A comparative morphologic study of the cardiac innervation in domestic animals II. The feline

Abstract

Abstract Detailed morphological studies of the cardiac innervation of the cat were reported. Sympathetic cardiac nerves arose from the thoracic, cervicothoracic, vertebral, and intermediate ganglia. Parasympathetic cardiac nerves arose from the vagi, both cranial and caudal to the origin of the recurrent laryngeal nerves, and from the right recurrent laryngeal nerve. Left cardiac nerves passed primarily to the caudal and right surfaces of the left chambers while right ones ramified on the right chambers and left portion of the left chambers. Left cardiac nerves are more prominent around the coronary sinus and atrioventricular node, while right ones contribute more to the area of the sinoatrial node. Both sympathetic and parasympathetic nerves were followed to each chamber. Interconnections through the cardiac plexus facilitated overlapping of nerve distributions.