Functional Recovery Following Vagosympathetic Anastomosis in the Cat

¹ From the Laboratory of Neuroanatomical Sciences, National Institute of Neurological Diseases and Blindness, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland

Vagosympathetic anastomosis was performed in cats to direct regenerating vagal fibers to the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion. Two weeks postoperatively myosis, nictitating membrane prolapse and loss of ear temperature regulatory function were observed. By the 8th postoperative week ear temperature function had returned to normal although ocular signs of sympathetic paralysis remained. Pupillary dilatation and nictitating membrane retraction did occur at times ordinarily associated with vagal activity (accompanying feeding). Transection of the regenerated vagus nerve abolished both ocular feeding reflex and the recovered ear temperature regulatory function.