Selective impairment of noradrenergic transmission in the bisected rat vas deferens following photochemically-induced cerebral ischaemia.
BACKGROUND
Cerebrovascular disease may impair the autonomic control of peripheral organs including the male urogenital tract. This study investigates the effect of cortico-parietal focal ischaemia on the adrenergic and purinergic transmission in isolated epididymal and prostatic portion of rat vas deferens.


METHODS
Focal brain ischaemia was induced in male rats by photochemical activation following rose bengal intravenous injection. Twenty-four hours following brain ischaemia, cumulative and non-cumulative concentration-response curves were obtained for noradrenaline and alpha,beta-methylene ATP in the right and left epididymal and prostatic portions of the vas deferens. Both portions were also stimulated by single-pulse or pulse trains at 2-30 Hz to produce isometric contractions.


RESULTS
In both portions from ischaemic rats the response to exogenous noradrenaline was markedly depressed compared with controls. Acute cortico-parietal ischaemia almost completely abolished the adrenergic phase of the response to single-pulse stimulation in the epididymal portion of the vas deferens. In addition, brain ischaemia deeply depressed phasic and tonic contractions of the frequency-response curve in both portions of bisected vas deferens.


CONCLUSIONS
Cortico-parietal ischaemia produces a selective noradrenergic impairment at the level of male sexual secondary organs that may contribute to sexual dysfunction after stroke.
Boselli
C
C
Department of Experimental and Applied Pharmacology, School of Pharmacy, University of Pavia, Pavia, Italy. cinzia.boselli@unipv.it
Gioglio
L
L
Preda
S
S
Govoni
S
S
D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D000818:Animals; D002545:Brain Ischemia / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000503:physiopathology*; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D004558:Electric Stimulation; D004822:Epididymis; D066298:In Vitro Techniques; D007275:Injections, Intravenous; D007537:Isometric Contraction; D008027:Light; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D011467:Prostate; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D012395:Rose Bengal / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D009435:Synaptic Transmission; D014649:Vas Deferens / Q000187:drug effects / Q000294:innervation* / Q000503:physiopathology
D012395:Rose Bengal; D000255:Adenosine Triphosphate; C002630:alpha,beta-methyleneadenosine 5'-triphosphate; D009638:Norepinephrine