Central activation of cardiac vagal nerve by α2-adrenergic stimulation is impaired in streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic rats

To elucidate the abnormality of cardiac vagal control in streptozotocin-induced type 1 diabetic rats, we measured left ventricular myocardial interstitial acetylcholine (ACh) release in response to α2-adrenergic stimulation as an index of in vivo cardiac vagal nerve activity. A cardiac microdialysis technique was applied to the rat left ventricle, and the effect of α2-adrenergic stimulation by intravenous medetomidine (100 μg/kg) on myocardial interstitial ACh levels was examined in anest hetized diabetic rats (4–6 weeks after intraperitoneal streptozotocin) and age-matched control rats (protocol 1).
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Source Type: research