Regional neurohypophyseal blood flow and its control in adult sheep

Regional neurohypophyseal and cerebral blood flows were measured by the radiolabeled microsphere technique in 30 adult sheep under light barbiturate anesthesia. Regional blood flows were determined under basal conditions. The responses of regional blood flow to alterations in arterial PCO2 and to changes in arterial blood pressure wee also determined. In addition, the relationship between regional neurohypophyseal blood flow and neurosecretory activity as judged by plasma arginine vasopressin levels was assessed. Under basal conditions median eminence blood flow averaged 461 ml.100 g-1.min-1 and did not significantly differ from neural lobe blood flow (436 ml.100 g-1.min-1). Blood flow in the neurohypophysis was about 8 times cortical and 16 times white matter blood flow in these animals. Median eminence and neural lobe blood flow proportionately increased far less than regional cortical or white matter blood flow under conditions of hypercarbia. With alteration of arterial blood pressure, regional neurohypophyseal blood flow remained constant beyond the limits of cerebral autoregulation. The neurohypophysis demonstrates a degree of blood flow homeostasis that exceeds that of any other brain area studied. Although the neurohypophysis is a diverticulum of the brain, its vascular system forms a unique functional as well as a unique anatomic unit.