TRANSMISSION IN AUTONOMIC GANGLIA CONCLUDING REMARKS

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the transmission in autonomic ganglia. It has been demonstrated that catecholamines can enhance the depolarization of the membrane in sympathetic ganglion neuron caused by the activation of muscarinic cholinergic or peptidergic receptors of the neuron. This modulatory effect is caused by the activation of beta adrenergic or dopaminergic receptors of the neuron, and involves an intracellular cAMP. It is not yet clear whether the function of this modulatory effect is the regulation of the nerve cell metabolism or it extends to the modulation of natural synaptic transmission through the ganglion. The ionic channels responsible for the generation of late slow excitatory-postsynaptic potential appear voltage-sensitive, which makes them similar in this particular relation to nicotinic receptor channels of the same ganglion neurons.