Leptin action in the brain has emerged as an important regulator of liver function independently from its effects on food intake and body weight. The autonomic nervous system plays a key role in the regulation of physiological processes by leptin. Here, we used direct recording of nerve activity from sympathetic or vagal nerves subserving the liver to investigate how brain action of leptin cont...

Previous evidence has shown that sympathetic nerve responses to insular cortical (IC) stimulation are mediated by synapses within the lateral hypothalamic area (LHA) and ventrolateral medulla. The present study determined the receptor(s) involved at the synapse in the LHA associated with stimulation-evoked IC sympathetic responses. Twenty-seven male Wistar rats were instrumented for renal nerve...

In a recent study, we examined the glycemic and autonomic nervous responses to probiotic strain Lactobacillus johnsonii La1, and presented evidence that intraduodenal (ID) injection of this bacteria affected autonomic nerves and lowered blood pressure (BP) in anesthetized rats. In the study presented here, we examined the feeding, autonomic and cardiovascular effects of the lactobacillus strain...

Autonomic ganglia are relays in the distribution of nerve fibres in the peripheral nervous system. In the pelvis there are local ganglion formations in the pathway of nerve fibres to and from pelvic viscera and vasculature: in rodents these are the male anterior major pelvic ganglion and the female paracervical ganglion (Frankenhäuser's ganglion). They are unusual in that they contain both symp...

Autonomic neuropathies may occur primarily or secondarily to various underlying diseases. Primary autonomic neuropathies are divided into pure autonomic neuropathy, autonomic neuropathy with sensory impairment, and autonomic neuropathy with sensory and motor impairment based on the concomitance or absence of sensory or motor dysfunctions. Autoimmune autonomic ganglionopathy refers to a pure aut...