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Dysautonomia and autonomic neuropathies
Dennis P O'Brien1, Gayle C Johnson
1Department of Veterinary Medicine and Surgery, a University of Missouri, Columbia 65211, USA. oBrienD@missouri.edu
The Veterinary Clinics of North America. Small Animal Practice
|January 12, 2002
Summary
Dysautonomia, a primary nervous system disease, is increasingly diagnosed in Midwest animals. Affected animals show degeneration of autonomic ganglia and brainstem nuclei without significant inflammation, with unknown causes and symptomatic treatment.
Area of Science:
- Veterinary Neurology
- Autonomic Nervous System Research
- Comparative Pathology
Background:
- The autonomic nervous system (ANS) regulates involuntary bodily functions.
- ANS dysfunction can arise from diffuse peripheral neuropathies (e.g., diabetes) or primary conditions like dysautonomia.
- Dysautonomia is increasingly recognized in veterinary patients, particularly in the Midwest.
Purpose of the Study:
- To describe the clinical presentation and pathological findings of dysautonomia in affected animals.
- To highlight the increasing prevalence of this condition in a specific geographic region.
Main Methods:
- Case series review of animals diagnosed with dysautonomia.
- Histopathological examination of nervous system tissues, focusing on autonomic ganglia and brainstem nuclei.
Main Results:
- Affected animals exhibited absence of parasympathetic and autonomic ganglia.
- Degeneration of brainstem nuclei was observed with minimal accompanying inflammation.
- The etiology of the observed pathology remains unknown.
Conclusions:
- Dysautonomia represents a primary neurological disease affecting the autonomic nervous system in animals.
- The condition is characterized by specific neuropathological changes, notably neuronal degeneration without significant inflammatory response.
- Further research is needed to determine the cause and develop targeted treatments for canine and other species' dysautonomia.