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(Stroke. 1975;6:654.)
© 1975 American Heart Association, Inc.

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Determinants of Response of Pial Arteries to Norepinephrine and Sympathetic Nerve Stimulation

ENOCH P. WEI PH.D.¹; A. JARRELL RAPER M.D.¹; HERMES A. KONTOS M.D., PH.D.²; JOHN L. PATTERSON JR. M.D.³

¹ Department of Medicine, Medical College of Virginia, Health Sciences Division of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298
² Department of Medicine, Medical College of Virginia, Health Sciences Division of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298; Virginia Heart Association Chair of Cardiovascular Research
³ Department of Medicine, Medical College of Virginia, Health Sciences Division of Virginia Commonwealth University, Richmond, Virginia 23298; Research Career Award from the NHLI

Feline pial arteries larger than 100 µ in diameter constricted in response to cervical sympathetic nerve stimulation or in response to topical application of norepinephrine. Smaller pial arteries were unresponsive to norepinephrine. This unresponsiveness persisted when norepinephrine was dissolved in CSF with high calcium ion concentration, or in CSF with both high calcium ion and zero magnesium ion concentration, or when it was dissolved in the acid fluid used by Wahl et al. and applied by constant infusion or by intermittent application. Comparison of the responses of the larger pial vessels to norepinephrine and to sympathetic nerve stimulation suggests that maximal activation of sympathetic nerves achieves a concentration of released norepinephrine equal to 5.9 x 10^-4 M. The constriction of the larger pial vessels in response to sympathetic nerve stimulation could account for modest reductions in cerebral blood flow.

Key Words: catecholamines • neurogenic control of cerebral blood flow • cat • vasoconstriction

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