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Coronary vasoconstrictor pathway from anterior hypothalamus includes neurons in RVLM. Am J Physiol 1993 Dec;265(6 Pt 2):R1311-7

Date

12/01/1993

Pubmed ID

8285271

DOI

10.1152/ajpregu.1993.265.6.R1311

Scopus ID

2-s2.0-0027142227 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site)   6 Citations

Abstract

We have previously identified discrete brain sites [anterior (AHA) and lateral hypothalamus, periaqueductal gray, pontine parabrachial nucleus, lateral reticular formation, and rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM)] in the cat, in which electrical or chemical activation produces coronary vasoconstriction. This study examines whether the most rostral (AHA) and caudal (RVLM) of these sites are connected as part of a common pathway mediating coronary vasoconstriction. In chloralose-anesthetized cats, electrical stimulation in the AHA produced maximum increases in arterial pressure (41 +/- 10%) and coronary vascular resistance (28 +/- 9%). Microinjection of lidocaine into the RVLM attenuated the increases in arterial pressure (10 +/- 3%) and coronary vascular resistance (5 +/- 1%) in response to electrical stimulation in the AHA (P < 0.05 vs. before lidocaine). Lidocaine nonspecifically inhibits neural elements in the region. gamma-Aminobutyric acid in the RVLM, which selectively inhibits cell bodies and not fibers passing through the RVLM, attenuated the increase in coronary vascular resistance (38 +/- 8 to 14 +/- 3%; P < 0.05) but not the increase in arterial pressure (87 +/- 12 to 92 +/- 16%) in response to electrical stimulation in the AHA. These data indicate that coronary vasoconstriction in response to electrical stimulation in the AHA requires cell bodies in the RVLM; however, the associated pressor response is mediated by fibers passing through the RVLM. We conclude that a polysynaptic descending pathway that mediates sympathetic coronary vasoconstriction descends from the AHA through a synaptic connection in the RVLM.

Author List

Goodson AR, LaMaster TS, Gutterman DD

Author

David Gutterman MD Emeritus Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin




MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold

Animals
Anterior Hypothalamic Nucleus
Cats
Coronary Vessels
Electric Stimulation
Female
Injections
Lidocaine
Male
Medulla Oblongata
Neurons
Vasoconstriction
gamma-Aminobutyric Acid