Abstract: ObjectiveTo investigate the retrograde changes in the dorsal motor nuclei (DMV) of the vagus nerve after vagotomy
in rats. MethodsNissl staining and immunohistochemistry were used to observe the morphological and quantitative changes
of the DMV and alterations of the expression of iNOS and NADPH after severing of the vagus nerve in adult male Wistar rats.
ResultsCompared with the control group, the rats with right vagotomy showed obvious morphological changes and a
significantly decreased number of neurons in the right DMV (P<0.05). Numerous iNOS- and NADPH-immunopositve cells
were detected in the right DMV5and10days after right vagotomy.ConclusionVagotomy causes obvious retrograde changes
in rat DMV shown by a significantly decreased number and obvious morphological changes of the neurons in the DMV.