[Mechanism of changes in nerve cells in acute experimental emotional stress]

Neurons of the extramural ganglia (g. cervical superior, g. stellate, g. nodosum) of the autonomous nervous system and sympathetic trunk (L4-L6) of rabbits were studied ultrastructurally under acute experimental emotional stress induced by simultaneous electric stimulation of ventromedial hypothalamic nuclei and by electrodermal stimulation of the hind limbs of the immobilized animals. The neurons of the sympathetic ganglia and sympathetic trunk showed insignificant changes. The greatest changes were discovered in the neurons of g. nodosa where, apart from pronounced changes in the nucleus and cytoplasmic organelles, the number and size of lysosomes were also substantially affected.