Cholinergic regulation of intracerebral noradrenergic pathway-induced hypothalamic vasodilatation

K. P. Klugman, G. Mitchell, C. Rosendorff

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

Stimulation of the intracerebral noradrenergic pathway (INP) increases hypothalamic blood flow as measured in conscious rabbits using a 125xenon washout technique. This Increase is abolished by the intra-hypothalamic injection of 0.65 µg of the muscarinic antagonist atropine and by 5 µg of the nicotinic antagonist mecamylamine. Further, 1 µg of the cholinomimetic methacholine produces a similar vasodilatation. While methachoHne enhances the vasodilatation on stimulation of the INP, destruction of the pathway abolishes the entire vasodilator response to metbacholine. Removal of the superior cervical sympathetic ganglia does not abolish vasodilatation. A role for endogenous acetylcholine In the INP-induced vasodilatation is thus proposed. This vasodilatation appears to act via an increase in neuronal activity with a resultant lowering of local pH, as 60 µg barbiturate and intra-hypothalamic bicarbonate abolish the dilatation completely. The cholinergic vasodilatation reported here Is probably an excitatory effect on the INP and is not likely to be due to an inhibition of sympathetic vasoconstrictor tone.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)522-527
Number of pages6
JournalStroke
Volume11
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - 1980
Externally publishedYes

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