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PubMed1996

Reciprocal effects of chronic diazepam and melatonin on brain melatonin and benzodiazepine binding sites.

Recent reports indicate that benzodiazepines can suppress melatonin levels and that melatonin can increase brain benzodiazepine binding. We have studied the possibility of reciprocal effects of chronic diazepam and melatonin on brain melatonin and benzodiazepine binding sites. Daily injections (3 weeks) of diazepam markedly reduced 125I-melatonin binding site density in the medulla-pons but not cortex of male rats, whereas benzodiazepine binding was not significantly affected. Melatonin, administered via the drinking water, significantly enhanced benzodiazepine (3H-RO 15-1788) binding in the medulla-pons and slightly reduced it in the cortex, but did not affect 125I-melatonin binding. Diazepam and melatonin combination reversed the suppression by diazepam of 125I-melatonin binding in the medulla-pons and the suppression by melatonin of benzodiazepine (3H-RO 15-1788 and 3H-flunitrazepam) binding in the cerebral cortex. These results indicate benzodiazepine-mediated suppression of brain melatonin binding sites that can be abrogated by melatonin administration.

Animals↗
PubMed1972

Transport of potassium at the blood-brain barrier.

1. The pial surface of different regions of the central nervous system of the rabbit have been bathed with artificial cerebrospinal fluid (c.s.f.), containing different concentrations of potassium. The object has been to change the composition of the interstitial fluid with respect to this ion, where it is adjacent to subarachnoid c.s.f.2. Two techniques, subarachnoid perfusion from the supracallosal space between the hemispheres to the cisterna magna and barbotage from the cisterna magna, have been used. If the artificial c.s.f. contains Evans Blue, the former procedure results in maximum staining of the pia and underlying nervous tissue of the pons-medulla and spinal cord. The latter procedure results in maximum staining of the medial and supero-lateral surfaces of the cerebral hemispheres, particularly anteriorly.3. During subarachnoid perfusion at 0.06 ml./min with the potassium-free fluid, most regions of the brain took up significantly greater amounts of (42)K than was the case during perfusion with the fluids containing 3 and 10 m-equiv/l. For blue cerebral cortex, the tissue subjected directly to the inflowing fluid and showing the biggest differences, the ratios, c.p.m. per g brain/c.p.m. per ml. plasma, were 1.71 +/- 0.12 (+44%), 1.19 +/- 0.05 and 1.07 +/- 0.08 (-10%) during perfusion with the fluids containing, 0, 3 and 10 m-equiv/l. respectively.4. During barbotage, the uptake of (42)K into pons-medulla and spinal cord from blood plasma, the concentration in the latter being effectively kept near constant, was, at the end of 2 hr, greater when the fluid contained potassium, 0 m=-equiv/l. rather than 10 m-equiv/l. Thus the ratio, c.p.m per g brain/c.p.m. per ml. plasma was (0.99 +/- 0.04 (+36%) as against 0.73 +/- 0.05 for pons-medulla where the difference was greatest.5. Simultaneous measurements of the entry of [(14)C]urea from blood to different regions of the central nervous system revealed no significant differences due to the differing concentrations of potassium imposed by either barbotage or subarachnoid perfusion. This appears to exclude a non-specific cause for the changes in (42)K uptake, an example of which might be a changing blood flow.6. Reasons are given for supposing that the big increase in (42)K uptake due to the potassium-free fluid must be due to events occurring at the blood-brain barrier. This might be some form of interaction, possibly the single file effect, such that a low potassium concentration in the interstitial fluid potentiates (42)K influx across the blood-brain barrier. Alternatively it might be due to a low potassium concentration in this fluid greatly reducing active potassium movement from interstitial fluid to blood. The former explanation would conform neatly with the present results; but the latter would additionally be compatible with other evidence concerning the homoeostasis of potassium concentration in c.s.f. and the interstitial fluid of brain.

Animals↗
PubMed1967

Brain stem structures responsible for the electroencephalographic patterns of desynchronized sheep.

Contrary to the results of transecting one half of the rostral pons, unilateral partial lesions of the rostral pons, involving either "specific" or "aspecific" structures, do not prevent the appearance of the desynchronized electroencephalographic patterns of deep sleep in the ipsilateral hemi sphere in cats. This effect, however, is obtained by lesions of the medial as well as lateral tegmental structures of the midbrain. These findings seem to indicate that (i) there is not a single pontine structure or group of structures of crucial importance for the EEG desynchronization of deep sleep; the whole rostral pons appears to contrib ute to the EEG-desynchronizing influ ence; (ii) this influence runs rostrally through the midbrain tegmentum, without following any known fiber pathway.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Modulation of the spinobulbospinal micturition reflex pathway in cats.

Micturition, which is mediated by a spinobulbospinal reflex pathway, can be modulated by various spinal and supraspinal mechanisms. This study examined modulation of the micturition reflex in decerebrate unanesthetized cats. Electrical stimulation of the pontine micturition center (PMC) elicited two types of bladder responses: small-amplitude short-duration responses due to direct activation of the bulbospinal pathway (PS-direct contractions) and large-amplitude long-duration reflex responses induced by PS-direct contractions but maintained by afferent feedback (PS-reflex contractions). Rectal and vaginal-cervical stimulation inhibited the PS-direct contractions, indicating inhibition of the descending or efferent limb of the micturition pathway. Stimulation of the central end of a transected S2 ventral root elicited recurrent inhibition of PS-reflex contractions but not of PS-direct contractions, indicating that recurrent inhibition does not directly affect the descending pathway. Continuous electrical stimulation (20 Hz) of the PMC decreased (53 +/- 21%) bladder capacity, presumably by affecting transmission in the pons or ascending input to the pons. Thus the micturition reflex could be modulated at several sites: the pons, the ascending or descending pathways, or spinal interneuronal sites.

Afferent Pathways↗
PubMed1983

Independent brain stem sites for ventilatory neurogenesis.

The purpose was to determine if independent ventilatory rhythms could be generated in each half of completely separated brain stems. In decerebrate, cerebellectomized, vagotomized, paralyzed, and ventilated cats, activities of phrenic, recurrent laryngeal (RLN), and/or hypoglossal nerves were monitored. Midsaggital brain stem divisions were performed by sections and lesions. Eupnea continued following divisions of mesencephalon and pons. Hypoglossal and phrenic activities were eliminated after sections approximating the obex. In most preparations, RLNs discharged with independent rhythms after completion of midsagittal brain stem section and a C1 transection. Independent rhythms were also obtained from each half of medulla following transections at the pontomedullary junction and at C1, and midsagittal medullary divisions. In other animals with transections between pons and medulla and at C1, synchronized RLN and hypoglossal activities persisted after sagittal medullary divisions, 2.0 mm lateral to midline contralaterally. Data demonstrate that there is more than one potential brain stem site for ventilatory neurogenesis. It is hypothesized that there are many such sites, possibly having pacemaker cells, in pons and medulla.

Animals↗
PubMed1985

Interactions between rostral pontine and ventral medullary respiratory neurons.

Lesioning studies have demonstrated that the respiratory rhythm is generated within the brain stem and that connections between the pons and the medulla must be intact for the generation of eupneic breathing in the decerebrate or anesthetized vagotomized cat. However, the nature of proposed functional connections between pontine and medullary respiratory neurons is not well understood. The possibility of interactions between respiratory neurons of the rostral pons (n. parabrachialis medialis, Kölliker-Fuse nucleus) and the ipsilateral ventral respiratory group (VRG; n. retroambigualis, n. ambiguus, retrofacial nucleus) was investigated because of neuroanatomical and electrophysiological evidence for such connections. Phrenic nerve activity and pontine and medullary single-unit respiratory related activities were recorded extracellularly in 44 decerebrate, vagotomized, paralyzed, and artificially ventilated cats. Cross-correlation analysis was employed to detect and evaluate functional associations of pairs of cells. Eighteen (7%) of the 255 pairs of respiratory neurons analyzed showed evidence of short time scale correlations indicative of a functional interaction. The interpretations of the detected correlations suggest that some cell pairs were correlated due to mono- or paucisynaptic connections, while others were correlated due to the influence of an unobserved shared input. The interpretations for 11 of the 15 cell pairs for which a monosynaptic connection may be postulated involve a projection from a tonically active respiratory neuron. Twelve of the 18 positive correlations involved neurons whose maximum rates of discharge occurred during different parts of the respiratory cycle. The results of this study provide the first evidence of functional connections among pontine and medullary respiratory neurons based on the evaluation of simultaneously recorded spike trains and suggest that the role of the rostral pontine respiratory neurons in the control of the respiratory rhythm may be mediated by various types of interactions. When considered with the results of other studies, our data suggest that monosynaptic interactions between VRG and rostral pontine respiratory neurons play a limited role in the control of the respiratory cycle in the decerebrate vagotomized cat. It is likely that the influence of the pons on ventral medullary neurons (and vice-versa) is also exerted via polysynaptic pathways and/or via brain stem neurons not sampled in this study.

Animals↗
PubMed1977

Effect of hypo- and hyperthyroidism on regional monoamine metabolism in the adult rat brain.

The effects of hypo- and hyperthyroidism were investigated on brain levels and accumulation rates (after pargyline) of 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), norepinephrine (NE) and dopamine (DA) in discrete brain regions of the adult rat. Whereas NE remained unchanged in all brain areas except in the cerebellum, alterations in brain 5-HT and DA suggest that the behavioral abnormalities associated with thyroid dysfunction in adulthood may be related to neurotransmission disturbances. In hypothyroidism, 5-HT content decreased in cerebral hemispheres and mesodiencephalon and DA content decreased in these regions and also in cerebellum and pons-medulla. Concomitantly, accumulation rate of 5-HT was lower in pons-medulla whereas that of DA was increased in cerebral hemispheres and mesodiencephalon. In hyperthyroidism, 5-HT levels increased in cerebral hemispheres alone. Accumulation rate of 5-HT increased in pons-medulla and that of DA increased in mesodiencephalon. These data indicate that the influence of thyroid hormones on monoamines (MAs) in the adult brain varies with the neurotransmitter and the brain area considered.

Animals↗
PubMed1981

Adrenal medullary secretory response to pontine and mesencephalic stimulation in the rat.

Adrenal medullary secretion in response to electrical stimulation of the pons and midbrain was investigated in pentobarbital-anethetized rats. Adrenal venous blood samples were collected and analyzed for epinephrine and norepinephrine by the fluorometric method. Stimulation of the dorsolateral areas of the pons and midbrain resulted in a significant increase in epinephrine secretion with or without a significant increase in norepinephrine secretion. Most of the responsive areas were localized near the main sensory nucleus and motor nucleus of the trigeminal nerve. It may be suggested that in the pons and midbrain there exist central nervous system mechanisms for the regulation of the adrenal medullary secretion.

Adrenal Medulla↗
PubMed1992

Effect of the duration of streptozotocin-induced diabetes on turnover of central biogenic amines in mice.

The relationship between central catecholaminergic and serotonergic neurons and the development of streptozotocin-induced diabetic mice was examined over periods of 3, 14, 50 and 100 days. The accumulation of 3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (DOPA) and 5-hydroxytryptophan (5-HTP) were measured after central decarboxylase activity was inhibited by m-hydroxybenzylhydrazine (NSD-1015). Results indicated that DOPA accumulation in the hypothalamus was not altered during the entire time course of the experiment. On the other hand, DOPA accumulation in the striatum was decreased in 50- and 100-day diabetic mice. The DOPA levels in the pons medulla were not increased until the mice had been diabetic for 100 days. The accumulation of 5-HTP was decreased in the hypothalamus of 14-day diabetic mice and was also present at 50 and 100 days, that in the striatum and pons medulla was not decreased until the mice had been diabetic for 50 days and persisted to 100 days in the striatum. These data showed that both DOPA and 5-HTP accumulation in the striatum and pons medulla were changed only in long-term diabetic mice and suggested that changes in catecholamine and serotonin turn-over rates are not generalized, but restricted only to some particular brain regions and time courses.

5-Hydroxytryptophan↗
PubMed1988

High NaCl diet reduces hypothalamic norepinephrine turnover in hypertensive rats.

