Alafaci C, Cowen T, Crockard H A, Burnstock G
Brain Res Bull. 1986 Feb;16(2):303-4. doi: 10.1016/0361-9230(86)90046-8.
The origin of serotonergic nerves supplying the large cerebral vessels of the gerbil has been investigated after bilateral superior cervical ganglionectomy. Immunohistochemical techniques were applied to whole-mount stretch preparations of the cerebral vessels. Removal of both ganglia resulted in the complete loss of immunoreactive fibres in the vessels supplied by the internal carotid artery and in a marked reduction of fibres innervating vessels of the vertebro-basilar system, indicating that most of the cerebrovascular serotonergic nerves have a peripheral sympathetic origin in the gerbil. The contrast with the central origin of serotonergic perivascular nerves claimed in the rat is discussed.
