Pancreatic vasoconstrictor responses are regulated by neurons in the rostral ventrolateral medulla

Abstract

The pancreas receives sympathetic input which arises from several premotor cell groups in the CNS including the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). In this study, we examined the influence of electrical stimulation of the RVLM on pancreatic blood flow measured by laser Doppler flowmetry and gastric blood flow measured by ultrasonic Doppler flowmetry in halothane-anesthetized rats. The laser Doppler flow measurement technique was validated by demonstration that pancreatic conductance was reduced by systemic administration of the vasoconstrictor phenylephrine and increased by the vasodilator sodium nitroprusside. Sympathetic vasomotor withdrawal induced by either administration of phenylbigu..