| Popis: |
Although it is generally agreed that carotid sinus afferents terminate centrally within the nucleus of the tractus solitarius (NTS), there is no consensus as to which parts of the nucleus are involved. Traditional histological methods (locking for terminal degeneration following nerve section) are of limited use for this problem, since for Wallerian degeneration to occur in the nucleus the afferent fibres must be cut central to the petrosal ganglion, where sinus nerves (SN) afferents are already intermingled with the rest of the glossopharyngeal nerve. However, the degeneration pattern that follows intracranial section of glossopharyngeal rootlets provides the limits within which SN afferents must terminate: terminal degeneration is then found extensively within the ipselateral NTS, but not in the extreme rostral or extreme caudal part of this nucleus (1, 2) (Fig. 1a). |
