Interaction of putative transmitters in central nervous pathways involved in the control of heart rate and arterial pressure.
As many putative transmitter substances have been shown to be co-localized in areas of the central nervous system involved in cardiovascular control, we have investigated the possibility that some of these substances may interact in eliciting changes in heart rate and arterial pressure in anesthetized rats. In a first set of experiments, interactions between atrial natriuretic factor and glutamate were investigated by microinjection into the nucleus of the tractus solitarius, the site of termination of baroreceptor fibers of the aortic depressor nerve. In addition, interactions between the transmitter released in the nucleus tractus solitarius by electrical stimulation of the aortic depressor nerve and atrial natriuretic factor microinjected into the nucleus tractus solitarius were investigated. Combined microinjection of atrial natriuretic factor and glutamate into the nucleus tractus solitarius, or stimulation of the aortic depressor nerve combined with atrial natriuretic factor in the nucleus tractus solitarius, elicited decreases in heart rate and arterial pressure which were greater than the responses to either substance or stimulation alone or their algebraic sum. In a second set of experiments, interactions between substance P and acetylcholine were investigated in the intermediolateral nucleus of the spinal cord, the location of sympathetic preganglionic neurons. Furthermore, we investigated the possibility that the cardiovascular responses to microinjection of substance P and acetylcholine into the intermediolateral nucleus could be potentiated by the transmitter released in the intermediolateral nucleus by microinjection of glutamate into the rostral ventrolateral medulla, a region with known sympatho-excitatory function.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Calaresu
F R
FR
Department of Physiology, University of Western Ontario, London, Canada.
McKitrick
D J
DJ
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D002490:Central Nervous System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D004347:Drug Interactions; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats
D018377:Neurotransmitter Agents