The current study tested the hypothesis that high NaCl diets elevate blood pressure in NaCl-sensitive spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR-S) by reducing noradrenergic input to depressor neurons in the anterior hypothalamus. SHR-S were studied at 7 weeks of age, and age-matched salt resistant SHR (SHR-R) and normotensive Wistar-Kyoto rats (WKY) were controls. Rats were fed either high (8%) NaCl or control (1% NaCl) diets for 2 weeks, following which norepinephrine turnover in hypothalamus (anterior, posterior, and ventral regions), brainstem (pons and medulla), and thoracic spinal cord was assessed using the dopamine beta-hydroxylase inhibitor 1-cyclohexyl-2-mercapto-imidazole (CHMI). Regional brain catecholamines were measured by high performance liquid chromatography with electrochemical detection following intraperitoneal injection of CHMI or vehicle. Disappearance of norepinephrine following CHMI was used as an index of noradrenergic neuronal activity. The 8% NaCl diet caused a significant elevation in blood pressure in SHR-S but not in SHR-R or WKY. Endogenous norepinephrine levels and turnover were lower in the anterior hypothalamus of SHR-S fed 8% NaCl than in those fed 1% NaCl but were not significantly different in other groups. Endogenous norepinephrine levels and turnover were greater in pons of 8% NaCl--fed SHR-S than in those fed 1% NaCl but were not significantly different in other groups. These observations support the hypothesis that reduced noradrenergic input to depressor neurons in the anterior hypothalamus and increased noradrenergic input to neurons in the pons are related to NaCl sensitivity in the SHR-S.

Animals↗
PubMed1992

Hemodynamic and metabolic changes in crossed cerebellar hypoperfusion.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: The pathophysiology of crossed cerebellar diaschisis remains to be elucidated. The mechanism responsible appears to be deafferentation through the corticopontocerebellar tract, which terminates in the cerebellar gray matter. However, few studies have demonstrated the hemodynamic and metabolic changes in the cerebellar gray matter and pons in crossed cerebellar diaschisis. METHODS: Using positron emission tomography in 24 patients with unilateral supratentorial stroke, we evaluated regional blood flow, metabolic rate of oxygen, oxygen extraction fraction, and blood volume in the cerebellar cortex and pons. Sixteen patients with significant cerebellar blood flow asymmetry, defined as a percentage difference in blood flow beyond the upper 95% confidence limit defined in eight normal subjects, were selected as the group with crossed cerebellar hypoperfusion. RESULTS: In patients with crossed cerebellar hypoperfusion, the metabolic rate of oxygen was significantly decreased in the cerebellar cortex contralateral to the supratentorial stroke, compared with that in the ipsilateral cerebellar cortex; this decrease was less than the decrease in cerebellar blood flow. The degrees of cerebellar asymmetry in these two parameters were negatively correlated with the metabolic rate of oxygen in the pons. The oxygen extraction fraction was slightly, but significantly, increased. In contrast to the ischemic state, however, the cerebellar blood volume was decreased, with no difference in the ratio of cerebellar blood flow to blood volume. CONCLUSIONS: These findings support interruption of the corticopontocerebellar tract as the mechanism of crossed cerebellar hypoperfusion. Our results also suggest a mild elevation in the oxygen extraction fraction in this state, with a mechanism distinct from ischemia.

Adult↗
PubMed1995

Syndromes of pontine base infarction. A clinical-radiological correlation study.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Although there have been sporadic reports of lacunar syndromes due to pontine base infarction, studies of clinical-radiological correlation in sufficient numbers of patients have not yet been reported. METHODS: We studied the clinical features of 37 patients with acute infarcts that mainly involved the base of the pons and correlated the clinical syndromes with the radiological findings. RESULTS: The clinical presentations included pure motor hemiparesis (PMH) in 17, sensorimotor stroke in 3, ataxic hemiparesis (AH) in 4, and dysarthria-clumsy hand (DA-CH) syndrome in 6 patients. Variants of AH included 1 patient with dysarthria-hemiataxia and 2 with quadrataxic hemiparesis, and in 4 patients dysarthria-facial paresis syndrome was considered a variant of DA-CH syndrome. Hypertension was the single most common and important risk factor, and the pathogenetic mechanisms of ischemia were likely to be small arterial (lacunar) occlusion or basilar atheromatous branch occlusion in most of the patients. Our clinical-radiological correlation study suggested that large lesions involving the paramedian caudal or middle pons correlate with severe hemiparesis (PMH), whereas lesions of similar size located in the paramedian rostral pons tended to produce DA-CH syndrome. Lesions producing AH were located variously but tended to spare the pyramidal tracts. The prognosis of these patients is fair or good, although residual hemiparesis remained in patients with initially severe hemiparesis. CONCLUSIONS: Our data suggest that the various lacunar syndromes that follow pontine base infarcts reflect the balance of the involvement of the corticospinal, corticopontocerebellar, and corticobulbar tracts. Analysis of radiological findings aids in determining the clinical-anatomic correlation in patients with pontine base infarction.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Sonographic maturation of third-trimester cerebellar foliation after birth.

