THE ABSENCE OF SYMPATHETIC ROLE IN ANTI-CHEINDUCED CHANGES IN CHOLINERGIC TRANSMISSION

¹ Department of Ophthalmology Research, College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia University, New York

The possibility was investigated that previously described changes in the pharmacologic behavior of the iris of the anti-ChE-treated eye are due to sympathetic inhibition of the sphincter muscle. Sympathetic influence was eliminated by sympathetic decentralization of one or both eyes prior to anti-ChE (anticholinesterase) treatment and/or by systemic administration of reserpine (cats) or chlorpromazine (cats and rabbits) or by intravitreal injection of guanethidine (rabbits) after prolonged treatment of the eyes with anti-ChE. Sympathetic decentralization of the eye did not prevent redilatation of the pupil during anti-ChE treatment. Sympathetic decentralization or the sympatholytic agents used did not inhibit light reflexes or reverse the anti-ChE-induced insensitivity of the iris to pilocarpine or carbachol. These results show that neither the sympathetic nervous system nor sympathetic neurotransmitters play a detectable role in anti-ChE-induced alterations in the pharmacologic behavior of the iris. it is concluded that, in the case of the iris, the site or sites of the anti-ChE-induced changes are the cholinergic receptors and/or the parasympathetic nerve terminals of the sphincter muscle.

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