Abstract
We have applied conventional histochemical, immunocytochemical and morphometric techniques to study the changes within the human spinal sympathetic preganglionic neurons (SPNs) after spinal cord injury. SPNs are localized within the intermediolateral nucleus (IML) of the lateral horn at the thoraco-lumbar level of the spinal cord and are the major contributors to central cardiovascular control. SPNs in different thoracic segments in the normal spinal cord were similar in soma size. SPNs in the IML were also identified using immunoreactivity to choline acetyltransferase. Soma area of SPNs was 400.7±15 μm2 and 409.9±22 μm2 at the upper thoracic (T3) and middle thoracic (T7) segments, respectively. In the spinal cord obtained from a person who survived for 2 weeks following a spinal cord injury at T5, we found a significant decrease in soma area of the SPNs in the segments below the site of injury: soma area of SPNs at T8 was 272.9±11 μm2. At T1 the soma area was 418±19 μm2. In the spinal cord obtained from a person who survived 23 years after cord injury at T3, the soma area of SPNs above (T1) and below (T7) the site of injury was similar (416.2±19 and 425.0±20 μm2 respectively). The findings demonstrate that the SPNs in spinal segments caudal to the level of the lesion undergo a significant decrease of their size 2 weeks after spinal cord injury resulting in complete transection of the spinal cord. The impaired cardiovascular control after spinal cord injury may be accounted for, in part, by the described changes of the SPNs. The SPNs in spinal segments caudal to the injury were of normal size in the case studied 23 years after the injury, suggesting that the atrophy observed at 2 weeks is transient. More studies are necessary to establish the precise time course of these morphological changes in the spinal preganglionic neurons.
Similar content being viewed by others
Log in or create a free account to read this content
Gain free access to this article, as well as selected content from this journal and more on nature.com
or
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Krassioukov, A., Bunge, R., Pucket, W. et al. The changes in human spinal sympathetic preganglionic neurons after spinal cord injury. Spinal Cord 37, 6–13 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3100718
Published:
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.sc.3100718
Keywords
This article is cited by
-
Relationships between cardiovascular disease risk, neuropathic pain, mental health, and autonomic function in chronic spinal cord injury
Spinal Cord (2023)
-
Autogenic biofeedback training improves autonomic responses in a participant with cervical motor complete spinal cord injury- case report
Spinal Cord Series and Cases (2023)
-
Associations between left ventricular structure and function with cardiorespiratory fitness and body composition in individuals with cervical and upper thoracic spinal cord injury
Spinal Cord (2021)
-
Cold pressor test in spinal cord injury—revisited
Spinal Cord (2018)
-
Non-invasive electrocardiographic assessments of cardiac autonomic modulation in individuals with spinal cord injury
Spinal Cord (2016)
