Small intestine and small colon neuropathy in equine dysautonomia (grass sickness).
Abstract: The number of neurons in the coeliacomesenteric ganglia and the myenteric and submucosal plexuses of the jejunum, ileum and small colon, and the pathological changes induced in them, were studied in various types of equine dysautonomia. In all forms of dysautonomia, severe and extensive neuron loss and damage occurred in the ileum. In acute and subacute dysautonomia, jejunal neuron loss and damage were severe, but in chronic cases significantly less loss or damage occurred. The damage followed the same pattern in the small colon but it was always less obvious than in the jejunum. The distribution of the damage was uniform within a segment of the intestine. In fatal cases of dysautonomia, the clinical severity and duration of illness seems, in most instances, to be related to the amount of neuronal disruption occurring in the jejunum. Severe disruption results in acute/subacute dysautonomia, while milder damage leads to the chronic form. No case of dysautonomia was encountered in which enteric neuron loss and damage occurred without significant neuronal disruption also occurring in the coeliacomesenteric ganglia. Heal neuronal damage and loss are not invariably worse than that in the jejunum, and the possible reasons for this, together with the relationship between neuronal damage and possible causes of dysautonomia, are discussed.
Publication Date: 1995-01-01 PubMed ID: 8619291DOI: 10.1007/BF01839341Google Scholar: Lookup
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- Journal Article
- Research Support
- Non-U.S. Gov't
Summary
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This research assesses the changes in neurons in different regions of the intestines in cases of equine dysautonomia, a disease that affects the nervous system of horses, causing their digestive systems to malfunction. The severity and duration of the illness appear to be related to the amount of neuronal disruption predominantly in the part of the intestine called the jejunum.
Study on Neurons in Dysautonomia Cases
- This research process involved studying the number of neurons and the pathological changes induced in them in varied types of equine dysautonomia.
- The areas focused in this study are the coeliacomesenteric ganglia with other myenteric and submucosal plexuses of the jejunum, ileum, and small colon.
- In all forms of dysautonomia, there was severe and extensive neuron loss and damage, particularly in the ileum.
- The result shows that the amount of neuronal disruption occurring in the jejunum predominantly influences the clinical severity and duration of the disease.
Differences in Acute, Subacute, and Chronic Dysautonomia
- In acute and subacute dysautonomia, the amount of neuronal loss and damage in the jejunum is severe, while in chronic dysautonomia, this loss or damage is significantly less.
- The damage pattern in the small colon is similar to that of the jejunum but is always less obvious.
- Severe disruption results in the acute/subacute form of dysautonomia, while milder damage leads to the chronic form of dysautonomia.
Ubiquitous Neuronal Disruption in Dysautonomia
- There is no case of dysautonomia where enteric neuron loss and damage occur without significant neuronal disruption also occurring in the coeliacomesenteric ganglia.
- This suggests that the coeliacomesenteric ganglia, a cluster of neurons that innervate the majority of the abdomen, is intrinsically involved in the progression of dysautonomia.
- However, the researcher noted that damage and loss are not invariably worse than that in the jejunum, prompting further discussion on the relationship between neuronal damage and possible causes of dysautonomia.
Cite This Article
APA
Doxey DL, Milne EM, Woodman MP, Gilmour JS, Chisholm HK.
(1995).
Small intestine and small colon neuropathy in equine dysautonomia (grass sickness).
Vet Res Commun, 19(6), 529-543.
https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01839341 Publication
Researcher Affiliations
- Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies, Department of Veterinary Clinic Studies, University of Edinburgh, Roslin, Midlothian, UK.
MeSH Terms
- Animals
- Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / pathology
- Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / physiopathology
- Autonomic Nervous System Diseases / veterinary
- Colon / innervation
- Colon / pathology
- Horse Diseases / pathology
- Horse Diseases / physiopathology
- Horses
- Ileum / innervation
- Ileum / pathology
- Intestine, Small / innervation
- Intestine, Small / pathology
- Jejunum / innervation
- Jejunum / pathology
- Myenteric Plexus / physiopathology
- Myenteric Plexus / ultrastructure
- Neurons / pathology
- Neurons / physiology
- Submucous Plexus / physiopathology
- Submucous Plexus / ultrastructure
References
This article includes 20 references
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Citations
This article has been cited 3 times.- Unterköfler MS, McGorum BC, Milne EM, Licka TF. Establishment of a model for equine small intestinal disease: effects of extracorporeal blood perfusion of equine ileum on metabolic variables and histological morphology - an experimental ex vivo study.. BMC Vet Res 2019 Nov 8;15(1):400.
- Murray A, Pearson GT, Cottrell DF. Light microscopy of the enteric nervous system of horses with or without equine dysautonomia (grass sickness): its correlation with the motor effects of physostigmine.. Vet Res Commun 1997 Oct;21(7):507-20.
- Doxey DL, Pearson GT, Milne EM, Gilmour JS, Chisholm HK. The equine enteric nervous system--neuron characterization and distribution in adults and juveniles.. Vet Res Commun 1995;19(6):433-49.
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