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Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Isolation and Cannulation of Cerebral Parenchymal Arterioles
Published on: May 23, 2016
Vascular autonomic nerves and corresponding receptors in brain vessels
Abstract:
Cerebral blood vessels, arteries and veins, are invested with a dense plexus of perivascular nerve fibres containing noradrenaline, acetylcholine esterase vasoactive intestinal polypeptide (VIP), substance P and avain pancreatic polypeptide (APP). The majority of the noradrenaline and APP-containing fibres disappear within one week after sympathectomy, while the other nerve fibres remain. Pharmacological studies of feline pial arteries in vitro have shown the presence of alpha 2- and beta 1- adrenoreceptors mediating contraction and dilatation, respectively. Dilatation can also be obtained by acetylcholine activating muscarinic receptors and by VIP and substance P.
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