Right prefrontal activation produced by arterial baroreceptor stimulation:a PET study

This study was performed to test the hypothesis of greater right hemispheri c involvement in the processing of baroreceptor stimuli. Carotid sinus baro receptors were stimulated by rhythmically decreasing air pressure in a neck chamber, and under control conditions the thorax was stimulated in a simil ar manner. Changes in regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF) were measured by PET. Baroreceptor stimulation resulted in rCBF increase in the right anteri or-inferior prefrontal cortex (Brodmann areas (BA) 10/44/47) and bilaterall y in BA 6/8. We conclude that in at least some stages of baroreceptor infor mation processing the right hemisphere plays a greater role than the left h emisphere. NeuroReport 12:3233-3238 (C) 2001 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins.