Vascular and noradrenalic reactions in the musculocutaneous bed during hypothalamic stimulation

When electrical stimulation is applied to the ventromedial hypothalamic zone one observes an increase in systemic blood pressure. There also occur blood pressure variations in the isolated femoral circuit: two distinct phenomena were observed. The early event, being either an increase or a decrease in peripheral resistance, is directly related to the amount of noradrenaline produced locally. The late event is due to catecholamines arriving from the general circulation. Inhibition of local catecholamine release through the baroreceptor reflex and inhibition of ganglionic transmission by a large and sudden increase in adrenaline blood levels do influence the response in the isolated femoral circuit. Moreover the peripheral vasomotor tonus seems to be influenced by yet another mechanism, independent of local catecholamine release. This delicate mechanism depends on the balance between the degree of excitation of hypothalamic pressor (medial) and depressor (lateral) zones.