Prof. Tomokazu Kawashima
Associate professor
Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine,
Toho University, Tokyo, Japan
Comparative Neuroanatomy of Heart
In cardiac regulating system, the cardiac nervous system has been paid less attention than others such as cardiac conduction system. However, the cardiac nervous system not only controls life-maintaining functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood flow and pain delivery but also plays key role to development and progression of heart failure.
Recent research data on molecular physiological mechanisms and clinical alterations continue to be accumulated and thus these evidences clarify that research on the cardiac nervous system will accelerate in the future. On the other hand, the underlying morphological foundation as an anatomical map on complicated cardiac nerve plexuses still remains incompletely understood.
Until now, I have conducted evolutionary anatomical studies of the extrinsic cardiac nervous system in humans, non-human primates and its relatives, and some experimental mammals to gain a broader perspective on the anatomical modifications and evolution of this system within placental mammals. Our comparative anatomical researches contribute to clarify anatomical standing issues and obtain the evolutionary-developmental basis on the cardiac innervation.
The somatic skeleton, muscles and nerves are modified for functional adaptations, but the autonomic nervous system probably is not and possibly preserves its evolutionary history in close alignment with phylogeny. Therefore, the evolution of the mammalian autonomic (cardiac) nervous system should be demonstrated by its comparative anatomy without concern for derived features reflecting ecological, kinematic (locomotion), and dietary adaptations as seen in somatic systems.
This session will provide our current understanding on “Comparative Neuroanatomy of Heart”.
Associate professor
Department of Anatomy, School of Medicine,
Toho University, Tokyo, Japan
Comparative Neuroanatomy of Heart
In cardiac regulating system, the cardiac nervous system has been paid less attention than others such as cardiac conduction system. However, the cardiac nervous system not only controls life-maintaining functions such as heart rate, blood pressure, blood flow and pain delivery but also plays key role to development and progression of heart failure.
Recent research data on molecular physiological mechanisms and clinical alterations continue to be accumulated and thus these evidences clarify that research on the cardiac nervous system will accelerate in the future. On the other hand, the underlying morphological foundation as an anatomical map on complicated cardiac nerve plexuses still remains incompletely understood.
Until now, I have conducted evolutionary anatomical studies of the extrinsic cardiac nervous system in humans, non-human primates and its relatives, and some experimental mammals to gain a broader perspective on the anatomical modifications and evolution of this system within placental mammals. Our comparative anatomical researches contribute to clarify anatomical standing issues and obtain the evolutionary-developmental basis on the cardiac innervation.
The somatic skeleton, muscles and nerves are modified for functional adaptations, but the autonomic nervous system probably is not and possibly preserves its evolutionary history in close alignment with phylogeny. Therefore, the evolution of the mammalian autonomic (cardiac) nervous system should be demonstrated by its comparative anatomy without concern for derived features reflecting ecological, kinematic (locomotion), and dietary adaptations as seen in somatic systems.
This session will provide our current understanding on “Comparative Neuroanatomy of Heart”.
