Examination of the periaqueductal gray as a site for controlling arterial pressure in the conscious spontaneously hypertensive rat

Our understanding of central nervous system regulation of the set-point of arterial pressure remains incomplete, especially in conditions of hypertension. The ventrolateral periaqueductal gray (vlPAG) is of particular interest given that its acute activation induces hypotension and sympatho-inhibition in anaesthetised, normotensive animals, and recent preliminary studies have shown that vlPAG stimulation can reduce blood pressure in refractory hypertensive patients. To assist our mechanistic understanding, we investigated whether electrical stimulation of the vlPAG had depressor actions in a model of neurogenic hypertension, the spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rat.
Source: Autonomic Neuroscience: Basic and Clinical - Category: Neuroscience Authors: Source Type: research