British journal of anaesthesia
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Neural growth factor (NGF) is required for healing and sprouting of cardiac sympathetic and sensory nerves and plays important roles in cardiac protection, sustaining cardiac function and regeneration in ischaemic heart disease. The overexpression or lack of the NGF could be harmful to the heart. In this study, we examined the role of spinal nerves in the modulation of expression of the NGF in the myocardium at risk of ischaemia soon after acute myocardial infarction in rats. ⋯ The spinal nerves innervating the heart may play an important role in sustaining the up-regulation of the NGF in the myocardium early after acute myocardial infarction, an effect which can be inhibited by the blockade of these nerves.