Peripheral Neural Control of Thermoregulatory Salivary Secretion in the Rat

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Abstract
Rats exposed to heat stress increase heat loss by evaporating saliva groomed onto body surfaces. Both the submaxillary glands and the parotid glands secrete saliva in response to heat, and both are innervated by parasympathetic and sympathetic nerves. The results of previous investigations have indicated that the parasympathetic nervous supply is of major importance in controlling salivary secretion from the submaxillary glands of heat-stressed rats. In this study saliva was collected directly from the mouth of rats exposed to heat stress, and the saliva was analyzed for sodium concentration to determine the relative contribution of the submaxillary–sublingual and parotid glands. The results indicate that parasympathetic denervation of either the submaxillary glands or the parotid glands greatly reduces secretion from that gland, without affecting the body temperature at which secretion begins. Following sympathetic denervation, salivary secretion seems to start at a higher body temperature.

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