Sympathetic activities influence blood-flow velocity and resistance in the rabbit ophthalmic artery

The aim of this study was to investigate sympathetic influences on blood-flow velocity and resistance in the rabbit ophthalmic artery during the transition period from the light to the dark phase.

Eight (8) New Zealand albino rabbits were entrained to a daily 12-h light and 12-h dark cycle. Blood-flow velocities in the ophthalmic artery were determined at -2 (baseline), 0, 2, and 4 h after the onset of darkness. Pulsed and color Doppler images of the ophthalmic artery were recorded using a 12-MHz linear ultrasound transducer. Resistive index of blood flow was calculated using the peak systolic velocity and the end diastolic velocity. Measurements of intraocular pressure (IOP) were taken, using a pneumatonometer at the same time points. Blood-flow velocity, resistive index, and IOP were also determined in the same rabbits after surgical decentralization of the ocular sympathetic nerves.

Compared with the baseline at -2 h, a significant increase in the resistive index of blood flow in the ophthalmic artery occurred at 2 and 4 h after the onset of darkness. Parallel elevations of IOP were observed. After the sympathetic decentralization, peak systolic and end diastolic velocities decreased and resistive indexes increased from the presurgical values in the ophthalmic artery. In the postsurgical rabbits, elevation of IOP was absent during the light-dark transition period. There was also no time-dependent increase of resistive index in the ophthalmic artery.

During the light-dark transition period, resistance to blood flow in the rabbit ophthalmic artery increases in parallel to IOP elevation. The removal of sympathetic activities decreases blood-flow velocity, but increases blood-flow resistance. Like the endogenous elevation of IOP, the time-dependent increase of resistance to blood flow in the rabbit ophthalmic artery during the light-dark transition period depends upon, at least partially, ocular sympathetic activities.