Components of the cannabinoid system in the dorsal periaqueductal gray are related to resting heart rate. Am J Physiol Regul Integr Comp Physiol 2016 Aug 01;311(2):R254-62
Date
06/10/2016Pubmed ID
27280429Pubmed Central ID
PMC4982395DOI
10.1152/ajpregu.00154.2016Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84984649626 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 10 CitationsAbstract
The present study was undertaken to examine whether variations in endocannabinoid signaling in the dorsal periaqueductal gray (dPAG) are associated with baseline autonomic nerve activity, heart rate, and blood pressure. Blood pressure was recorded telemetrically in rats, and heart rate and power spectral analysis of heart rate variability were determined. Natural variations from animal to animal provided a range of baseline values for analysis. Transcript levels of endocannabinoid signaling components in the dPAG were analyzed, and endocannabinoid content and catabolic enzyme activity were measured. Higher baseline heart rate was associated with increased anandamide content and with decreased activity of the anandamide-hydrolyzing enzyme, fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), and it was negatively correlated with transcript levels of both FAAH and monoacylglycerol lipase (MAGL), a catabolic enzyme for 2-arachidonoylglycerol (2-AG). Autonomic tone and heart rate, but not blood pressure, were correlated to levels of FAAH mRNA. In accordance with these data, exogenous anandamide in the dPAG of anesthetized rats increased heart rate. These data indicate that in the dPAG, anandamide, a FAAH-regulated lipid, contributes to regulation of baseline heart rate through influences on autonomic outflow.
Author List
Dean C, Hillard CJ, Seagard JL, Hopp FA, Hogan QHAuthors
Cecilia J. Hillard PhD Professor in the Pharmacology and Toxicology department at Medical College of WisconsinQuinn H. Hogan MD Professor in the Anesthesiology department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
AnimalsAutonomic Nervous System
Blood Pressure
Endocannabinoids
Feedback, Physiological
Heart Rate
Male
Periaqueductal Gray
Rats
Rats, Sprague-Dawley
Rest
