‘Paralytic Secretion’ of Saliva: An Example of Supersensitivity After Denervation

Abstract

Observations on paralytic secretion of saliva have been made principally in dog and cat, slightly in rabbit, not at all in man. "Paralytic secretion" is the spontaneous flow of saliva from the submaxillary gland which follows cutting the chorda tympani, not immediately, but beginning a day later and building up rapidly to a maximum in a week or 10 days, to remain at this level for several weeks. The degree varies from animal to animal, and depends on the kind and depth of anesthesia. After a brief historical review, the author recounts expts. from his own laboratory which "suggested the possibility that paralytic secretion, which has been regarded as a permanent slow secretion, is in fact obtained only under exptl. conditions which involve a sympathetic dis-charge to the gland or a release of epinephrine (nor-epinephrine) from the suprarenals. The paralytic secretion may then be comparable to another well-known phenomenon, the "paradoxical pupillary dilation." Two conditions would then have to be fulfilled for the paralytic secretion to appear: a sensitization of the sub-maxillary gland to epinephrine (nor-epinephrine) brought about in some way by section of the chorda tympani; and liberation of epinephrine (nor-epinephrine) from the suprarenals in amts. large enough to stimulate the sensitized gland to salivary secretion." These 2 conditions are discussed.