Effect of functional sympathetic nervous system impairment of the liver and abdominal visceral adipose tissue on circulating triglyceride-rich lipoproteins

This study investigates how damage to the nerves controlling the liver and abdominal fat affects fat levels in the blood, specifically triglyceride-rich lipoproteins, in men with spinal cord injury. The researchers compared men with spinal cord injuries at different levels of the spine to see if the level of injury, and therefore the extent of nerve damage, influenced their triglyceride and VLDL levels. They found that men with higher spinal cord injuries, which likely meant more nerve damage affecting the liver and abdominal fat, had lower levels of these fats in their blood compared to those with lower injuries.

• 1
  Men with SCI at or above the 4th thoracic vertebrae (T4), indicating more extensive sympathetic nervous system impairment, had significantly lower serum triglyceride (TG) concentrations compared to those with SCI at or below the 5th thoracic vertebrae (T5) and able-bodied (AB) subjects.
• 2
  VLDL-P concentration was significantly elevated in the #T5 group compared to AB and "T4 groups.
• 3
  The #T5 group showed a significant linear relationship between triglyceride-rich lipoproteins (TG or Large VLDL-P) and VAT volume or HOMA-IR, which was not observed in the "T4 and AB groups.