The supply of vasomotor drive to individual classes of sympathetic neuron

Abstract

The vasoconstrictor supplies to different tissues show distinct patterns of ongoing and reflex activity, indicating that they are driven by distinct central pathways. Vasomotor tone depends heavily on connections from the brainstem, so class-specific vasomotor drives have been sought amongst the sympathetic premotor neurons which provide those connections. Premotor neurons of the rostral ventrolateral medulla (subretrofacial nucleus) provide most descending vasomotor drive. Together, they drive the sympathetic supplies to heart, blood vessels and adrenal, but not 'non-cardiovascular' sympathetic responses (sweating, pupil dilatation, piloerection, etc.). Individually, they provide preferenti..