Carotid sinus depressor reflexes during hypothermia

Abstract

Reducing body temperature in dogs to 24 C caused a small reduction in the size of the carotid sinus depressor response. Along with this reduction the response also became more gradual at the lower body temperatures. Systematic studies demonstrated that the more gradual nature of the response appeared to result from changes in the vascular smooth muscle. Depression of the nervous elements of the baroreceptor reflex arc during hypothermia was not evident. The response to carotid sinus stimulation in the warm, perfused hindlimb was essentially unchanged by cooling the body to 24 C. Local cooling of the perfused hindleg did not reduce the size but did result in a more gradual response.