Arterial baroreflex is not involved in salt preference in rats

1. One unusual and interesting feature of spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR) is their salt preference. This behaviour is known to be independent of blood pressure. 2. Arterial baroreflex (ABR) function is impaired in SHR. Therefore, the present study was designed to explore the relationship between ABR function and salt preference in rats. 3. Twenty-seven SHR, aged 11 months, were used. Blood pressure and baroreflex sensitivity (BRS) were determined in conscious, freely moving SHR after the measurement of salt preference. It was found that BRS did not relate to the salt preference in these rats. 4. Another group of normotensive Sprague-Dawley rats, aged 10 weeks, underwent either sinoaortic denervation (SAD) or sham operation. Salt preference was determined before and 4 weeks after SAD. Sinoaortic denervation did not alter salt preference in normotensive rats. 5. It is concluded that ABR function does not influence the salt preference in rats.