title: Insular cortex alpha1-adrenoceptors modulate the parasympathetic component of the baroreflex in unanesthetized rats.
abstract: The insular cortex (IC) has been reported to modulate the cardiac parasympathetic activity of the baroreflex in unanesthetized rats. However, which neurotransmitters are involved in this modulation is still unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the possible involvement of local IC-noradrenergic neurotransmission in modulating reflex bradycardiac responses. Bilateral microinjection of the selective alpha(1)-adrenoceptor antagonist WB4101 (15 nmol/100 nL), into the IC of male Wistar rats, increased the gain of reflex bradycardia in response to mean arterial pressure (MAP) increases evoked by intravenous infusion of phenylephrine. However, bilateral microinjection of equimolar doses of either the selective alpha(2)-adrenoceptor antagonist RX821002 or the non-selective beta-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol into the IC did not affect the baroreflex response. No effects were observed in basal MAP or heart rate values after bilateral microinjection of noradrenergic antagonists into the IC, thus suggesting no tonic influence of IC-noradrenergic neurotransmission on resting cardiovascular parameters. In conclusion, these data provide evidence that local IC-noradrenergic neurotransmission has an inhibitory influence on baroreflex responses to blood pressure increase evoked by phenylephrine infusion through activation of alpha(1)-adrenoceptors.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, School of Medicine of Ribeirão Preto, University of São Paulo, Av. Bandeirantes 3900, 14049-900, Ribeirão Preto, São Paulo, Brazil.
authors.forename: Fernando H F
authors.initials: FH
authors.lastname: Alves
authors.forename: Carlos C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Crestani
authors.forename: Leonardo B M
authors.initials: LB
authors.lastname: Resstel
authors.forename: Fernando M A
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Correa
mesh_terms: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists / Q000494:pharmacology; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D000818:Animals; D017704:Baroreflex / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002540:Cerebral Cortex / Q000378:metabolism*; D004146:Dioxanes / Q000494:pharmacology; D006339:Heart Rate / Q000187:drug effects; D019329:Idazoxan / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D008297:Male; D009638:Norepinephrine / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology; D010275:Parasympathetic Nervous System / Q000378:metabolism*; D010656:Phenylephrine / Q000494:pharmacology; D051381:Rats; D017208:Rats, Wistar; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1 / Q000378:metabolism*; D012044:Regression Analysis; D009435:Synaptic Transmission / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000316:Adrenergic alpha-Agonists; D000317:Adrenergic alpha-Antagonists; D004146:Dioxanes; D018340:Receptors, Adrenergic, alpha-1; D010656:Phenylephrine; C058525:2-methoxyidazoxan; C010654:(2-(2',6'-dimethoxy)phenoxyethylamino)methylbenzo-1,4-dioxane; D009638:Norepinephrine; D019329:Idazoxan