Central adrenergic neurons in DOCA‐salt hypertension

Abstract

The effects of various doses of 6‐hydroxydopamine(6‐OHDA) injected into the hypothalamus on DOCA‐salt‐induced hypertension were studied. The development of hypertension was prevented in the group treated with the highest dose of 6‐OHDA, and the onset of hypertension was delayed in a dose‐dependent fashion in the groups treated with the lower doses of 6‐OHDA. Catecholamine histofluorescence observations showed that the cannula tips placed the drug lateral to the third ventricle. The most prominent change observed was a marked unilateral reduction in the fluorescence of the dopaminergic nerves of the caudate‐putamen and in the number of cell bodies in the substantia nigra. These results suggest possible sites of central aminergic control of blood pressure.