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Neurotransmitters and Autonomous Nervous System

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Organ Crosstalk in Acute Kidney Injury

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Abstract

During acute kidney injury there is a rapid loss of kidney function with accumulation of end-metabolic products and abnormal composition of body fluids, electrolytes, and acid-base homeostasis. Neurohumoral activation with a special role of the sympathetic nervous system contributes to maintaining homeostasis of the renal function.

The autonomic nervous system (ANS) innerves major structural components of the kidneys (tubules, pelvis, blood vessels, and glomeruli) through renal efferent and afferent nerves. ANS regulates renal blood flow, glomerular filtration rate, tubular sodium and water reabsorption, and renin and prostaglandins release. The kidneys only receive sympathetic nerve activity. The sympathetic afferent nerves are part of the autonomic nervous system and allow a connection between the central nervous system and the kidneys. They do this by releasing small molecules called neurotransmitters.

These molecules are delivered in the proximity of the point of action through the synapses at which a neuron communicates with an effector cell. Most synapses in the mammal are the chemical type and use neurotransmitters as messengers.

This chapter aims to review basic concepts of the function and regulation of the sympathetic nervous system anatomy, neurotransmitter implications, and control of renal function in the physiological state and the role that it plays in pathophysiologic conditions such as acute kidney injury.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Neurology Division, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Carlos Guillermo Videla

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  1. Carlos Guillermo Videla
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Correspondence to Carlos Guillermo Videla .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Nephrology Division, Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires, Buenos Aires, Argentina

    Carlos Guido Musso

  2. Grigore T. Popa University of Medicine, Iasi, Romania

    Adrian Covic

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Videla, C.G. (2023). Neurotransmitters and Autonomous Nervous System. In: Musso, C.G., Covic, A. (eds) Organ Crosstalk in Acute Kidney Injury. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36789-2_4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-36789-2_4

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  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

  • Print ISBN: 978-3-031-36788-5

  • Online ISBN: 978-3-031-36789-2

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