title: Visceral afferent activation-induced changes in sympathetic nerve activity and baroreflex sensitivity.
abstract: The following experiments were done to determine whether changes in baroreflex sensitivity evoked by cervical vagus nerve stimulation are due to sympathoexcitation mediated by the parabrachial nucleus. The relative contribution of cardiopulmonary and general gastric afferents within the cervical vagus nerve to the depression in baroreflex sensitivity are also investigated. Male Sprague-Dawley rats anesthetized with thiobutabarbital sodium (50 mg/kg) were instrumented to measure blood pressure and heart rate or for the continuous monitoring of renal sympathetic nerve activity. Baroreflex sensitivity was measured using bolus injections of phenylephrine. Electrical stimulation of the cervical vagus (with or without the aortic depressor nerve) or the abdominal vagus nerve produced a significant increase in renal nerve activity and a decrease in baroreflex sensitivity. Both of these effects were blocked after the microinjection of lidocaine into the parabrachial nucleus before nerve stimulation. Therefore, we conclude that an increase in the activity of cardiac, pulmonary, or general gastric afferents mediated the increased sympathetic output and decreased baroreflex sensitivity via a pathway involving the parabrachial nucleus.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Atlantic Veterinary College, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island C1A 4P3, Nova Scotia, Canada B3H 4H7. tsaleh@upei.ca
authors.forename: T M
authors.initials: TM
authors.lastname: Saleh
authors.forename: B J
authors.initials: BJ
authors.lastname: Connell
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Allen
mesh_terms: D000005:Abdomen / Q000294:innervation; D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta / Q000294:innervation; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000502:physiology*; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D008297:Male; D008845:Microinjections; D009333:Neck / Q000294:innervation; D009424:Nervous System Physiological Phenomena; D009475:Neurons, Afferent / Q000502:physiology*; D011149:Pons / Q000502:physiology; D011311:Pressoreceptors / Q000502:physiology; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013564:Sympathetic Nervous System / Q000502:physiology*; D014630:Vagus Nerve / Q000502:physiology; D014781:Viscera / Q000294:innervation*