Abstract
With combined microdialysis and hydrogen clearance techniques for simultaneous local delivery of drugs and blood-flow measurement in the rat hindlimb sensory-motor cortex, we examined the role of nitric oxide in cerebral blood-flow regulation during sciatic nerve stimulation. Infusion of 1 mM nitric oxide synthase antagonist, Nρ-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), blocked the cortical blood-flow response to sciatic nerve stimulation (152 ± 43 ml·min-1·100 g-1 of tissue in controls and 73 ± 11 ml·min-1·100 g-1 in the presence of L-NAME; P < 0.05). Addition of 10 mM L-arginine to the dialysate containing L-NAME partially restored the hyperemic response to nerve stimulation (125 ml·min-1·100 g-1). L-NAME also produced a decrease in baseline cerebral blood flow when compared with the control (66 ± 14 ml·min-1·100 g-1 vs. 93 ± 25 ml·min-1·100 g-1). We conclude that nitric oxide from activated neurons participates in the local regulation of cortical blood flow in response to sciatic nerve stimulation and also in the maintenance of basal cortical blood flow.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 6649-6652 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America |
Volume | 89 |
Issue number | 14 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jul 15 1992 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- Cerebral blood flow
- Cortical activation
- Microdialysis
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- General