title: Central cholinergic modulation of the exercise pressor reflex in anesthetized cats.
abstract: Effects of central administration of a cholinesterase inhibitor, physostigmine, on cardiovascular responses to static contraction and passive stretch of the triceps surae were studied using anesthetized cats. Contraction increased mean arterial pressure (MAP), heart rate (HR), and renal sympathetic nerve activity (RSNA) by 44 +/- 5 mmHg, 18 +/- 1 beats/min, and 86 +/- 6%, respectively. MAP, HR, and RSNA increased during stretch by 44 +/- 5 mmHg, 15 +/- 1 beats/min, and 61 +/- 4%, respectively. Administration of physostigmine (100 micrograms; 5 microliters) into the third ventricle decreased resting MAP by 22 +/- 3 mmHg and RSNA by 32 +/- 4%, with no effect on HR. Physostigmine attenuated the contraction-evoked responses as MAP, HR, and RSNA increased by 17 +/- 2 mmHg, 3 +/- 1 beats/min, and 31 +/- 6%, respectively. Also, physostigmine blunted MAP, HR, and RSNA responses to stretch (16 +/- 2 mmHg, 4 +/- 1 beats/min, and 9 +/- 6%, respectively). Posterior hypothalamic stimulation increased MAP by 39 +/- 3 mmHg, which was unaffected by physostigmine, despite a lower baseline. Cardiovascular and RSNA responses to contraction and stretch returned to control 90-120 min after physostigmine. Preadministration of the muscarinic antagonist, atropine sulfate (100 micrograms; 5 microliters), blocked the effects of physostigmine. Results suggest central cholinergic stimulation can inhibit the exercise pressor reflex in anesthetized cats.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine and Physiology and Moss Heart Center, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas 75235-9034.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ally
authors.forename: A F
authors.initials: AF
authors.lastname: Meintjes
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Mitchell
authors.forename: L B
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Wilson
mesh_terms: D000758:Anesthesia; D000818:Animals; D001285:Atropine / Q000494:pharmacology; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D001933:Brain Stem / Q000502:physiology*; D002415:Cats; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D005260:Female; D007034:Hypothalamus, Posterior / Q000502:physiology; D007276:Injections, Intraventricular; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity / Q000502:physiology*; D009119:Muscle Contraction; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D010830:Physostigmine / Q000494:pharmacology; D012018:Reflex / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D001285:Atropine; D010830:Physostigmine