Role of Catecholamine in Pressor Responses to Stimulation of the Central Nervous System

抄録

In order to clarify the contribution of humoral factors on blood pressure changes produced by cerebral stimulation, successive determination of arterial catecholamine content by fluorimetric method was performed.
(1) Prolongation of blood pressure elevation after the stimulation of the central nervous system was due to an increase in catecholamine (especially epinephrine) release from the adrenals, to which the stimulus reached through the greater splanchnic nerves. This conclusion was drawn from the following experiments.
(i) Catecholamine secretion was remarkable in the cases that showed a prolonged blood pressure elevation after cessation of the stimulation.
(ii) Ligation of the adrenal veins and section of the greater splanchnic nerves inhibited both the prolonged elevation of blood pressure and the catecholamine secretion.
(iii) The blood pressure changes by the stimulation of the greater splanchnic nerves and the intravenous injection of epinephrine simulated the prolonged elevation of blood pressure after the central nervous stimulation.
(2) The increase in arterial catecholamine content was transient despite a persistent elevation of blood pressure after the stimulation.
(3) Biphasic pressor response and catecholamine secretion were remarkable on stimulation of the central gray stratum of the midbrain and its adjacent area.