Parasympathetic nerves influence cerebral blood flow during hypertension in rat

This study tested the hypothesis that cerebral vasodilatation during marked acute hypertension is mediated in part through the influence of parasympat hetic nerves from the pterygopalatine ganglia. Blood pressure was increased slowly in anesthetized rats after bilateral transection of the parasympath etic nerves. Cerebral blood how was measured by laser flowmetry. Acutely hy pertensive denervated animals developed significantly less cerebral vasodil atation than did control animals with intact nerves. Thus, parasympathetic vasodilator nerves contribute to vasodilatation seen with acute hypertensio n. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.