Document Detail


Motion sickness: a cholinomimetic agent hypothesis.
MedLine Citation:
PMID:  21846953     Owner:  NLM     Status:  MEDLINE    
Abstract/OtherAbstract:
Motion sickness has been defined as a set of physiological signs and symptoms produced as a result of prolonged sensory conflict in central nervous system vestibular centers. It has long been noted that the particular pattern of motion sickness signs and symptoms does not fit the conventional "fight or flight vs. rest and digest" autonomic synergy. We argue that most of the progression of symptoms is consistent with a new etiologic hypothesis: that an as-yet-unidentified ganglionic cholinomimetic agent is slowly released in proportion to sensory conflict. The agent accumulates systemically and stimulates the peripheral sympathetic and parasympathetic ganglia, the adrenal medulla, and potentiates the response of central cholinergic emetic pathways to the same conflict stimulus. The predominant effects of ganglionic stimulation on each autonomic organ, determined by resting tone, are selectively enhanced or inhibited by adrenal catecholamine release, producing the atypical pattern of autonomic changes seen in motion sickness. The adrenergic response may eventually also counter the central emetic drive. The hypothesis could be experimentally pursued via human and animal experiments employing a nicotinic antagonist that has both central and peripheral ganglionic actions such as mecamylamine.
Authors:
Scott E Sheehan; Charles M Oman; Kevin R Duda
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Publication Detail:
Type:  Journal Article; Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't; Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.    
Journal Detail:
Title:  Journal of vestibular research : equilibrium & orientation     Volume:  21     ISSN:  1878-6464     ISO Abbreviation:  J Vestib Res     Publication Date:  2011  
Date Detail:
Created Date:  2011-08-17     Completed Date:  2011-12-13     Revised Date:  2012-03-28    
Medline Journal Info:
Nlm Unique ID:  9104163     Medline TA:  J Vestib Res     Country:  Netherlands    
Other Details:
Languages:  eng     Pagination:  209-17     Citation Subset:  IM; S    
Affiliation:
Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. sesheehan@partners.org
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MeSH Terms
Descriptor/Qualifier:
Animals
Catecholamines / secretion
Cholinergic Agents / pharmacology*
Ganglia, Autonomic / drug effects
Humans
Models, Neurological
Motion Sickness / physiopathology*
Receptors, Nicotinic / physiology
Chemical
Reg. No./Substance:
0/Catecholamines; 0/Cholinergic Agents; 0/Receptors, Nicotinic

From MEDLINE®/PubMed®, a database of the U.S. National Library of Medicine


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