Neural connections in and around the cavernous sinus in rat, with special reference to cerebrovascular innervation

Abstract

There is a confluence in and around the cavernous sinus of neural pathways innervating the intracranial structures. To determine the patterns of innervation, particularly of the cerebral arteries, we stained whole-mount preparations of the cavernous sinus and adjacent regions of the rat for acetylcholinesterase. The cavernous nerve plexus, with several small ganglia, mainly occupied the lateral wall of the sinus and extended laterally above the ophthalmic and maxillary divisions of the trigeminal nerve, in relation to the oculomotor and trochlear nerves. The cavernous plexus was connected to the pterygopalatine ganglion, the trigeminal ganglion, and the abducens nerve. The elongated pterygopalatine ganglion consisted of an orbital part, from which parasympathetic fibers ran to the cerebral arteries, and a cavernous part. Nerves from the lateral extension of the cavernous plexus ran rostrally into the orbit along the oculomotor, trochlear, and ophthalmic nerves, and caudally to the pineal gland along the trochlear nerve. Several branches also ran over the dura mater. Caudal to the cavernous sinus, we found two large nerves and a number of small nerves that ran between the nerves surrounding the internal carotid artery and the abducens nerve. These nerves may represent additional parasympathetic and/or sensory pathways to the cerebral arteries.

Neurochemical Characterization of Pterygopalatine Ganglion Branches in Humans

“…Cell bodies could be shown in this anterior group, which could be PPG-related ganglia or extensions of the PPG. This finding is in line with the findings of previous anatomic studies, such as a whole mount study of intracra- 18 in which it was concluded that neural cell bodies that innervate the cerebrovascular system are not confined to the classic ganglia and are more widespread than commonly thought. The NOS ϩ ganglion that was shown in ramus A in our study, located very close to the orbit, could functionally be related to the PS ganglia of the cavernous sinus.…”

Innervation of cerebral blood vessels: Morphology, plasticity, age‐related, and Alzheimer's disease‐related neurodegeneration

“…It is here that the internal carotid artery, several cranial nerves, and the pterygopalatine ganglion are in close proximity, making it likely that these structures are interconnected. An extensive study in the rat cavernous sinus region demonstrated the presence of a cavernous sinus nerve plexus with several ganglia (Bleys et al, 1996a). The ganglia comprise several small cavernous ganglia and a caudal extension of the pterygopalatine ganglion along the Vidian nerve.…”

“…The parasympathetic system is more diffuse. Fibers originate in the pterygopalatine (Edvinsson et al, 1989;Suzuki et al, 1988), otic (Edvinsson et al, 1989;Suzuki and Hardebo, 1991a), internal carotid (Suzuki et al, 1988;, and also in cavernous sinus ganglia (Bleys et al, 1996a;Bleys et al, 2001). The distribution of parasympathetic fibers over the cerebral arterial tree is known for fibers arising in the pterygopalatine and otic ganglia.…”

“…Those fibers reach the cerebral arteries via a branch of the ophthalmic nerve, the ethmoidal nerve, which passes through the ethmoidal foramen into the cranial cavity. From there, the nerve fibers course in the dura mater of the rostral base of the skull to the internal ethmoidal arteries, which branch from the anterior cerebral arteries (Bleys et al, 1996a;Hara and Weir, 1986;Suzuki et al, 1988;. Nerve fibers from the otic ganglion are distributed to the supratentorial basal cerebral arteries.…”

Increased Expression of Ca 2+ -Sensitive K + Channels in the Cerebral Microcirculation of Genetically Hypertensive Rats

“…Notably, the dura is sometimes regarded as functionally inert, but it is equipped with nerve terminals containing 5-hydroxytryptamine, acetylcholine, and other vasoactive substances, which may contact the walls of cerebral vessels. 36,37 Underlying native factors that regulate resting tone may profoundly influence the reactivity of in situ cerebral vessels 38 and, hence, also may potentially influence the resting P O of K Ca channels.…”