Parasympathetic tonic dilatory influences on cerebral vessels.
Parasympathetic nerves from the pterygopalatine ganglia may participate in development of cluster headaches, in vascular responses to hypertension and in modulation of damage due to stroke. Stimulation of the nerves elicits cerebral vasodilatation, but it is not known if the nerves tonically influence cerebrovascular tone. We hypothesized that parasympathetics provide a tonic vasodilator influence and tested that hypothesis by measuring cerebral blood flow in anesthetized rats before and after removal of a pterygopalatine ganglion. Ganglion removal led to reduced cerebral blood flow without changing blood pressure. Thus, parasympathetic nerves provide tonic vasodilatory input to cerebral blood vessels.
Boysen
Nicholas C
NC
Laboratory of Neurobiology, University of Iowa, Iowa City, IA 52242, USA.
Dragon
Deidre Nitschke
DN
Talman
William T
WT
D000818:Animals; D017776:Autonomic Pathways / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D002536:Cerebral Arteries / Q000294:innervation* / Q000502:physiology*; D002560:Cerebrovascular Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D003714:Denervation; D005154:Facial Nerve / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology; D005726:Ganglia, Parasympathetic / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000502:physiology*; D051381:Rats; D017207:Rats, Sprague-Dawley; D013045:Species Specificity; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000502:physiology*