Rostral ventrolateral medulla regulates pancreatic and gastric blood flow

Abstract

Premotor neurons controlling pancreatic sympathetic outflow originate from several sources including the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM). This study was designed to test the hypothesis that pancreatic sympathetic vasomotor outflow is driven by RVLM neurons. Halothane‐anesthetized, paralysed, male Sprague‐Dawley rats received electrical stimulation (50 Hz, 25–75 μA, 0.5 ms pulse duration, 10 s) of the RVLM region which had been localised electrophysiologically. Pancreatic conductance (G panc ) gastric conductance (G gas ), arterial blood pressure and heart rate were measured. Administration of phenylephrine (..