[Depressor effect of nucleus arcuatus stimulation in chronic stress-induced hypertensive rat]

Hypertension was induced by chronic foot-shock and noise stress in adult male Sprague-Dawley rats. Microinjection of 0.3 microliters (150 mmol) sodium glutamate (Glu) into the nucleus arcuatus (ARC) elicited a significant depressor effect in rats with chronic stress-induced hypertension. The depressor effect induced by excitation of ARC neurons was attenuated significantly by microinjection of 0.3 microliters beta-endorphin antiserum (beta-EPAS) into the dorso-medial periaqueductal gray (PAG) or 0.1 microliters into the area of locus coeruleus (LC) due to blockage of beta-endorphinergic fibres from ARC to PAG or LC.