
Differences in parasympathetic vasodilator and salivary responses in the cat submandibular gland between lingual and chorda-lingual nerve stimulation
A. Sato, H. Izumi, I. Nakamura and K. Karita
Department of Orofacial Functions, Tohoku University School of Dentistry, Sendai, Japan.
Experimental activation of parasympathetic vasodilatation and salivation in
the submandibular gland by a "pseudoreflex" method has definite advantages
over other commonly used methods. However, it is unclear which stimulation
sites allow for avoidance of direct activation of the parasympathetic
efferents to this gland. We examined this question in heavily anesthetized
(alpha-chloralose and urethane), artificially ventilated, cervically
vago-sympathectomized cats, using the intersection of the chorda-lingual
nerve and the submandibular gland duct ("the intersection") as our
reference point. Both vasodilatation and salivation evoked by electrical
stimulation of the lingual nerve were abolished by section of the
chorda-lingual nerve (10 mm proximal to the intersection), provided the
stimulation site was distal to the intersection by 4 mm or more. This
salivation was abolished by the muscarinic receptor antagonist,
scopolamine. Thus, by careful choice of stimulation site, submandibular
gland responses mediated solely by reflex parasympathetic mechanisms can be
evoked by lingual nerve stimulation in this preparation.
