[Structure of the cholinergic nerve plexuses of the heart and their function in sudden cardiac death].

54 hearts of men aged 30-60 were studied histochemically. The control consisted of 12 hearts of persons who died of cerebral injury. 42 persons died suddenly by fresh myocardial infarction, small-focal cardiosclerosis, postinfarction cardiosclerosis or alcohol cardiomyopathy. The density of nervous plexus was higher in the right atrium than in the left one. Right and left ventricle differed in the same way. In older persons, especially those who died suddenly, density of myocardial cholinergic nervous plexus (especially perivasal) decreased which was associated with development of perivasal fibrosis characteristic for neurotomy of perivasal plexus. Density of cardiac cholinergic plexus differed in various myocardial pathologies. It was the highest in sudden death in patients with small-focal cardiosclerosis and the lowest in sudden death in patients with fresh myocardial infarction.