Alterations in electric activity of the afferent and efferent nerves of the tongue which result from experimental reflex hypertension

Summary

The electric activity of the afferent (lingual) nerve and efferent (cervical sympathetic) nerve (preganglionic fibers) or sublingual (postganglionic sympathetic fibers) was studied during stimulation of interoceptors of the urinary bladder. The latter resulted in increase of arterial pressure. It was shown that the greater the afferent impulsation of the lingual nerve, the more pronounced is the rise of the arterial pressure.

Impulsation increase took place only during the rise of the level of the arterial pressure. When the pressure reached its maximum, the impulsation was frequently decreased to the initial level.

After interruption of the stimulation of the urinary bladder, reestablishment of the character of impulsation took place almost at the same time when the arterial pressure returned to normal. Comparison of the initial changes of the afferent impulsation (in the lingual nerve) and efferent (in the cervical sympathetic nerve) points to the possible interrelationship of changes in the afferent and efferent impulsation. The increase of the efferent impulsation takes place at first in the cervical sympathetic nerve and later the afferent impulsation is increased in the lingual nerve. After that a significant decrease in the impulsation takes place in the cervical sympathetic nerve. Increased electrical activity is retained in the afferent nerve for 0.5 seconds.