The development of cerebellar folia of third-trimester preterms has not been described with ultrasound before. We set out to determine normal development of the pons and cerebellar folia for future measurements of hypoplasia and atrophy. Study sonograms were made in preterms admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit with postmenstrual age (PMA) from 25 wk until term. On a weekly basis, transcranial measurements were made in the axial and coronal planes at the asterion with high-frequency transducers (8.5 and 13 MHz). The axial images showed the pons and fourth ventricle. The coronal images showed cerebellar folia and white matter. In the same coronal plane, the depth of cerebellar fissures at the rostral cerebellar convexity could be observed. A total of 172 cranial sonograms were performed on 98 neonates. The development of folia could be measured with ultrasound through the asterion. We showed that pons area, mean of three fissure depths, hemisphere area, and number of folia in the horizontal fissure correlated significantly with PMA. Hemisphere area described the same trend of growth as the transverse cerebellar diameter used in fetal sonography.

Cerebellum↗
PubMed1993

Correlation of evoked potential and MRI findings in Wilson's disease.

We recorded brainstem auditory evoked potentials (BAEPs) and somatosensory evoked potentials to median nerve stimulation (MSEPs) within 10 days of brain MRI in 20 patients with Wilson's disease (WD). MRI was abnormal in 90% of patients, demonstrating symmetric striatum and brainstem lesions with or without thalamic lesions. MSEPs were abnormal in 65% of patients, usually showing bilaterally prolonged N/P13-N20 latencies. BAEPs were abnormal in 40%, most often with bilateral prolongation of the III-V latency. The III-V and N/P13-N20 interpeak latencies correlated significantly with the severity of MRI lesions in the caudal pons, rostral pons, and caudal midbrain. Our results indicate that subclinical sensory dysfunction is common in WD, and that auditory and somatosensory pathways are most severely affected at the brainstem level. Both the localization and severity of evoked potential abnormalities correspond closely to the morphologic changes in the pons and caudal midbrain shown by MRI.

Adult↗
PubMed2006

Microanatomy of the central myelin-peripheral myelin transition zone of the trigeminal nerve.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate the microanatomy of the central myelin-peripheral myelin transitional zone (TZ) in trigeminal nerves from cadavers. METHODS: One hundred trigeminal nerves from 50 cadaver heads were examined. The cisternal portion of the nerve (from the pons to Meckel's cave) was measured. Horizontal sections were stained and photographed. The photomicrographs were used to measure the extent of central myelin on the medial and lateral aspects of the nerve and to classify TZ shapes. RESULTS: The cisternal portions of the specimens ranged from 8 to 15 mm long (mean, 12.3 mm; median, 11.9 mm). The data from the photomicrographs revealed that the extent of central myelin (distance from pons to TZ) on the medial aspect of the nerve (range, 0.1-2.5 mm; mean, 1.13 mm; median, 1 mm) was shorter than that on the lateral aspect (range, 0.17-6.75 mm; mean, 2.47 mm; median, 2.12 mm). CONCLUSION: The data definitively prove that the root entry zone (REZ, nerve-pons junction) and TZ of the trigeminal nerve are distinct sites and that these terms should never be used interchangeably. The measurements showed that the central myelin occupies only the initial one-fourth of the trigeminal nerve length. If trigeminal neuralgia is caused exclusively by vascular compression of the central myelin, the problem vessel would always have to be located in this region. However, it is well known that pain from trigeminal neuralgia can resolve after vascular decompression at more distal sites. This suggests that the effects of surgical decompression are caused by another mechanism.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1977

The content and turnover of norepinephrine in the rabbit brain regions and cardiovascular tissues.

