[Current views on the role of the autonomic nervous system in cardiovascular pathology]

The data obtained over recent years with regard to the time course of changes in different heart tissues occurring due to primary lesions of the nervous system are presented. The disorders caused by irritation of different parts of the nervous system particularly its vegetative part are considered. A group of tissue changes occurring after partial or complete denervation of the organ is described. Along with stereotype lesions some specific features are found in the heart in both types of affection of nerve-tissue relationships. Another approach of morphological studies refers to secondary changes of the nervous apparatus of the heart in diseases and involvement of the cardiovascular system. It has been shown, in particular, that myocardial infarction or the development of rheumatic heart defect are followed by reaction of intracardial nerve plexus sometimes terminating in their partial destruction which aggravates the course of the disease.