title: Area postrema and adjacent nucleus of the solitary tract in water and sodium balance.
abstract: Lesions of the area postrema (AP) and adjacent caudal medial nucleus of the solitary tract (cmNTS) cause significant changes in water and sodium balance. Lesioned rats display a permanent polydipsia, which in part is due to a primary polyuria. Water-to-food ratios are elevated chronically. Lesioned rats are unable to concentrate their urine as well as controls. In addition, lesioned rats overdrink in response to 24-h water deprivation. This lesion also causes a natriuresis and an overconsumption of 3% NaCl solution. These findings establish the AP-cmNTS as an important part of the neurocircuitry underlying water and sodium balance.
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002552:Cerebral Ventricles / Q000502:physiology*; D004326:Drinking; D004435:Eating; D007671:Kidney Concentrating Ability; D008297:Male; D008526:Medulla Oblongata / Q000502:physiology*; D009318:Natriuresis; D009994:Osmolar Concentration; D051381:Rats; D011919:Rats, Inbred Strains; D012964:Sodium / Q000378:metabolism*; D014868:Water Deprivation / Q000502:physiology; D014882:Water-Electrolyte Balance
chemical_list: D012964:Sodium