The content and turnover of norepinephrine (NE) in the hypothalamus, midbrain, pons-medulla, mesenteric artery, aorta and left ventricle were studied in the normal rabbit. Turnover rate of NE was determined by measuring the rate of decline in NE content of the tissue after blockade of synthesis with alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine. The NE content of the hypothalamus (1.44+/-0.03 microgram/g) was significantly higher than those of the midbrain (0.25+/-0.01 microgram/g) and the pons-medulla (0.36+/-0.01 microgram/g) (p less than 0.001), whereas the rate constant of NE turnover for the pons-medulla (0.213+/-0.009 hr-1) was significantly greater than those for the hypothalamus (0.164+/-0.008 hr-1, p less than 0.001) and the midbrain (0.180+/-0.008 hr-1, p less than 0.01). In the cardiovascular tissues examined, the NE content was highest in the mesenteric artery (6.33+/-0.19 microgram/g), moderate in the left ventricle (2.08+/-0.10 microgram/g) and lowest in the aorta (0.70+/-0.06 microgram/g). The differences among them were significant (p less than 0.001). However, the rate constant of NE turnover for the aorta (0.119+/-0.014 hr-1) was significantly greater than those for the mesenteric artery (0.059+/-0.008 hr-1, p less than 0.001) and the left ventricle (0.069+/-0.006 hr-1, p less than 0.005). The turnover rate of NE in the mesenteric artery was high, 0.372 microgram/g-hr, which suggests the very active NE synthesis. These results indicate that there are regional differences in content and turnover of NE of the cardiovascular tissues as well as of the brain.

Animals↗
PubMed1983

Computed tomography of the brain stem with intrathecal metrizamide. Part I: the normal brain stem.

In summary, the anatomic details of the brain stem are exquisitely demonstrated with metrizamide CT. The obex is the zone of transition from the closed medulla, which has a conical pear-shaped appearance to the quadriconcave open medulla. The pyramids and inferior olivary nuclei characterize the anterior surface of the open medulla, whereas the median sulcus and the cranial nerve nuclei constitute the floor of the fourth ventricle at the same level. The mushroomlike appearance of the pontomedullary junction is easily reproducible with the restiform bodies forming the posteriorly diverging biped. The seventh and eighth nerves are usually seen at this level or on the adjacent higher section of the low pons. The brachia pontis are well delineated in almost their entire length at the level of the low pons as they bound the fourth ventricle laterally. The trigeminal nerves are seen at the level of the midpons, which is a few millimeters lower than the isthmus. The latter constitutes the junction of the pons with the mesencephalon. The colliculi divide the midbrain into two levels of axial cross section: the inferior collicular level, which may or may not show the trochlear nerve, and the superior collicular level, which features anteriorly the suprasellar cistern and its contents. Air is an inadequate contrast agent for CT for the demonstration of the surface features of the brain stem because of partial filling of the cisterns and meniscus formation that precludes a detailed outline. Metrizamide, however, with careful technique, fills the fourth ventricle and subarachnoid space both infra- and supratentorially. High-resolution scanning using primary reconstruction, and thin tomographic sections of no more than 5 mm are a necessity for metrizamide CT. Consecutive scans should not be spaced more than 5 mm apart if all the features of the brain stem are to be evaluated. The demonstration of the various grooves and protuberances on the surface of the brain stem provides a unique opportunity for evaluating focal atrophy and focal swelling henceforth impossible to visualize consistently.

Brain Stem↗
PubMed1991

Tonic control of arterial pressure and regional hemodynamics by supra-medullary sites.

We examined the role of pontine sites in the tonic control of vasomotor tone under normal and reduced tidal volumes. Lidocaine was microinjected in pons at the level of the Kölliker-Fuse nucleus (KFN). Injections were made bilaterally 6, 7, 8, and 9 mm below dura, and 0.9 and 2.5 mm lateral to midline. Lidocaine in KFN produced a fall (-14 mmHg) in mean arterial pressure (MAP) at normal and reduced tidal volumes. These effects were mediated primarily by a reduction in hindquarter vascular resistance. Lidocaine into a ventromedial site (8.0 mm beneath dura, 0.9 mm lateral to midline) increased MAP by increasing renal, mesenteric, and hindquarter vascular resistance. After sino-aortic deafferentation (SAD), reduced tidal volume augmented the pressor and blunted the tachycardic responses to lidocaine injected into the ventromedial pons (9.0 mm beneath dura, 0.9 mm lateral to midline). SAD also enhanced the pressor response to lidocaine injected into ventromedial pons. This work demonstrates a role for supra-medullary sites in the tonic control of vasomotor tone.

Afferent Pathways↗